"Jericho, also called the City of Palms (Deut 34:3), is located 5 miles (8 km.) west of the Jordan and 7 miles (12 km.) north of the Dead Sea, some 800 feet (250 m.) below sea level. Its climate is tropical, with great heat during the summer. In the winter it becomes a resort for people fleeing the colder weather of the Palestinian hill country. In ancient times date palm trees flourished here; and balsam, from which medicine was extracted, was the source of great income. Today there are many banana groves here. The presence of springs of water makes the locality a green oasis in the middle of the dry Jordan rift area."