Depressions of the Earth

The Lowest and Deepest Points on Earth

place region depression distinction
Dead Sea Southwest Asia -412 m   The surface of the Dead Sea is the lowest point on the Earth's surface as measured from sea level at about 412 meters below the Geoid1. The Dead Sea is a salt lake with no outlet, so its surface level fluctuates significantly with inflow and evaporation.
Challenger Deep Pacific Ocean -11,033 m   The Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is the deepest point on the Earth's ocean floor as measured from sea level at 10,911 meters below the Geoid1. The Challenger Deep is more than 23% deeper than Mount Everest is high.
North Pole Arctic Ocean sea level   The surface of the Arctic Ocean at the North Pole is the closest point on the Earth's surface to the Earth's center of mass at 6,356,752 meters2. The Arctic Ocean at the North Pole is covered by sea ice and snow most of the year, but the sea water opens occasionally in late summer.
Polar Deep Arctic Ocean about    
-4,500 m  		 The Polar Deep in the Amundsen Basin is the closest point on the Earth's ocean floor to the Earth's center of mass at approximately 6,352,300 meters2. The Polar Deep is near the North Pole, but its exact location and depth have yet to be determined.
Note 1: A geoid is a mathematical model of the Earth used to define global mean sea level.
Note 2: The Earth is oblate, i.e., fatter around the equator than at the poles.

The 10 Lowest Surface Depressions on Earth

rank surface depression country depression
1 Dead Sea Jordan
Israel
Palestine1		 -412 m  
2 Lake Asal Djibouti -155 m  
3 Turfan Depression China2 -154 m  
4 Qattara Depression Egypt -133 m  
5 Karagiye Depression Kazakhstan -132 m  
6 Denakil Depression Ethiopia -125 m  
7 Laguna del Carbón Argentina -105 m  
8 Death Valley United States -86 m  
9 Vpadina Akdzhakaya Turkmenistan -81 m  
10 Salton Sea United States -69 m  
Note 1: An independent state of Palestine has been proposed, but not established.
Note 2: The People's Republic of China has absorbed the nation of East Turkistan.

The Lowest Surface Point on Each Continent

rank continent lowest point country depression
1 Asia Dead Sea Jordan
Israel
Palestine1		 -412 m  
2 Africa Lake Asal Djibouti -155 m  
3 South America Laguna del Carbón Argentina -105 m  
4 North America Death Valley United States -86 m  
5 Ocean Islands Lago Enriquillo Dominican Republic -46 m  
6 Europe Caspian Sea Russia
Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan		 -28 m  
7 Australia Lake Eyre Australia -15 m  
8 Antarctica Southern Ocean Antarctica2 sea level  
Note 1: An independent state of Palestine has been proposed, but not established.
Note 2: Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959.

The Lowest Surface Point in Each Latitude Zone

rank latitude zone lowest point country depression
4 Arctic Zone Arctic Ocean several sea level  
1 North Temperate Zone Dead Sea Jordan
Israel
Palestine1		 -412 m  
2 North Tropical Zone Lake Asal Djibouti -155 m  
4 South Tropical Zone Equitorial Oceans several sea level  
3 South Temperate Zone Laguna del Carbón Argentina -105 m  
4 Antarctic Zone Southern Ocean Antarctica2 sea level  
Note 1: An independent state of Palestine has been proposed, but not established.
Note 2: Antarctica is governed by the Antarctic Treaty of 1959.

The Lowest Surface Point in Each Hemisphere

hemisphere lowest point country depression
Northern Hemisphere Dead Sea Jordan
Israel
Palestine1		 -412 m  
Southern Hemisphere Laguna del Carbón Argentina -105 m  
Eastern Hemisphere Dead Sea Jordan
Israel
Palestine1		 -412 m  
Western Hemisphere Laguna del Carbón Argentina -105 m  
Note 1: An independent state of Palestine has been proposed, but not established.