Although the West Bank is slightly smaller than the size of the state of Delaware, it is very diverse in terms of terrain, elevation and even climate, which is affected by these different elements. While the West Bank is small in size, this diversity in terrain and climate allows for diverse agricultural crops and products that also determine the way in which the inhabitants interact with their environment.
There are five different geographical zones here, and the climate within these zones varies from semi-arid to temperate to subtropical. The climates of the Palestinian Territories can be split into three separate climates such as a Mediterranean climate zone, a Steppe climate zone and a desert climate zone. Often times, you can feel a noticeable shift in temperature when traveling between cities in the West Bank due to the varying elevations and terrain. For example, sometimes when I get in my car in Jerusalem, I feel quite warm, but as soon as I get out of my car once I’m in Ramallah, which is only 10.5 miles away, it always feels about five degrees cooler. This is due to the close proximity of different microclimates that come along with different elevations and landscapes. Ramallah is at a higher elevation than Jerusalem which contributes to this temperature difference.
