Jericho is one of the oldest cities in the world with continuous human inhabitation and has strong associations with the bible dating back to 3000 BC.

Jericho is five miles west of the Jordan River. It is about twenty miles east of Jerusalem. While Jerusalem is on a ridge almost 2,000 feet above sea level, Jericho and the lower Jordan River are over 1,000 feet below sea level, the lowest-lying land on earth.

The word Jordan is Arabic for Yardan which is Hebrew for Yared - "descendant, or that which descends".

Jericho is about six miles north of the Dead Sea. The people who live in Jericho call it Riha.

Less than half a mile northwest of Jericho is a large spring of water called Ein es-Sultan it is the largest spring in the lower Jordan Valley and unlike many springs in the area, the water always flows without failing. The water forms a pool which is used for irrigation. In Bible times, there were such large groves of date palms around the spring that Jericho was also known as "The City of Palm Trees". This area is the most fertile place in Jericho and perhaps the most ideal spot in the world for growing palm trees.