Hula Valley
| Hula Valley | |
|---|---|
View of Hula Valley | |
| Naming | |
| Native name | עמק החולה (Hebrew) |
| Geology | |
| Type | Valley |
| Geography | |
| Country | Israel |
| State/Province | Northern District |
| Population center | Kiryat Shmona |
| Coordinates | 33°06′12″N 35°36′33″E / 33.10333°N 35.60917°E |
| Designations | |
|---|---|
| Official name | Hula Nature Reserve |
| Designated | 12 November 1996 |
| Reference no. | 868 |
The Hula Valley (Hebrew: עמק החולה, romanized: ʿEmeq haḤūlā) is a valley and fertile agricultural region in northern Israel with abundant fresh water that used to be Lake Hula before it was drained. It is a major stopover for birds migrating along the Great Rift Valley between Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Lake Hula and the marshland surrounding it were a breeding ground for mosquitoes carrying malaria and thus were drained in the 1950s. A small section of the valley was later reflooded in an attempt to revive a nearly extinct ecosystem. An estimated 500 million migrating birds now pass through the Hula Valley every year.