HaMakhtesh HaGadol

Coordinates: 30°55′30″N 34°58′52″E / 30.925°N 34.98111°E / 30.925; 34.98111

Coordinates: 30°55′30″N 34°58′52″E / 30.925°N 34.98111°E / 30.925; 34.98111

HaMakhtesh HaGadol (המכתש הגדול , מכתש חֲתִירָ‏ה)
The Big Makhtesh
National Parks and Nature Reserve
Eastern part of Makhtesh Gadol from the air
Country	Israel
District	South
Municipality	Israel Nature and Parks Authority
Coordinates	30°55′30″N 34°58′52″E / 30.925°N 34.98111°E / 30.925; 34.98111
Length	12 km (7 mi)
Width	5 km (3 mi)
Area	(60) km2 (23 sq mi)

Middle Jurassic strata (the Matmor Formation) near the northern rim of Makhtesh Gadol

HaMakhtesh HaGadol (Hebrew: הַמַּכְתֵּשׁ הַגָּדוֹל‎‎, lit. The Big Crater) is a makhtesh, a geological erosional landform of Israel's Negev desert.

A makhtesh has steep walls of resistant rock surrounding a deep closed valley. One of five makhteshim in Israel and seven in the world, HaMakhtesh HaGadol is the second largest, being exceptional in that it is drained by one river, Nahal Hatira. Makatesh Gadol was discovered and named before Makhtesh Ramon which is the largest Makhtesh in Israel.