Israel was founded on 1948, it is an independent nation in southwest Asia, and is lying between the Jordan River and in the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Jerusalem is the capital city and the languages spoken in the country includes Arabic and Hebrew. The country's climate is arid in south and Mediterranean in the north. Diamonds are the leading export, followed by machinery, electronic equipment, and textiles. Cash crops include citrus fruits, grapes, pomegranates, and roses grown on fertile plains. Cutting and polishing diamonds is a major industry in Israel. The uncut stones account for sixteen per cent of total imports, while cut stones make up about twenty-two percent of exports. Copper, limestone, and gypsum and very small amount of oil and gas are mined. Factories around the Dead Sea extract bromine, magnesium, and potash, which are used for photography, and making anesthetics and dyes.