Vacation destinations on the Red Sea. Where is Egypt located? Features of the Red Sea: climate, geology, water and a unique living world
Where is Egypt located on the world map? The Arab Republic of Egypt is a state located in North Africa on the Sinai Peninsula in Asia. That is why Egypt is called the country of two continents. From the northeast, the country borders on Israel and the Gaza Strip, from the south on Sudan, from the west on Libya. The eastern part of the country borders on Palestine, and also has a sea border with Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
You can get to Egypt both by land transport and by plane, although, basically, many are interested in flight time with transfers to Egypt, as they travel with children.
On a detailed map of the Red Sea coast, we can see that its waters wash the eastern part of the country, the north is washed by the Mediterranean Sea. And both seas are interconnected by an artificial Suez Canal, thanks to which the shortest route from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean opens up. One of the greatest rivers in the world, the Nile, flows throughout the country from south to north.
On our website you can find a detailed map of Egypt - resorts and cities in Russian. Since tourism is one of the main directions of the country's economy, therefore, the most popular resort complexes are such as Luxor, Sharm El - Sheikh, Hurghada. Also on the map of Egypt you will find many monuments of ancient Egyptian, Coptic, medieval civilization. The most visited are the Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the temples of the pharaohs, the monuments of the medieval era in Islamic and Old Cairo.
Location: between the Arabian Peninsula and Africa
Washes the shores of countries: Egypt, Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel, Jordan
Square: 438,000 km²
Maximum depth: 2211 m
Coordinates: 20°44"41.1"N 37°55"27.9"E
The Red Sea, located in a tectonic basin and being the inland sea of the third largest Indian Ocean on our planet, is considered the youngest and most interesting in terms of the diversity of flora and fauna.
It is located between the African continent and the Arabian Peninsula. The Red Sea is connected to the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, through the well-known Suez Canal.
Speaking of the Red Sea, one should pay attention to the fact that it is considered the most salty of all the seas that are part of the World Ocean, washing all the continents of our planet.
“Why is this sea the most salty of all the seas?”, A person who does not know the geography and location of the Red Sea very well may ask. The thing is that the Red Sea is the only sea in the whole world into which no freshwater river flows. Naturally, it is significantly inferior in salt content to the Dead Sea, however, it should be remembered that almost no living organism is able to survive in the Dead Sea, and the Red Sea amazes even experienced divers with an abundance of life forms. And this despite the fact that the salinity of the water of the magnificent Red Sea is up to 60 grams of salts per liter of water taken for laboratory analysis.
As a comparison, it is worth bringing the salinity of the water, which is popular among domestic tourists of the Black Sea - it is only 18 grams of salt per liter of water.
In addition, describing the Red Sea, which is rightfully considered one of seven wonders of the underwater world, it is impossible not to mention that this is also the warmest sea on the planet. It is warmed not only by the rays of the sun, but also by the earth's mantle, that is, in the Red Sea, unlike other seas, not cold, but warm layers of water rise from the depths. In winter, the water warms up to 21 - 23 degrees Celsius, and in summer up to +30. Due to the high temperature of the water and its constant evaporation, the Red Sea became the most saline in the world, naturally, after the Dead.
Origin of the name Red Sea
The Red Sea, according to the most modest assumptions of scientists, originated 25 million years ago. Therefore, it is impossible to know exactly why the Red Sea was called the "Red Sea", alas. There are only a few versions of the origin of the name of the Red Sea, although, it is worth mentioning right away, none of them can be considered reliable.
According to the first version, the name comes from the ancient language of the Himyarites, a people who lived in South Arabia long before these lands were captured by the Arabs. The conquerors tried for a long time to decipher the script of the Semites and decided to read the three letters "X", "M" and "R" in their own way - "ahmar", which means red in translation. This assumption can be considered as a version that does not deserve special attention: it is difficult to imagine that the Arabs decided to add vowels to a foreign language in order to get a word that would be familiar to them, because they were engaged in deciphering the language, and not merging it with their own.
The second version, according to historians, is more plausible, although it is associated with the myths of many peoples who inhabited the territory near the Red Sea. Each of the parts of the world was associated with a certain color. The red color was associated with the south, where the sea was located, hence its name. According to documents that have survived to this day and have been deciphered by scientists, the Red Sea was mentioned as early as the 2nd century BC, and in the 16th century, some researchers called this sea, which is part of the Indian Ocean - Suez.
As mentioned above, the sea was formed even at the time when India began its movement to Asian mainland, and this event took place long before the appearance of the first person on Earth, therefore, scientists will certainly not be able to find out why the most salty sea, which is part of the oceans, was called "Red".
Long story of the youngest sea
Over the entire period of its existence, the Red Sea, despite its young age (of course, according to geological standards), has experienced a number of changes and cataclysms. For 25 million years, which for our planet can be considered only a short moment, the level of the World Ocean has constantly fluctuated, which, by the way, is happening now. Glaciers melted, new ones formed; the waters of the oceans either rose or fell by tens or even hundreds of meters. As soon as the level of the World Ocean dropped significantly, the Red Sea turned into a huge salt lake, where the salt content was several times higher than the amount of salt per liter of water in the Dead Sea.
By the way, at the moment, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connects the sea with the ocean. The deepest point of the strait is 184 meters. One has only to imagine what will happen if a new ice age begins and the level of the World Ocean falls by 190 meters. The Red Sea will cease to communicate with the waters of the Indian Ocean and once again become dead. However, this does not threaten our contemporaries and descendants. Such a decrease in the level of the World Ocean occurs over hundreds of thousands of years, so the amazingly beautiful sea that washes the shores of Sudan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and, of course, Egypt will delight everyone who wishes to see all the wealth of the underwater world that can only be found in the Red Sea or the Barrier Reefs.
Scientists have found that the Red Sea quite often lost its “connection” with the oceans, and its coast dried up and was covered with salt. As a result of this, even now on the shores of the Red Sea, alas, you will not find lush vegetation, and you will not be able to quench your thirst from a spring that is in full swing. Underground water also tastes salty. Surprisingly, even the rains in the Red Sea region will not give the soil life-giving moisture, they, like the sea and the springs near it, are salty.
Forest near the Red Sea
Yes, dear reader, you heard right, in the northernmost part of the Red Sea there is a forest consisting of mangroves. This forest is part of the nature reserve called Nabq. Only mangroves are able to grow in salt water and do not need constant access to the root system of oxygen.
This amazing plant is able to remove excess salt through its leaves, and life-giving fresh moisture nourishes the wood. Mangroves usually grow together in such a way that it is quite difficult for a person to get through them, and once in a certain area, you can easily find yourself in a trap from which it is impossible to get out without outside help. The mangroves of the Red Sea are home to a huge number of animals and birds, whose life is observed in the reserve by ornithologists and zoologists.
Flora and fauna of the Red Sea
If you say that The Red Sea is a true paradise for divers, fishermen and spearfishers., that would not be an exaggeration. One has only to put on a mask and pick up the phone, as already near the coast you can see the enchanting underwater world with many colorful corals, sponges, sea urchins and fish.
Sometimes it seems that each species competes with each other here in terms of brightness of color and unusual shapes. The warm and crystal clear waters of the Red Sea allow for a variety of underwater flora and fauna, most of which are endemic. Life under water boils here and does not stop even late at night.
Only today, scientists who conduct research into the depths of the Red Sea have discovered and described almost 1,500 invertebrates, and almost the same number of fish species. Nearly 300 species of corals live in the waters of the Red Sea, the reproduction of which is a fantastic picture.
Huge sea turtles and frolicking dolphins complement the amazing landscape and tell the tourist that he is in a place where underwater life is revealed to a person in all its glory.
It is surprising that, according to ichthyologists, no more than 60% of the underwater inhabitants of the Red Sea have been discovered in our time. The greatest depth of this unique sea is more than 3 kilometers, which means that most deep-sea fish are not yet known to science. So far, only forty-three species of fish living at great depths have been discovered. Also, the Red Sea constantly poses more and more new mysteries to scientists. It is still unknown why about 30% of the inhabitants of the northern part of the sea cannot live in its other part.
One gets the impression that an invisible border does not allow them to move from north to south. Although the chemical composition of water and the temperature regime in these areas are almost identical. Maybe the reason lies in the word "almost"?...
Despite the extraterrestrial beauty of the underwater world, the Red Sea is fraught with a lot of dangers.. Touching the most beautiful corals, sponges or bizarre jellyfish in the sea is strictly prohibited. This is written in almost every tourist brochure. A prick of a sea urchin or a bite of a poisonous underwater snake, a toothy moray eel can lead to a burn, an allergic reaction, a lot of blood loss, and sometimes to the death of the victim.
When diving into the depths of the Red Sea, you must remember that it is home to 44 species of sharks. Some of them are quite harmless creatures that live only at great depths and feed on plankton or small fish. However, among them there are also the most dangerous species for humans, for example, the tiger shark, which often attacks a person for no apparent reason. Its mouth is littered with huge sharp teeth that can easily tear off a limb. Alas, in recent years, attacks by tiger sharks on vacationers have become more and more frequent, which, for the most part, most often ended fatally. There is evidence that a great white shark was seen in the Red Sea, which, even according to scientists, is a killing machine.
The views of tourists and vacationers, directed to the Red Sea and its map, will find many of the best places to relax on its shores.
In this part of the planet there are several countries whose resorts are ready to welcome travelers for almost a whole year, since the climate, weather, air and water temperatures are conducive to this. What can a map of the Red Sea offer? First of all, these are the resorts of Egypt, located along its two coasts: on the mainland and on the Sinai (Arabian) peninsula.
Red Sea beach holiday map: Egyptian mainland
The famous resorts of Egypt are located on the mainland (Africa). Hurghada is suitable primarily for families and holidays with children. The resort of Elguna (El Gouna) is very popular with romantics, couples in love, artists, musicians, ideal for wedding tours, and it is also called the "Venice" of Egypt. It is also quite quiet, but luxurious and expensive resort.
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Discovering new shores and countries is the lot of travelers and tourists. You ask, how are they different? Well, for example, a traveler likes to discover places that few or never visited before. And a tourist needs a place where there will be a cozy and high-quality rest, so that you can bask in the sun and swim in the sea. Jordan is a place that will be of interest to both the traveler and the tourist. The country is very interestingly located on the continent. Its shores are washed by two seas, but at the same time, the total coastline is so small that there are essentially no resorts here. Each sea has one or two resorts and that's it. So a map of Jordan with resorts on the Red Sea may not be useful to you, because there is one city on the Red Sea coast, which is a resort - Aqaba. It is about this resort that will be discussed today.
As already mentioned, Jordan is washed by two seas: the Red and the Dead. Naturally, those who come to the country for treatment and for the prevention of diseases choose the Dead Sea, where the water itself heals and heals. Tourists who prefer beach holidays, relax on the shores of the Red Sea. In fairness, it should be said that the Red Sea approaches the shores of Jordan thanks to the Gulf of Aqaba. If not for the bay, Jordan would have no access to the sea in this part of the world. And thanks to the Gulf of Aqaba, the country has access not only to the Red Sea, but also to the Indian Ocean, and further to anywhere in the world.
For this reason, Aqaba is not only a resort city, but also a port. True, the port is not large, yet, due to the length of the Red Sea, it is not profitable to bring or take away goods by sea here. It is much more economical to deliver goods by land or through Israel to the Mediterranean Sea, and from there by sea to anywhere in the world.
It is very difficult for Jordan to compete with neighboring countries for tourists. firstly, the coastline here is small and it is physically impossible to receive many tourists, therefore, in order to reduce demand, prices are quite high. And secondly. Nearby in the neighborhood are cheaper and no less beautiful countries: Egypt and Israel. Their coastlines are much larger, they have a greater choice of hotels and resorts. Yes, and the neighborhood of Jordan with countries such as Iraq and Syria leaves its mark on the tourism industry. Not many dare to rest where there is a war going on just a few hundred kilometers away.
But be that as it may, Aqaba is a very visited resort in the country. And it's not just the beaches and beach holidays. Excursion tourism is very well developed here, but what can I say, if one of the wonders of the world is nearby - the ancient city of Petra. This city is visited by more tourists than the beach area in Jordan, because there are beaches in any country in the world, and such a city is only here.
The road to Petra alone is worth it to see it all. You will walk two kilometers among stones and caves, a hundred-meter mountains will rise above you and hang over your heads. This walk is breathtaking. And now, after half an hour of walking, you find yourself at the gates of the ancient city. Entrance to Petra costs at least $117! Yes, it's a lot of money, but it's worth it, and you need to maintain and maintain the city in such a state that it stands and pleases tourists for many more years.
The best time to visit Jordan for a beach holiday is spring and June. These days it is not hot here, the weather is quite pleasant. Starting from the middle of summer, the heat begins, there is not a single cloud in the sky. These days it is better not to come here, during the day on the street up to +40 in the shade!
There is only one resort on the Red Sea in Jordan. But you still need a map. Thanks to the interactive map, you can zoom in so that you can see the streets of the resort, the coastline and everything else. With the help of a map, you will determine where and what is located and you can safely move independently.
The Red Sea is one of the most famous and visited seas in the world. It is a huge success with divers and those who like to soak up the calm waves.
Red sea
The Red Sea is one of the inland seas belonging to the basin. Its waters are considered to be the most salty in the world. There are many species of flora and fauna in the Red Sea. It can be called one of the most beautiful seas in the world.
The waters of the Red Sea wash the shores of two continents: and. The water area is 450 tons km2.
The relief of the seabed has a varied landscape. In the southern part of the water area there is a shoal, the average depth of which is about 200 meters. It has indigenous and coral islands. There is also a depression, which is located on most of the sea. Its average depth is 1000 m. In addition to it, there is a deeper trough, with a maximum depth of 3040 m. However, the average depth of the Red Sea is 437 m.
There are practically no islands in the northern part of the Red Sea. Tiran is considered one of the largest islands. In the southern part of the water area, several groups are formed, consisting of small islands. In the southwestern part there are large groups, such as Dahlak, and smaller ones are the Suakin, Farasan and Khanish archipelagos. Also in this part of the sea there are also separate islands, for example, the island of Kamaran.
In the northern part of the coast there are two large bays, which are connected to the sea through the Strait of Tiran. These are the Gulf of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez. A fault lies along the bottom of the Gulf of Aqaba, the depth in which can reach 1800 meters.
Another feature of the Red Sea is the complete absence of flowing rivers. In connection with this feature, the water in the sea is very transparent, since rivers usually bring sand, clay and silt from the continents, which subsequently affects the transparency of sea water.
Another feature of this delightful part is the increased salinity of the water. One liter of sea water contains 41 grams of salt, which is much higher than other seas and oceans. For example, in the Indian Ocean, this figure does not exceed 34 grams per liter of sea water. In terms of salt content in sea water, the Red Sea ranks first in the world.
Precipitation over the sea is quite rare. They fall several times a year, and only during the cool winter months. In total, there are no more than 100 millimeters per year. Much more evaporates - 2000 millimeters, that is, 20 times more. If you count, then every day there is evaporation of more than 0.5 cm of water. The complete absence of water from the continents makes up for the water exchange with the Gulf of Aden, through which the red merges with. Also in the sea there are currents located in the Bab el-Mandeb Bay. These currents simultaneously move into and out of the Red Sea.
Tourists from all over the world warm the Red Sea to Sudan, Israel, Egypt, and Eritrea to see the diversity of its underwater world. There are huge coral reefs that stretch along the coast of Egypt and a lot of fish and marine life. Examples include bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, angelfish, butterflyfish, sultanfish, clownfish, moray eels, sharks, and a variety of echinoderms such as sea cucumbers.
A tropical desert climate prevails over the entire coast of the Red Sea. Only the extreme north of the sea coast is located in the Mediterranean climate zone.
The cold period is from December to January, the warm period is from July to September. In the cool months, the temperature can reach 20-25 degrees. In the summer months, it rises to 35-40, and in the hottest August, it can reach up to 500 Celsius.
Due to such a high temperature, off the African coast, the temperature on the surface of the water in winter is plus 20C, and in summer it is not lower than 27.
Have fun in crystal clear water!
