Tour
the region
Jordan
The
Gulf of Aqaba, access of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan to the Red Sea, is
180 krn long and 5-26 km wide, with an average water depth of 800 m. The climate
in the Gulf region is arid with an average annual rainfall of 25-30 mm and
mean daily air temperatures from 14 to 32º C (January-August).
The hydraulic detention time of the water in the Gulf is very long, about
two years. Hence, the pollutants that enter the Gulf will remain, with little
dispersion, for a long time and consequently will have detrimental effect
on the marine life and habitats. The Gulf is characterized by low siltation,
high temperature, and high dissolved oxygen content, and a highly complex
coral reef ecosystem. The coastline of the Gulf of Aqaba, Jordan, is 26.5
km long. Within this small stretch are the nation's only port, industrial
facilities vital to the national economy, a growing tourist industry and a
delicate marine ecosystem, which is increasingly threatened.
The town of Aqaba is at the northeastern tip of the Gulf with a population
of 65,000 which is expected to increase to about 150,000 by the year 2020.
Aqaba is the residential and commercial centre of the area and it is here
that the hotels and tourist accommodations are located. Extensive tourist
and urban development is planned for the next 20 years, that which will result
in the significant destruction of key habitats and marine life and, consequently,
will adversely impact on the tourism industry, if not planned and developed
on an environmental basis with the effective enforcement of environmental
regulations.
Saudi
Arabia
The
coastline of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is about 1840 km in length, accounting
for 79% of the eastern seaboard of the Red Sea.
Average rainfall in the coastal area is very low, less than 70 mm/yr along
the broad coastal Tihama, 16 mm/yr at Al Wejh, 63 mm/yr at Jeddah and 63 mm/yr
at Jizan. As the climate is extremely arid, much of Saudi Arabia's biological
productivity is confined to a narrow coastal strip and originates mostly from
habitats such as coral reefs, mangrove and seagrass communities found in shallow
embayments. An extensive survey on Saudi Arabian coastal resources has been
conducted by MEPA, in collaboration with IUCN – The World Conservation
Union and the results are published in a seven-volume series.
Significant development has taken place in the Red Sea coastal area, where,
according to the 1992 census, 15.2% of the country's population of nearly
17 million live. Jeddah, the "Bride of the Red Sea" , is a well
developed modern city of ancient lineage. The city, the main coastal city
along the eastern side of the Red Sea, has a population of more than two million.
Several recreational cities and centres have been developed along the coast
that required intensive dredging and filling operations.
Egypt
The
total length of the Egyptian Red Sea coast is about 1705 km. Of this, 760
km is Red Sea coast and 945 km is the coastline of the gulfs of Suez and Aqaba.
Some industries are located along the Red Sea coast, in Hurghada, Safaga and
Quseir. Several urban centres have also been developed along the coast, including
Suez, Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh. Tourism in the Red Sea is a flourishing
industry with ever increasing capacity, as the Red Sea lures tourists with
its fascinating nature and climatic conditions.
The most extensive tourism development in the Red Sea coastal area has taken
place in Egypt. Large sectors of the Egyptian coasts of the Red Sea, the Gulf
of Aqaba and the Gulf of Suez have been developed into beach resorts.
It
is estimated that the Red Sea coast and the Gulf of Aqaba will attract over
one million tourists during the next few years. Hence, tourism development
may lead to a serious threat to both the marine environment and the tourism
industry itself, if not planned and developed on a sound environmental basis
with the effective enforcement of environmental regulations.
Sudan
The
coastline of the Sudan on the Red Sea is about 750 km long, including embayments
and inlets.
The average rainfall is generally low, about 36 mm/ yr at Halaib and 164 mm/yr
at Suakin. The Sudanese Red Sea coast is famous for its attractive, and mostly
pristine, habitats, especially coral reefs. Three distinct depth zones have
been recognized: the shallow reef-studded shelves of less than 50 m, the deep
shelves of 500-1000 m, and the central trench of more than 1000 m, reaching
a maximum depth of 3000 m, measured off Port Sudan city.
Sea surface temperatures of Port Sudan range from 26.2° to 30.5°C.
In shallow and enclosed coastal waters, they may be higher. At a 150 m of
depth the range is still 23.9°-25.9°C, and the minimum temperature
is 21.6°C.
For the people of Port Sudan, the sea offers the main source of recreation:
swimming, fishing and boating are popular. Because of lack of equipment, snorkeling
and diving are limited.
Yemen
The
Republic of Yemen coastline is about 2000 km long, extending from the borders
with Saudi Arabia along the southern part of the Red Sea to the Bab El Mandab
Straits, and then extending northeast along the Gulf of Aden to the borders
with Oman.
The
plain of Tihama is composed mainly of soft sediments, forming dunes. Only
1% of the coastline supports emergent reef structures. The marine environment
in the Yemeni Red Sea coast is characterized by its wide diversity and rich
coastal and marine habitats and ecosystems. About 130 species of coral reef
have been reported in the southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Mangroves
and nine species of seagrass are considered to be important biological features
of the Yemeni Red Sea coast.
The
Yemeni coastline bordering the Gulf of Aden is dominated by rocky cliffs alternating
with long stretches of littoral and sub-littoral sand along coastal plains.
Some of the sandy beaches, notably Ras Sharma and Dhobbah (Ash Shihr) of Yemen,
form major nesting sites for green turtles in the Region.
Because
of cool upwelling currents, only 5% of the coast is lined with fringing reefs.
Since reunification, Yemen now borders on both the Red Sea as well.
The
Socotra Archipelago, which is part of Yemen, lies at the eastern extreme
of the Gulf of Aden. The islands are of global significance for island biodiversity
and species endemism. Over one third of its plants are endemic to the archipelago,
making it one of the top ten island groups in the world in terms of endemism.
Many of these endemics are remnants of an ancient flora which long ago disappeared
from the African-Arabian mainland.
Unlike
many island groups in the world, Socotra has remained virtually untouched
by modern development and there is no evidence of recent extinction or large-scale
changes in the vegetation. The marine environments of Socotra Archipelago
remain largely in a pristine state, unaltered by coastal pollution or over-exploitation.
Djibouti
Djibouti,
which lies, at the junction of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, has an area
of 23,000 km2 and a coastline of about 370 km in length. The northern coast
between the Eritrean border and Ras- Bir faces the narrow Strait of Bab al
Mandab.
Most of the coastline of Djibouti lies along the narrow Gulf of Tadjourah,
an east-west oriented trench with a maximum depth of 883 m. A shallow, but
narrow opening separates it from the semi-enclosed basin of the Goubet al-Kharab,
which has increased salinity and coral reefs of low species diversity. For
most of the year, surface salinity is about 36.5 ppt.
The relatively high turbidity generally limits coral growth to the upper 15
to 25 m, although corals have been reported from depths below 35 m.
At the entrance to the Gulf of Tadjourah, north of the town of Djibouti, a
large reef plateau forms the base of the islands of Musha and Maskali, which
are surrounded by extensive coral reefs. The south-eastern coast between the
capital and Loyada at the Somali border is rather shallow and sandy with several
estuaries. This area lies in a zone of upwelling nutrient-rich water where
coral reefs are poorly developed.
The coral reefs are mostly fringing. The reef edge presents variable width.
Morphologically, around Musha and Maskali, the actual coral formations are
ended by an active cliff, completely alive, reaching 15 m. Beyond this formation,
the reef slope is covered by sand and mud.
The
estimated population of the Republic of Djibouti in 1994 was about 540,000.
There are three coastal towns in Djibouti, namely, Djibouti, Tagora and Obek.
The population of Djibouti, the main coastal city, is about 400,000.
With similar conditions to those prevailing in the southern reefs of the Red
Sea, the reef of Djibouti is very turbid. On the south coast, close to the
border with Somalia, the effects of upwelling nutrient-rich water begin to
be discernible in fish assemblages. Water
there is very turbid and the reefs poorly developed. They support fewer species
and lower abundances of reef-associated fish than reefs further north. Non-reef
species are more abundant, however, and this area represents the main artisanal
fishing ground in Djibouti.
Somalia
The
Somali Democratic Republic, which forms the Horn of Africa, has a coastline
approximately 3300 km long, bounded on the north by the Gulf of Aden and on
the east by the Indian Ocean. The total area of the country is 637,657 sq
km, with a population of approximately 5.4 million. The coastal ecosystems
and habitats vary widely from north to south. Along the Gulf of Aden to Ras
Hafun, there are large expanses of sandy beach alternating with rocky outcrops
and coastal plain. Below Ras Hafun to Eij, there is a narrow beach abutted
by rocky cliffs. To the south of Eij a coastal dune system begins, where sandy
beach alternates with rocky outcrops as far south as Kismayo.
Along
the same coastal stretch from just north of Mogadishu to the Kenyan border,
there is a fringing reef, which supports developing artisanal reef fisheries.
In the extreme southern region, between Kismayo and the border, there is an
extensive mangrove system, which serves as a nursery for demersal fish species.
The three main population centres along the coast are Mogadishu, Kismayo and
Berbera. If all the districts adjacent to the sea are considered, calculations
show that 44% of the country's 5.4 million inhabitants live near the coast.
This is undoubtedly an overestimate, since many of the coastal districts extend
far inland; thus, a more realistic estimate might be in the order of 30%.
Of this fraction, the districts which include the cities of Mogadishu, Berbera,
Bosaso and Kismayo make up 15%, with Mogadishu alone accounting for 11% of
the near-coastal population.
Little
is known about the coastal and marine resources of the Gulf of Aden coast
of Somalia although recent visits have revealed the occurrence of previously
unknown coral reefs and mangrove stands.
Sources:
Strategic
Action Programme for the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden
Al-Sambouk
No. 7 (Available in PDF format on this site)
Assessment
of Land-based Sources and Activities Affecting the Marine Environment in the
Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Regional Seas Reports and Studies No. 166 (UNEP
1997).
Available in PDF format on the GPA website.
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