Egypt Habitat Guide

The Nile has been the source of life in Egypt for 6000 years, and the fertile Nile Valley is home for most Egyptians. There has been a tendency for the banks of the Nile to flood annually, a problem which has been solved by the construction of the Aswan dam. However, the Dam has also created environmental and social problems—it has destroyed the fishing and agricultural practices of the Nubian people who lived near the High Dam. The Nile valley is flanked on the left by the Eastern (Arabian) Desert and on the right, by the Western (Libyan) Desert. Apart from a few lush oases, this terrain is mostly inhospitable. The other main geographical feature is the much fought-over Sinai region (including Egypt’s tallest peak, Mt Sinai, where Moses received his Ten Commandments, and Mt St Catherine). The Red Sea coast in the south boasts some spectacular coral reefs, which attract deep-sea divers from all over the world.

Egypt is the entry point for migrating birds en route from Europe to Africa. This, however, makes them especially vulnerable to bird-hunters. The list of environmental vices rampant in Egypt includes killing of waterfowl/other animals in protected areas, poaching and illegal sale of ivory, and the dangerous levels of pollution in Cairo. Recently, the government has made some efforts towards demarking protected environment zones like the Elba region on the Red Sea coast, and enforcing protection laws.