Sharm el-Sheikh (
شرم الشيخ, also transliterated as
Sharm ash Shaykh), often known simply as "Sharm", is a city situated on the southern tip of the
Sinai Peninsula, in
Janub Sina',
Egypt, on the coastal strip between the
Red Sea and
Mount Sinai.
Sharm el-Sheikh is the administrative hub of Egypt's
Southern Sinai province which includes the smaller coastal towns of
Dahab and
Nuweiba as well as the mountainous interior,
Saint Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai.
Sharm el-Sheikh is known as
The City of Peace referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there.
Geography and history
Egypt: Site of
Sharm el-Sheikh (right).
Sharm el-Sheikh is on a
promontory overlooking the
Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the
Gulf of Aqaba. Its strategic importance led to its transformation from a fishing village into a major
port and
naval base for the
Egyptian Navy. It was captured by
Israel during the
Sinai conflict of
1956 and restored to Egypt in
1957. A
United Nations peacekeeping force was subsequently stationed there until the
1967 Six-Day War when it was recaptured by Israel and officially renamed
Mifratz Shlomo, Hebrew for "Gulf of Solomon"; but the name "Sharm el Sheikh" or "Sharm" stayed in general use. Sharm el-Sheikh remained under Israeli control until the
Sinai peninsula was returned to Egypt in
1982 after the
Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979.
A hierarchical planning approach was adopted for the
Gulf of Aqaba, whereby their components were evaluated and subdivided into zones, cities and centers. In accordance with this approach, the Gulf of Aqaba zone was subdivided into four cities:
Taba,
Nuweiba,
Dahab and Sharm El-Sheikh. Sharm El-Sheikh city has been subdivided into five homogeneous centers namely:
Nabq,
Ras Nusrani,
Naama Bay,
Umm Sid and
Sharm El Maya.
Tourism industry in Sharm El-Sheikh is considered the core of development.
The development in the city offers an exclusive world of luxury and elegance. A fantasy world of space and style is there comprising glamorous low density resorts, exclusive sports facilities, unparalleled food courts and shopping centers. The land plan shows that the total area of Sharm El-Sheikh is expected to be about 42 km², in the year 2017. This area is designed to include:
- Tourism resorts 8.4%
- Tourism Facilities 40.9%
- Green & Open areas 12.3%
- Social Services 9.9%
- Roads 12.2%
- Urban Housing 13.7%
- Bedouin Housing 1.6%
- Hand crafts & small industries 1.0%
Before
1967, Sharm el-Sheikh was little more than an occasional base of operations for local fishermen; the nearest permanent settlement was in Nabk, north of Ras el-Nasrani ("The Tiran Straits"). Commercial development of the area began during the Israeli presence in the area. The Israelis built the town of
Ofira overlooking Sharm el-Maya Bay, and the Nesima area, and opened the first tourist-oriented establishments in the area six kilometers north at Naama Bay. These included a
marina hotel on the southern side of the bay, a nature field school on the northern side,
diving clubs, a now well-known promenade, and the Naama Bay Hotel.
Sharm el-Sheikh is located on the Egyptian
Red Sea coast, at the southern tip of the
Sinai Peninsula.
After the Sinai was restored to Egypt in 1982, the Egyptian government embarked on an initiative to encourage continued development of the city. Foreign investors - some of whom had discovered the potential of the locality during the Israeli occupation - contributed to a spate of building projects. Environmental zoning laws currently limit the height of buildings in Sharm el-Sheikh so as to avoid obscuring the natural beauty of the surroundings.
The city has played host to a number of important Middle Eastern peace conferences, including the
September 4,
1999 agreement to restore Palestinian self-rule over the
Gaza Strip. A second summit was held at Sharm on
October 17,
2000 following the outbreak of the second Palestinian
intifada, but it failed to end the violence. A summit was held on
August 3,
2005 in this city on developments in the
Arab world such as the situation in
Iraq and the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
On
July 23,
2005, the city was struck by the
2005 Sharm el-Sheikh attacks. In total, 88 people were killed, including foreign tourists. The attacks are believed to have been carried out by a militant
Wahabbi group. , <
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,...657894,00.html>
Climate
Average temperatures during the winter months (November to March) range from 15 to 35 degrees Celsius and during the summer months (April to October) from 20 to 45 degrees Celsius. The temperature of the Red Sea in this region ranges from 21 to 28 degrees Celsius over the course of the year.
Economy and tourism
Sharm el-Sheikh was formerly a
port, but commercial shipping has been greatly reduced as the result of strict environmental laws introduced in the
1990s. Until
1982, there was only a military port in Sharm el-Sheikh, on the northern part of Marsa Bareka. The civilian port development started in the mid
1980s when the Sharem-al-Maya bay became the city's main yacht and service port.
Sharm el-Sheikh's major industry is foreign and domestic
tourism, owing to its dramatic landscape, year-round dry and temperate climate and long stretches of natural beaches. Its waters are clear and calm for most of the year and have become popular for various watersports, particularly recreational
scuba diving and
snorkelling which some consider to be among the best in the world. Coral reefs, under water and marine life, unmatched anywhere in the world, offer a spectacular and dazzling time for divers. There is wide room for scientific tourism with diversity in marine life species; 250 different coral reefs and 1000 species of fish.
These natural resources, together with its proximity to European tourism markets, have stimulated the rapid growth of tourism that the region is currently experiencing. Guest nights also increased in that period of time from 16 thousands to 5.1 million. The total number of resorts increased from 3 in 1982 to 91 in 2000. Highly reputable management companies have been attracted to invest in this city such as
Hyatt Regency,
Accor,
Marriott,
Le Méridien,
Four Seasons,
Ritz-Carlton, and others, with categories from three to five
stars. Franchises like
Hard Rock Cafe,
McDonalds and
Kentucky Fried Chicken can be found in Sharm el-Sheikh.
Sharm also home of a state of the art congress center, where many political meetings have been held of international tenure. Peace conferences, ministerial meetings, world bank meetings, Arab league conferences for mentioning a few. It is rightly located along peace road and have been lately re-branded to be a
Maritim outlet. The Maritim Sharm el Sheikh International Congress Centre can host events and congresses for up to 4,700 participants.
The night life of Sharm El-Sheikh is also quite attractive. In 2005, Little Buddha, a sushi bar, nightclub, and bar, took the title of having the longest continuous bar in the Middle East. Other popular bars include: Camel Bar, The Tavern, Pirate's Bar, Movenpick Beach, and The Mexican. If dancing is appealing to you, then Sharm has much to offer. Clubs such as world renowned
Pacha throw parties almost every night of the year. These nightclubs and restaurants contribute greatly to the lifestyle led by Sharm el-Sheikh's visitors each year.
The colorful handicraft stands of the local Bedouin culture are a popular attraction.
Ras Mohammed, at the southern-most tip of the peninsula, has been designated a national park, serving to protect the area's wildlife as well as its natural landscape, shoreline and
coral reef. A number of international hotels and noted restaurants are clustered around the centre of Sharm, known as Naama Bay, with
golf courses and other leisure facilities further up the coast.
Transportation
Sharm's
marina has been redeveloped for private yachts and sailboats, with a passenger terminal for cruise ships and scheduled ferry service to
Hurghada and
Aqaba.
Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in addition to scheduled flights to
Cairo,
Hurghada,
Luxor,
Alexandria and 5 weekly flights to
London (Gatwick), Sharm's airport is served by frequent
charter flights to
Italy,
Germany,
Poland,
Ireland,
Switzerland and the
United Kingdom, among other destinations.
SCUBA and Water Sports
Sharm el-Sheikh has also become a favourite spot for
Scuba divers from around the world. Being situated near to the Red Sea, it provides some of the most stunning underwater scenery and warm water making this an ideal place to dive. Visitors to Sharm el-Sheikh can experience a variety of water and activities. Beach seekers find many activities such as diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, para-sailing, boating, and canoeing.
Ras Mohammed is the National Park of South Sinai and located on the very tip of the Sinai Peninsula; it probably represents some of the most famous dive sites in the Red Sea with 800 metre deep reef walls and pounding current and coral gardens.
The
Sharm el-Sheikh Hyperbaric Medical Center was founded in
1993 with a grant from
USAID by Dr
Adel Taher to assist with diving related illnesses and complete the area's reputation as a full-service dive destination.
19-11-2007, 08:06 PM
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