Egypt occupies northeastern Africa and about six percent of the Sinai Peninsula in Asia. The state also owns several modest islands of the Gulf of Suez, washed by the Red Sea. The north of the republic is washed by the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The border with Libya passes from the west, in the south Egypt borders with Sudan, and in the north-east with Israel.
Natural relief
The relief features of Egypt and natural resources are a special part of the country's geography. Most of the state is located on the outskirts of an ancient platform without special folding. Therefore, the relief of Egypt consists mainly of plains. About 60% of the state is occupied by the Libyan desert in the west. The eastern plateau of the Arabian desert stretches from north to south. It is located between the Red Sea and the Nile Valley. The southeastern part of Egypt is occupied by the Nubian desert.
Libyan desert. Plateau
The relief of the Libyan desert is mainly formed of sandstone and limestone. In the north there are heights of about 100 m, in the south - up to 600 m. There are also hollows within the plateau. Kattara - the largest hollow - covers an area of about 19 thousand square meters. m. The lowest mark reaches 133 m below sea level. The entire area of the basin is covered with salt marshes.
On the west side of Cattara is the Siva Depression, also covered with salt marshes. In the east - Fayyum, in the southeast - the troughs of Dakhla, Baharia, Kharg and Farafra. Among the depressions there are also oases in which agriculture is booming. The deserts of this area are distinguished by embankments. There are sandy, solonchak, pebble, stony and sand and pebble soils. In the western part is the Great Sandy desert with a cellular relief. The longitudinal ridges of sand are connected by sand bars.
Not only beautiful resorts attract crowds of tourists to Egypt. The relief and minerals are unique here. Stony and pebble soils predominate in the northern and eastern parts. Here you can find long dunes. Groundwater in the Libyan desert comes to the surface only in oases.
Arabian desert. Plateau
The base of the plateau consists of ancient crystalline rocks, which found a way out in the eastern part of Egypt, forming Mount Etbay. In the west, they overlap with limestone and sandstone. The plateau in places reaches up to 1000 m above sea level. In the direction of the Nile Valley, the Arabian desert goes downhill and is heavily indented by the drained riverbeds. The soil here is mostly rocky.
The Nubian Plateau has a similar composition and structure. In some places of the Nubian desert, one can observe island elevations up to 1350 m above sea level.
The minerals of Egypt have unique geological properties. This is influenced by some relief features. In addition to the flat terrain, there are also highlands in the country. The highest point in Egypt is Mount Katerin, 2642 m high. Among the mountain range stretching along the coastline of the Red Sea, the peaks of Hamat and Shaib al-Banat stand out.
An array of granite chips rises in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula. Individual peaks reach more than 2500 m above sea level. There is also the El Igma plateau of limestone origin and the Et-Tih plateau of sandstone.
Egypt. Minerals
The bowels of Egypt are rich in minerals. Here are huge deposits of hydrocarbon origin. The rift depressions of the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea are famous for their oil fields. Black gold deposits are also found in the northwestern regions, as well as in the bowels of the Siva and Kattara depressions. Egypt is not only rich in oil . Minerals in these places are quite diverse. There are deposits of gas, iron ore, aluminum, gold, tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tin and other non-metallic materials.
The Gulf of Suez is famous for its oil and gas basin. It is here that the main oil and gas fields are concentrated. Due to them, modern Egypt is flourishing. Minerals play a significant role in the country's economy. The relief features of Egypt and minerals make this country the subject of geological studies.
There is not much brown and hard coal in the country. Deposits are concentrated on the Sinai Peninsula. There are also deposits of uranium and titanium ore. The Bahariy district is famous for the concentration of iron ore. In the Khalaib region, deposits of manganese ores have been found.
Not only the gentle sun and pyramids attracts visitors to Egypt. Minerals, their extraction and import significantly raise the country's economy.