The theme of this article will be the beautiful and unique Red Sea. Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Sudan, and several other countries border its shores. Many of these countries, due to their developed infrastructure, are tourist Mecca, especially in the winter. And what is the uniqueness of this water area? And why is it called the Red Sea? What is the climate and the underwater world?
Water education
The Red Sea is relatively young. It was formed only twenty-five-odd million years ago as a result of a tectonic fault. Plates - African and Arabian - continue to drift from each other. From this movement tirelessly, at a speed of a meter per century, the Red Sea expands. Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea are moving away from those located on the eastern coast of Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Geologists have estimated that after thousands of years the Black Continent will change its shape as a result of deepening the fault: the Big Lakes will disappear, and the Horn of Africa will go under water. But for now, the water area is considered the inland sea of the Indian Ocean. The tectonic fault (axial trough) reached a depth of three kilometers, but the sea abounds with shallows, so its average depth is only 440 meters.
Why is it so called
The etymology of the name of this water area still causes a lot of controversy. The most obvious conclusion is the seasonal flowering of algae, which briefly stains the azure waters in a reddish-brown color. But this too prosaic reason does not satisfy scientists. There is an opinion that the water area is named after the Semitic Himyarites tribe that lived in South Arabia. Because of them, the Arabs began to call the sea “Bahr al-Ahmar”, which also means “red”. There is another explanation given by the Bible. The Jews were for a long time in Egyptian slavery. Moses raised his people and led him in search of the Promised Land. After long wanderings, the Red Sea appeared before them. Egypt, the land of slavery, was behind, and ahead - an insurmountable obstacle. But Moses prayed to God, and the waters parted. The red cliffs of coral reefs appeared before the eyes. The Israelites went this way, and the waves closed over the heads of the Egyptian persecutors. From their blood the sea got its name. So says the legend.
Geography
Before us is a map of the Red Sea. Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Israel and Jordan are located along the coast. The sea is the official border between Asia and Africa. A narrow fault of tectonic origin stretches for a thousand kilometers from north to south. The Suez Canal, connecting the Red Sea with the Mediterranean, is quite narrow and is blocked by locks. There is no water exchange through it. The only connection with the World Ocean is the Bab el Mandeb Strait (the translation of this geographical name is quite poetic - “The Gate of Tears”). Just look at the map to notice that not a single river flows into the Red Sea. This determines the uniqueness of the water area. Without fresh water and huge volatility in a tropical climate, the Red Sea formed a large salinity - 41 ppm in the summer and 37 in the winter when rare rains occur. For comparison: the average salinity of the oceans is 34 ppm, the Black Sea - 18, the Baltic (the most fresh) - only 5.
Climate
Most of the water lies in the tropical zone. Only in the far north does the Mediterranean climate prevail. Therefore, one of the most popular destinations for winter recreation is the Red Sea. Egypt and Jordan have long been loved by our tourists, especially since the flight there is short-lived - only four hours. The hot sun and great depths of the sea do not allow the water temperature to drop below +20 ° C even in the coldest month - January. And in summer, the heat here is truly African - +35 ... + 40 ° C. Sometimes the thermometer rises even to +50 ° C. And the water temperature in the hottest month - August is very comfortable - +27 ° C. Egyptian resorts on Krasnoye the sea is diverse and allows you to have a good rest for different categories of tourists. There is an opinion that there are only two of them - Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. But in fact, these are large resort agglomerates, stretching in a chain along the coast for many hundreds of kilometers. El Gouna is a wonderful romantic place, and in Safaga treat arthritis. Young people have fun in Naama Bay, richer people relax in luxurious Sharm El Sheikh, more victorious in Hurghada, and Dahab and Marsa Alam are a paradise for divers and surfers.
Underwater world
Constantly high water temperature causes a huge variety of fauna and flora of this water area. Extensive coral reefs stretch along the coast . About a thousand tropical fish species of the most diverse shapes and colors inhabit the Red Sea. Sharks, stingrays and predatory moray eels glide between reefs in search of prey. These fish, if not teased, do not pose a great danger to humans. At the surface you can see several species of dolphins, but the fame of the Red Sea is still brought by the small inhabitants of coral reefs - fish bearing such eloquent names as a clown, butterfly, Napoleon, angel, sultan.