238
WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
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and to invade areas where they have not previously been
recorded (although in fact conditions in the canal are
very harsh and highly saline, making the transfer more
difficult). Thus far there has been a quite considerable flow
of species from the Red Sea into the Mediterranean, but
relatively few have made the reverse journey and their
impacts on reefs are insignificant.
The greatest impact on the reefs has been the explosion
of coastal tourism since the 1980s, with massive growth of
resort towns in Sinai and along the mainland Red Sea coast.
The latter areas, especially around Hurghada and Safaga,
have been particularly poorly planned, leading to the
degradation or loss of many of the nearshore fringing reefs.
New developments are continuing, notably at Ras Abu
Soma but also at localities further south. On the Aqaba
coast of Sinai there has again been a massive expansion of
the tourist industry - in the Ras Mohammed and Nabq areas
tourist rooms increased from nearly 600 in 1988 to over
6 000 by 1995 and 16 000 in 1999 - while massive new hotel
developments are being planned at Nabq Bay and close to
the Israeli border at Taba. The international airport at
Sharm el Sheikh was receiving more than 30 European
charter flights per week in the late 1990s. Despite this
boom, relatively strict planning measures have been
P"*
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
General Data
Population (thcusandsl
68 360
5 8^12
4 999
GDP (million US$1
55 680
79 610
6 108
Land area Ikm^l
982 940
20 74/i
90 177
Marine area (thousand km^j
242*
4.1*
0.2
Per capita fish consumption
(kg/yearl
7
23
4
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%)
61
100
75
Recorded coral diseases
5
Biodiversity
Reef area Ikm^l
3 800
<10
<50
Coral diversity
126/318
U5/na
na / na
Mangrove area (km^)
861
No. of mangrove species
2
No. of seagrass species
9
A
na
'Marine area includes Mediterranean Sea
Ml^m.
J^MM
Left: Manta rays Manta birostris are often seen wfiere reefs lie adjacent to deeper water. Right: T/ie two-banded
anemonefish Amphiprion bicinctus, endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Iphoto: Jerry Kempl.
WORLD ATLAS OF CORAL REEFS
\
'
-
d
^
^U^ ^IP^^^HRB^^^^^
^^^
.-ici^!-^^^^^^
and to invade areas where they have not previously been
recorded (although in fact conditions in the canal are
very harsh and highly saline, making the transfer more
difficult). Thus far there has been a quite considerable flow
of species from the Red Sea into the Mediterranean, but
relatively few have made the reverse journey and their
impacts on reefs are insignificant.
The greatest impact on the reefs has been the explosion
of coastal tourism since the 1980s, with massive growth of
resort towns in Sinai and along the mainland Red Sea coast.
The latter areas, especially around Hurghada and Safaga,
have been particularly poorly planned, leading to the
degradation or loss of many of the nearshore fringing reefs.
New developments are continuing, notably at Ras Abu
Soma but also at localities further south. On the Aqaba
coast of Sinai there has again been a massive expansion of
the tourist industry - in the Ras Mohammed and Nabq areas
tourist rooms increased from nearly 600 in 1988 to over
6 000 by 1995 and 16 000 in 1999 - while massive new hotel
developments are being planned at Nabq Bay and close to
the Israeli border at Taba. The international airport at
Sharm el Sheikh was receiving more than 30 European
charter flights per week in the late 1990s. Despite this
boom, relatively strict planning measures have been
P"*
Egypt
Israel
Jordan
General Data
Population (thcusandsl
68 360
5 8^12
4 999
GDP (million US$1
55 680
79 610
6 108
Land area Ikm^l
982 940
20 74/i
90 177
Marine area (thousand km^j
242*
4.1*
0.2
Per capita fish consumption
(kg/yearl
7
23
4
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%)
61
100
75
Recorded coral diseases
5
Biodiversity
Reef area Ikm^l
3 800
<10
<50
Coral diversity
126/318
U5/na
na / na
Mangrove area (km^)
861
No. of mangrove species
2
No. of seagrass species
9
A
na
'Marine area includes Mediterranean Sea
Ml^m.
J^MM
Left: Manta rays Manta birostris are often seen wfiere reefs lie adjacent to deeper water. Right: T/ie two-banded
anemonefish Amphiprion bicinctus, endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Iphoto: Jerry Kempl.