Middle Eastern Seas
2A3
Central Red Sea: Sudan
MAP 9b
The
central Red Sea can be defined politically as the
coastlines of Sudan in the west and the central areas
of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coast in the east.
Details of the latter, particularly the human interactions
with reefs, can be found in the section on Saudi Arabia.
Geomorphologically the region is again characterized
by steeply shelving coastlines to the north. However,
heading south from about 20''N is a relatively rapid transition as the coastlines change to a broad and more gently
inclined continental shelf The shores are lined by fringing
reefs, mostly with shallow reef flats a few tens of meters
wide in the north, although becoming broader further
south and stretching out from the coast in areas where
there are wide alluvial fans.
In addition to fringing reefs, discontinuous barriertype structures have been described on both Sudanese
and Saudi Arabian coastlines. To the south, the Suakin
Archipelago consists of a number of offshore islands
rising from relatively deep water. Most of these have
significant fringing reefs, although wave action appears to
have restricted reef growth on some. Although a number
of reef structures on both sides of the Red Sea have some
atoll-like features, Sudan has the only true atoll, Sanganeb
Atoll, which rises from a depth of 800 meters.
Biologically, this region has many similarities with
the more northerly reefs, though it is not affected by
such extreme winter cooling and salinities are more stable.
These are among the most biologically diverse reefs in
the entire Western Indian Ocean region. Coral cover is of
course highly varied, but levels of 85 percent (hard and soft
coral combined) have been recorded on the reef slope of
Sanganeb Atoll. Further south, as the continental shelf
widens, there is a relatively rapid transition with the appearance of communities distinctive to the southern Red Sea.
In patterns which appear to be mirrored at least among
corals and fish, there are considerable changes in domiSudan
General Data
Population Ithousandsl
35 080
GDP (million US$1
29 761
Land area (km^l
2 i90 389
Marine area (thousand km^j
33
Per capita fish consumption (kg/yearl
2
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%l
32
Recorded coral diseases
Biodiversity
Reef area (km^l
2 720
Coral diversity
106/313
Mangrove area (km^)
937
No. of mangrove species
3
No. of seagrass species
2
1
nance and species replacement. A number of endemic Red
Sea species are in fact restricted to the northern regions,
while others rarely migrate to these parts. Moving south,
the area of mangroves also begins to increase and a second
species, Rhizophora mucronata, occurs.
Port Sudan is a relatively large port, although
development here is clearly far less extensive than in
Jeddah on the Saudi Arabian coastline, while Suakin is
the only other coastal city. Sewage pollution is reported
to be a problem close to both cities. Away from these
areas, the population densities are low. There is a growing
recreational dive industry, almost entirely run from
"live-aboard" boats operating our of Egypt and Port
Sudan: thus far the total numbers of visitors to these reefs
are still low.
Protected areas wi th coral reefs
T
Site name
Designation
Abbreviation
lUCN cat.
Size Ikm'l
Year
!
Sudan
Sanganeb Atoll
Marine National Park
MNP
II
260.00
1990
^^
_^
2A3
Central Red Sea: Sudan
MAP 9b
The
central Red Sea can be defined politically as the
coastlines of Sudan in the west and the central areas
of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea Coast in the east.
Details of the latter, particularly the human interactions
with reefs, can be found in the section on Saudi Arabia.
Geomorphologically the region is again characterized
by steeply shelving coastlines to the north. However,
heading south from about 20''N is a relatively rapid transition as the coastlines change to a broad and more gently
inclined continental shelf The shores are lined by fringing
reefs, mostly with shallow reef flats a few tens of meters
wide in the north, although becoming broader further
south and stretching out from the coast in areas where
there are wide alluvial fans.
In addition to fringing reefs, discontinuous barriertype structures have been described on both Sudanese
and Saudi Arabian coastlines. To the south, the Suakin
Archipelago consists of a number of offshore islands
rising from relatively deep water. Most of these have
significant fringing reefs, although wave action appears to
have restricted reef growth on some. Although a number
of reef structures on both sides of the Red Sea have some
atoll-like features, Sudan has the only true atoll, Sanganeb
Atoll, which rises from a depth of 800 meters.
Biologically, this region has many similarities with
the more northerly reefs, though it is not affected by
such extreme winter cooling and salinities are more stable.
These are among the most biologically diverse reefs in
the entire Western Indian Ocean region. Coral cover is of
course highly varied, but levels of 85 percent (hard and soft
coral combined) have been recorded on the reef slope of
Sanganeb Atoll. Further south, as the continental shelf
widens, there is a relatively rapid transition with the appearance of communities distinctive to the southern Red Sea.
In patterns which appear to be mirrored at least among
corals and fish, there are considerable changes in domiSudan
General Data
Population Ithousandsl
35 080
GDP (million US$1
29 761
Land area (km^l
2 i90 389
Marine area (thousand km^j
33
Per capita fish consumption (kg/yearl
2
Status and Threats
Reefs at risk (%l
32
Recorded coral diseases
Biodiversity
Reef area (km^l
2 720
Coral diversity
106/313
Mangrove area (km^)
937
No. of mangrove species
3
No. of seagrass species
2
1
nance and species replacement. A number of endemic Red
Sea species are in fact restricted to the northern regions,
while others rarely migrate to these parts. Moving south,
the area of mangroves also begins to increase and a second
species, Rhizophora mucronata, occurs.
Port Sudan is a relatively large port, although
development here is clearly far less extensive than in
Jeddah on the Saudi Arabian coastline, while Suakin is
the only other coastal city. Sewage pollution is reported
to be a problem close to both cities. Away from these
areas, the population densities are low. There is a growing
recreational dive industry, almost entirely run from
"live-aboard" boats operating our of Egypt and Port
Sudan: thus far the total numbers of visitors to these reefs
are still low.
Protected areas wi th coral reefs
T
Site name
Designation
Abbreviation
lUCN cat.
Size Ikm'l
Year
!
Sudan
Sanganeb Atoll
Marine National Park
MNP
II
260.00
1990
^^
_^