| Ras Muhammed National Park | |
|---|---|
 Park entrance | |
   | |
| Location | South Sinai Governorate |
| Nearest city | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Coordinates | 27°46′10″N34°12′35″E / 27.76944°N 34.20972°E /27.76944; 34.20972 |
| Area | 480 km2 |
| Established | 1983 |
| sharm-city | |
Ras Muhammad (Egyptian Arabic:راس محمدRās Maḥammad,IPA:[ɾɑːsmæˈħæmmæd];Arabic:رأس محمدRa's Muḥammad) is a national park inEgypt at the southern extreme of theSinai Peninsula, overlooking theGulf of Suez on the west and theGulf of Aqaba to the east.[1] The park is becoming a center of eco-tourism in the region.[2]
The promontory was known asPoseidion (Ancient Greek:Ποσείδιον) in Antiquity, indicating that it used to have a shrine dedicated toPoseidon.[3]
When the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt, Ras Muhammad was declared for protection fromfishing and other human activities. Some of the fishing methods, such as using dynamite and knives were also impacting on thecoral reef and the fish populations. In 1983, the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency established the area as a marine reserve for the protection of marine and terrestrial wildlife. The park was also established to protect againsturban sprawl fromSharm El Sheikh and other coastal development.[4] The name literally means "Cape of Muhammad". In this instance, "Ras (Arabic: Head)" means "headland". It is said that the name arose because the contour of the cliff looks like theprofile of a bearded man's face, with horizontal hardstrata providing the nose and beardedchin.
The park is situated in the tourist region of theRed Sea Riviera, located 12 km (7.5 mi) from the city ofSharm El Sheikh. The park spans an area of 480 km2 (190 sq mi), including 135 km2 (52 sq mi) of surface land area and 345 km2 (133 sq mi) area over water.[5] Marsa Bareika is a small bay inlet in Ras Mohammed, and Marsa Ghozlani is a very small inlet located across from the park visitors center.
The two islands ofTiran andSanafir were part of the park until sovereignty of the islands was ceded toSaudi Arabia.[6] Ras Muhammad exists at the junction of three plates: the Arabian plate, the African plate, and the Sinai subplate. This, in conjunction with the Northeast motion of the Sinai subplate, has caused recentseismicity,[7] underwater caves formed as the result ofearthquakes.
About 0.9hectares ofmangrove forest cover a 1.16 km (0.72 mi) shallow channel at the southernmost end of Ras Muhammad peninsula. Near the mangrove and approximately 150 m inland, there are open cracks in the land, caused by earthquakes. One of the cracks is approximately 40 m (130 ft) length and 0.20–1.5 m (0.66–4.9 ft) in width. Within the cracks, there are pools of water, some with a depth of over 14 m (46 ft).[8]
The inland area includes a diversity ofdeserthabitats such as mountains andwadis, gravel and coastal mud plains and sand dunes. The area also plays a role inbird migration, serving as a place of rest and nourishment.
Ras Muhammad National Park experiences a very dry climate, with only minimal rainfall during the winter. During the summer, temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) and low temperatures around 27 °C (81 °F). Temperatures are mild during the winter, with daytime high temperatures averaging around 23 °C (73 °F) and low temperatures 14 °C (56 °F).[9][10]
Coral reef, of thefringing andhermatypic types, exist along the coast around Ras Muhammad close to the shoreline.[11] More than 220species ofcoral are found in the Ras Muhammad area, 125 of themsoft coral. The coral reefs are located 50 to 100 m (160 to 330 ft) below the sea surface, and they have a width of 30 to 50 m (98 to 164 ft) in most places. Though in some spots on the western coast, the coral reef is 8 to 9 km (5.0 to 5.6 mi) wide.[12] Shark Reef and Yolanda Reef are coral reefs hotspots for divers. Other coral reef sites include South Bereika, Marsa Ghozlani, Old Quay, and Shark Observatory.[13] The wreckage of theSSThistlegorm, located off the coast of Ras Muhammad, is a popular area for divers.
The area is home to more than 1,000 species of fish, 40 species ofstarfish, 25 species ofsea urchins, more than 100 species ofmollusks and 150 species ofcrustaceans. Among others,sea turtles, such as thegreen turtle (Chelonia mydas) and thehawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) appear regularly in Ras Muhammad.
On the Ras Muhammad peninsula, there areacacia trees and doum palms (Hyphaene thebaica) around thewadi mouths. Ephemeral herbs andgrasses also exist in Ras Muhammad.[14]
