| Red Sea coastal desert | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Desert nearMarsa Alam, Egypt | |
 map of the Red Sea coastal desert | |
| Ecology | |
| Realm | Palearctic |
| Biome | deserts and xeric shrublands |
| Geography | |
| Area | 59,300 km2 (22,900 sq mi) |
| Countries | |
| Conservation | |
| Conservation status | relatively stable |
TheRed Sea coastal desert isdeserts and xeric shrublandsecoregion ofEgypt andSudan.
The Red Sea coastal desert extends north and south along theRed Sea andGulf of Suez, which bound it on the east. It includes both a narrow coastal strip and theRed Sea Hills, a range of coastal mountains that runs parallel to the coast. The Egyptian portion is bounded on the west by theEastern Desert, part of the hyper-aridSahara Desert ecoregion. The Sudanese portion is bounded by theSouth Saharan steppe on the west, and by theSahelian Acacia savanna to the south.[1]
Most precipitation comes in the winter months. Rainfall is as little as 3 mm along the coast. Rainfall is higher on the eastern slopes of the mountains, which intercept periodic moisture-bearing winds which create fog precipitation and occasional heavy rainstorms.
Vegetation includes mangrove swamps and salt marshes along the shore, sparse shrublands along the coast, and dry woodlands in stream valleys. Lusher woodlands and shrublands occur in areas with higher rainfall and mountain mists, and along mountain streams.Jebel Elba, a mountain lying near the coast in the border region contested between Egypt and Sudan, supports the most diverse plant life in the ecoregion.
The mountains are home to theaardwolf(Proteles cristatus) endangeredNubian ibex(Capra nubiana), andBarbary sheep(Ammonotragus lervia). Other mammals include theDorcas gazelle(Gaella dorcas),pale fox(Vulpes pallida), androck hyrax(Procavia capensis).[1]
Protected areas in the ecoregion includeWadi El Gamal National Park in Egypt, andGabal Elba National Park in the disputed Egypt–Sudan border region currently administered by Egypt.