In ancient times, the Arabs called Aqaba the route from Egypt to Phenicia, which ran along the rocky shores of the northern tip of the bay. On the site of the city of Aqaba in the southwest of modern Jordan, a settlement existed, according to archaeologists, about six thousand years ago. In the foreseeable past, Aqaba successively belonged to the Edomites, Nabateans, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, the port city was part of the Arab Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire.
This entire city (population 100,000 people) is a kind of illustration of some pages of the history of the Middle East. In the 12th century. The Arabs built a fort here in the 14th and 16th centuries. he was rebuilding. The remains of this fortress can still be seen today, as well as the remains of an Arab city founded around 650 and a Roman-Nabatean city, discovered by archaeologists for public viewing. Three settlements have been excavated on the Tell al-Khalifa hill: the first of them dates back to the 10th century. BC e. Aqaba is also associated with the biography of Lawrence of Arabia (T. E. Lawrence), who was one of the leaders, along with Auda ibu Tayi, of the Battle of Aqaba (July 1917) - the capture of Aqaba, the last Ottoman port on.
According to its geological history, the Gulf of Aqaba, or Eilat, as it is called in Israel, is part of a fault in the East African Rift System. There are no strong currents, there are almost no storms, and the water is always clear and warm. And in terms of the richness of marine fauna, few other places in the world can compare with this bay. Coral reefs are home to more than 1,000 species of fish, 110 species of soft corals and 120 species of hard corals. There are large crabs, shrimps, and lobsters.
Sometimes it seems that there are no less divers here than sea inhabitants. And every year more and more of them come here.
(a closed lake, salinity level - 260-300‰) over the past 50 years has become shallow by 20 m. And then all the eyes of specialists turn to the Gulf of Aqaba.
According to supporters of the water transfer project (its first version dates back to the 19th century), which has been discussed for almost 20 years, in the end everything will be very good. The Dead Sea is filling with water, special installations are producing desalinated water, hydroelectric power plants are generating additional energy, and the infrastructure of the Arava Desert is being developed. The estimated length of the canal (pipeline) is 180 km. The World Bank, as well as the USA, Holland and France are ready to allocate funds for the implementation of the project, and if at first it was about 4 billion dollars, then recently the figure has been called about 5 billion and higher. But even supporters of this project in Israel are deeply skeptical about its effectiveness. Here it is appropriate to recall the Russian proverb “It was smooth on paper, but they forgot about the ravines.” "Ravines" is most concerned with the vistas of the Dead Sea. In addition, there is this: according to mathematically calculated physical and chemical models, it can be assumed that as a result of the mixing of waters in the bay, the death of corals will begin, a reduction in the number of coral reefs and, accordingly, the death of part of its fauna, even more so of the entire Red Sea.
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has developed an alternative project that does not affect the Gulf of Aqaba. This project involves crushing the nine-meter salt layer of the Dead Sea and removing the salt. There are other options for saving the sea that are currently being considered. But supporters of the water transfer project are not giving up their positions, connecting to them the political component: a canal that serves the interests of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt will contribute to stability in the region. The fate of the Gulf of Aqaba directly depends on whether the participants in the discussion come to a common vision of the problem.
general information
A bay in the northern Red Sea separating the Sinai Peninsula from the Arabian Peninsula.
It is connected to the Red Sea by the Strait of Tiran, in which there are a number of small islands.
Countries with access to the Gulf of Aqaba: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan.
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew.
Religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity.
Largest cities: port cities and resorts - (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan); resort town of Taba (Egypt).
Most important airport: Eilat International Airport (Israel).
Economy
Maritime shipping.
Fishing and other marine activities.
Tourism, including diving g, bringing about 10% of tourism income as a whole.
Numbers
Area: 3150 km2.
Length: 180 km.
Width: about 28 km.
Maximum depth: 1828 m.
Salinity: 41‰.
Climate and weather
Dry tropical.
Average January temperature:+ 15ºС.
Average temperature in July:+33ºС
Average annual water temperature- +23ºС, maximum - up to +30ºС.
Average annual precipitation: 46 mm.
Breezes blow frequently to alleviate the heat.
Attractions
■ Coral reefs.
■ Eilat: Maritime Museum, whose aquariums display all types of Red Sea fauna. An underwater observatory extends 10 m from the shore: Kings City amusement park; Biblical Animal Sanctuary High Bar, Timna Nature Park.
■ Aqaba: ruins of a fortress, archaeological sites, flag of the Jordanian Revolution, 60 x 30 m, on a flagpole 136 m high, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world; Seawater aquarium.
■ Taba: Pharaoh Island, two diving training centers according to PA01 standards - the professional association of underwater instructors.
Curious facts
■ Egypt's blockade of Israeli ships in the southern Gulf in 1967 led to the so-called Six-Day War.
■ Northeast of Aqaba is the Wadi Rum desert, where ancient rock paintings are preserved on the rocks.
Basic Geographical Information
Formed by seismic activity along the Syro-African Rift, the Gulf of Eilat is a deep, narrow body of water. From Eilat to the Strait of Tiran, it is 177 km long and 12 to 28 km wide. The maximum depth of the bay is 1800 m, in most places the depth is about 600 m. It is separated from the Red Sea proper by a threshold. The Arava Valley opens to the bay from the north.
Its hydrology resembles the Red Sea in miniature. The tides are regular, semidiurnal. Among specialists it is famous for the northernmost coral reefs in the world.
The shores of the Gulf of Eilat belong, in addition to Israel, to Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. On its northern shore stand the Israeli port city of Eilat and the Jordanian Aqaba. Israel's coastline in the Gulf is only a few kilometers long. The coast of Jordan stretches 20 km to the Saudi border, the Egyptian coastline in Sinai is 170 km.
Tiran Island (area - 59 km²) is located 7 km from the coast of Sinai (Cape Ras Nusrani) at the entrance to the Gulf of Eilat. East of Tirana is the island of Sanafir (area - 24 km²). The shores of the islands and bays are fringed by coral reefs, and therefore the width of the so-called Strait of Tiran, connecting the Gulf of Eilat with the Red Sea (formally 4 km), narrows sharply, leaving a passage for ships of no more than 300 m.
Navigation is difficult due to the narrow entrance to the Strait of Tiran and its islands, coral reefs and sudden squalls. But the Gulf of Eilat is a natural transport gateway for goods from the Middle and Far East for onward movement to Europe. In this regard, international projects are being implemented to expand the Eilat and Aqaba ports and build transport routes from them towards the Mediterranean coast (primarily to the port
The Jordanian window to the sea is what many people call wonderful Aqaba. After traveling through endless deserts, this city is perceived as a breath of fresh air. Indeed, clean sea air has a healing effect on the human body.
Aqaba is a major seaport, the only one in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The main activity of maritime transport is the transportation of Iraqi oil and Jordanian phosphates. There is also an excellent regular passenger ferry service between Aqab and the cities of Egypt and Israel. Ferries depart from the Jordanian port to Nuweiba, Egypt, three times a week.
Connection
Communication systems in Aqaba have undergone intensive development. Mobile communications have gained the greatest popularity among the local population. For conversations within the country, and even with foreign countries, it is most profitable to purchase a SIM card from local operators " MobileCom" And " FastLink" The cost of domestic calls does not exceed $0.14 per minute. International calls cost approximately $1 per minute.
Many hotels equip their rooms with telephones from which you can make both long-distance and international calls. Regardless of the actual length of the call, many hotels charge a minimum rate of three minutes, which is about $6.
Not only cellular communications, but also network technologies have become widespread. There are small but cozy internet cafes on every street in Aqaba. All of them are equipped with modern computer technology. The cost of one hour of working with the World Wide Web is approximately $2. Many large hotels and inns offer their clients free Wi-Fi Internet access points.
Safety
The Jordanian resort of Aqaba has a reputation as a relatively safe city. No serious offenses were reported here. Pickpocketing or fraud is very rare against foreign citizens. Tourists should be careful about their personal belongings in crowded places. Large sums of money, valuables and jewelry should be left in your hotel or inn room before walking around the city.
Many health experts recommend that tourists from Europe and Russia receive several preventive vaccinations, in particular against tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, hepatitis and typhoid fever.
The sanitary situation in Aqaba is characterized as favorable. True, drinking unboiled water here is still unsafe. It is best to drink bottled drinks.
Fruits and vegetables purchased from the Aqaba market must be thoroughly washed before eating. And fish and meat should be thoroughly fried or boiled. These warnings are especially relevant in the summer, when the average air temperature exceeds +30 °C - at this time the risk of intestinal infections increases.
Business climate
Aqaba, as a modern developing resort, is currently of great interest to foreign investors. An excellent geographical location, developed infrastructure, excellent opportunities for organizing a fun and exciting holiday - this is what makes Aqaba a popular resort among tourists.
Many businessmen, especially from rich countries Persian Gulf, decide to invest their money in the development of the tourism industry in Aqaba. Today, the construction of modern entertainment complexes, discos and clubs, hotels and inns, as well as shopping centers is relevant for this Jordanian resort. All these objects are capable of bringing enormous profits to their owners in a fairly short period of time.
The coast of the Gulf of Aqaba is considered a free economic zone. This circumstance attracts many investors, because this status of Aqaba allows you to register a company with less material and time costs, reduce tax payments to 5%, and most importantly, provides an excellent opportunity to organize a business not only in Jordan, but also in neighboring countries of the Middle East and North Africa .
Real estate
Every year, the Aqaba real estate market is in great demand among foreign buyers. It is worth noting that recently the demand for housing in this beautiful corner of Jordan has significantly exceeded the supply. Many people want to buy a cottage on the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba. Such a purchase will allow you not only to get the opportunity to live in one of the most popular resorts of the Red Sea, but also to significantly increase your financial condition, because every year in Jordan there is a steady increase in prices. For example, currently the cost of one square meter of residential space in Aqaba exceeds $1,000.
Absolutely all foreigners can purchase an apartment or cottage in the Jordanian resort of Aqaba; there are no restrictions on the sale of real estate in the country. The only purchase condition for non-residents of Jordan is the inability to sell the property within five years from the date of the transaction.
A stunning, action-packed holiday in the luxurious Jordanian resort of Aqaba requires some important rules.
Firstly, like in any other Muslim city, in Aqaba there are some religious requirements that must be observed. True, the status of a modern resort somewhat weakens the harsh laws of Islam. Women visiting Aqaba may wear light clothing and not cover their heads in public. However, public expressions of feelings, just like in the rest of Jordan, will cause a lot of indignation from local residents.
Secondly, women are strictly prohibited from being alone in restaurants and other entertainment venues. Such institutions can only be visited by men or married couples.
Thirdly, all foreigners who come here want to capture the unique views of the resort Aqaba. It is worth remembering that not all objects can be photographed. It is strictly prohibited to photograph military and government buildings and structures, as well as people in military uniform. In Aqaba, it is customary to ask permission for photography and video shooting from any person you want to capture as a souvenir.
And finally, when planning to buy a souvenir you like, you should remember that expensive antiques, jewelry and antiques must be accompanied by the issuance of a receipt, which in special cases is asked by customs officials when returning home. Interestingly, items older than 100 years are prohibited from being exported outside of Jordan, as is Jordanian currency worth more than 300 dinars.
In ancient times, the Arabs called Aqaba the route from Egypt to Phenicia, which ran along the rocky shores of the northern tip of the bay. On the site of the city of Aqaba in the southwest of modern Jordan, a settlement existed, according to archaeologists, about six thousand years ago. In the foreseeable past, Aqaba successively belonged to the Edomites, Nabateans, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, the port city was part of the Arab Caliphate and the Ottoman Empire.
This entire city (population 100,000 people) is a kind of illustration of some pages of the history of the Middle East. In the 12th century. The Arabs built a fort here in the 14th and 16th centuries. he was rebuilding. The remains of this fortress can still be seen today, as well as the remains of an Arab city founded around 650 and a Roman-Nabatean city, discovered by archaeologists for public viewing. Three settlements have been excavated on the Tell al-Khalifa hill: the first of them dates back to the 10th century. BC e. Aqaba is also associated with the biography of Lawrence of Arabia (T. E. Lawrence), who was one of the leaders, along with Auda ibu Tayi, of the Battle of Aqaba (July 1917) - the capture of Aqaba, the last Ottoman port on the Red Sea.
According to its geological history, the Gulf of Aqaba, or Eilat, as it is called in Israel, is part of a fault in the East African Rift System. There are no strong currents, there are almost no storms, and the water is always clear and warm. And in terms of the richness of marine fauna, few other places in the world can compare with this bay. Coral reefs are home to more than 1,000 species of fish, 110 species of soft corals and 120 species of hard corals. There are large crabs, shrimps, and lobsters. 
Sometimes it seems that there are no less divers here than sea inhabitants. And every year more and more of them come here.
The Dead Sea (endorheic lake, salinity level - 260-300‰) has become shallow by 20 m over the past 50 years. And then all the eyes of specialists turn to the Gulf of Aqaba.
According to supporters of the water transfer project (its first version dates back to the 19th century), which has been discussed for almost 20 years, in the end everything will be very good. The Dead Sea is filling with water, special installations are producing desalinated water, hydroelectric power plants are generating additional energy, and the infrastructure of the Arava Desert is being developed. The estimated length of the canal (pipeline) is 180 km. The World Bank, as well as the USA, Holland and France are ready to allocate funds for the implementation of the project, and if at first it was about 4 billion dollars, then recently the figure has been called about 5 billion and higher. But even supporters of this project in Israel are deeply skeptical about its effectiveness. Here it is appropriate to recall the Russian proverb “It was smooth on paper, but they forgot about the ravines.” "Ravines" is most concerned with the vistas of the Dead Sea. In addition, there is this: according to mathematically calculated physical and chemical models, it can be assumed that as a result of the mixing of waters in the bay, the death of corals will begin, a reduction in the number of coral reefs and, accordingly, the death of part of its fauna, even more so of the entire Red Sea.
The Israeli Ministry of Tourism has developed an alternative project that does not affect the Gulf of Aqaba. This project involves crushing the nine-meter salt layer of the Dead Sea and removing the salt. There are other options for saving the sea that are currently being considered. But supporters of the water transfer project are not giving up their positions, connecting to them the political component: a canal that serves the interests of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt will contribute to stability in the region. The fate of the Gulf of Aqaba directly depends on whether the participants in the discussion come to a common vision of the problem.
A bay in the northern Red Sea separating the Sinai Peninsula from the Arabian Peninsula.
It is connected to the Red Sea by the Strait of Tiran, in which there are a number of small islands.
Countries with access to the Gulf of Aqaba: Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan.
Languages: Arabic, Hebrew.
Religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity.
Largest cities: port cities and resorts - Eilat (Israel), Aqaba (Jordan); resort town of Taba (Egypt).
Most important airport: Eilat International Airport (Israel).
ECONOMY
Maritime shipping.
Fishing and other marine activities.
Tourism, including diving g, bringing about 10% of tourism income as a whole.
NUMBERS
Square: 3150 km 2.
Length: 180 km.
Width: about 28 km.
Maximum depth: 1828 m.
Salinity: 41‰.
CLIMATE
Dry tropical.
Average January temperature: + 15ºС.
Average temperature in July: +33ºС
Average annual water temperature — +23ºС, maximum - up to +30ºС.
Average annual precipitation: 46 mm.
Breezes blow frequently to alleviate the heat.
ATTRACTIONS
■ Coral reefs.
■ Eilat: Maritime Museum, whose aquariums display all types of Red Sea fauna. An underwater observatory extends 10 m from the shore: Kings City amusement park; Biblical Animal Sanctuary High Bar, Timna Nature Park.
■ Aqaba: ruins of a fortress, archaeological sites, flag of the Jordanian Revolution, 60 x 30 m, on a flagpole 136 m high, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest in the world; Seawater aquarium.
■ Taba: Pharaoh Island, two diving training centers according to PA01 standards - a professional association of underwater instructors.
FUN FACTS
■ Egypt's blockade of Israeli ships in the southern Gulf in 1967 led to the so-called Six-Day War.
■ Northeast of Aqaba is the Wadi Rum desert, where ancient rock paintings are preserved on the rocks.
Eilat– the most prestigious resort in Israel with a developed tourist infrastructure. The main pride of Eilat is the sea, the sun and the mountains.
GULF OF EILAT (GULF OF AQABA)
Located at the southernmost point of Israel, Eilat lies on the Red Sea coast, on the shores of the Gulf of Eilat (Gulf of Aqaba). The bay is 175 km long and its width reaches 13-26 km. In the Eilat area, the width of the bay is 5 km, and the depth at the maximum point is 1200 m. The average water temperature in the bay is 21-24 degrees.
The Gulf of Eilat is located in the heart of the Negev Desert. It is surrounded on all sides by desert mountains, which contributes to the high evaporation of water from the bay and leads to the fact that the concentration of salts in the bay is much higher than in other sea water - 4.1%. All these factors favor the formation and growth of corals in the Gulf of Eilat area.
Eilat coral reefs
Beautiful coral reefs cover the coast in a wide strip. The Gulf of Eilat is the northernmost place in the world where this natural phenomenon can be observed. In 1966, the Eilat coast was declared a nature reserve.
Eilat is an ideal place for diving, windsurfing, kitesurfing and other water sports.
Windsurfing and kitesurfing in Eilat
CLIMATE IN EILAT
The climate in Eilat is very mild and has low humidity of 20-30%. Rain in this area of Israel is very rare even in winter, and the sun shines almost 365 days a year. Summer is very hot, the average air temperature at this time of year is + 39 degrees. Winter is very mild and warm, the average temperature is +23 degrees. The water temperature in the Red Sea never drops below 21 degrees.
Average water temperature in the Red Sea (in degrees Celsius)
Average air temperature in Eilat (in degrees Celsius)
HISTORY OF EILAT
If we look at the history of Eilat, people lived in these places back in the Stone Age. The Ovda Valley, located about 60 km north of Eilat, was inhabited about 10 thousand years ago. In the valley, ancient gazelle traps have been preserved, which are stone fences with increasing wall heights, ending in a dead end.
In the IV millennium BC. e. Copper mining began in . Around the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e. The ancient cities of Eilat (Eilot, Elat) and Etzion Gever were founded on the northern coast of the Gulf of Eilat.
The ancient port of Etzion Gever, on the site of which modern Eilat grew up, is mentioned more than once in the Bible. This port was the subject of fierce strife among the peoples living in its vicinity over access to the Red Sea. The unusual geographical location of the port provided the only route through which access to the Indian and Pacific Oceans could be obtained.
In 1948, at the time of Israel's declaration of independence, Eilat was a military post called Umm Rashrash and was under Arab control. During the War of Independence, on March 10, 1949, Eilat was captured by the Israeli armed forces and declared Israeli territory. As a sign of this event, an Israeli flag drawn in ink was raised over Eilat - an ink flag.
Later, in memory of this event, a bronze monument was erected in Eilat, the author of which was the Israeli sculptor Bernard Reder. The monument to the ink flag is located in the very center of the city on Umm Rashrash Square, to the right of the Mol-a-Yam shopping center.
The ink flag is a symbol of the victory of the Israel Defense Forces in Eilat during the Arab-Israeli War of 1947-49.
Already in 1949, a Jewish settlement arose on the shores of the Red Sea. In 1956, a port was created, and three years later Eilat acquired city status.
The construction of a new highway connecting the city with the central and northern regions of the country was of great importance. After all, by Israeli standards, Eilat is located quite far from other cities in the country. The nearest large city of Beer Sheva is 190 km away. By the mid-70s of the 20th century, Eilat became a popular center of international tourism.
EILAT TODAY
Eilat is a duty-free shopping area and attracts tourists with affordable prices for most goods.
For many years, Eilat has a reputation as a prestigious year-round resort. Due to low air humidity, high temperatures in the summer months are relatively easy to tolerate, but it is especially pleasant to relax in Eilat from October to April.
Currently, there are approximately 70 hotels of various classes in the city and its surroundings, from huge world-class hotels to small campsites and hostels. The total number of rooms in these hotels exceeds 10 thousand.
Hotels in Eilat that are worth paying attention to
The number of tourists in the city is often comparable to the population (47,600 people as of 2010). Most of the residents of the resort Eilat work in the tourism industry (about 85%). The other part works in the port.
Every day, tons of cargo arrives and departs at the port; A special terminal has been built for large oil tankers; the oil needed to meet the country’s energy needs is supplied here. Industry related to legal proceedings is developing in the city.
EILAT AIRPORTS
Until recently, the airport in Eilat was located in the very center of the city, dividing it into two parts: resort and residential. It was conveniently located (the hotels were very close), but had a short runway (1900 m).
According to the Israel Civil Aviation Authority, Eilat airport ceased operation on March 18, 2019. It existed for more than 70 years. It was replaced by international Ramon airport.
The opening of the new Ramon International Airport, located 20 km north of Eilat, took place on January 21, 2019. The airport is named Ramon in honor of Air Force Colonel Ilan Ramon, Israel’s first astronaut, who tragically died on February 1, 2003 in the crash of the space shuttle Columbia.
Ramon Airport, Eilat (Israel)
Currently Ramon International Airport serves both domestic and international flights. In the future, it will be able to serve as an alternative to Ben Gurion International Airport in emergency situations.
From November 2019, the Russian low-cost airline Pobeda will begin operating regular flights from Moscow (Vnukovo) to Eilat (Ramon). Flights will operate three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Ticket sales are open from August 2019.
