The Eastern Desert of Egypt occupies the part of the country east of the Nile River. It extends from the latitude of Cairo in the north to the border between Egypt and Sudan in the south with an area of approximately 224,000 km2. This desert consists mainly of high and very rugged mountains that run parallel to the coast of the Red Sea. The mountains of this desert are made up of Precambrian crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks and constitute the subterranean complex of Egypt (Said, 1962). However, sedimentary rocks are found primarily at the northern (mostly limestone) and southern (mostly sandstone) margins of the desert. The mountains of the Eastern Desert are dissected by well-developed drainage systems that end in the Red Sea or the Nile Valley. The dissection of this desert by dense networks of valleys and ravines indicates that, although the current period is a dry period, the region must have witnessed some periods of humid climate in the past (Zahran and Willis, 2009). The FAO World Soil Map shows that the soils of the eastern desert of Egypt belong mainly to Lithosols or soils of rocky origin (Beumont et al. 1988). Water resources are scarce and limited to torrential storms that occur randomly in location and weather. Precipitation filters through the gravel and sand deposits of stream beds (wadis) forming local underground reservoirs (Abu Al-Izz 1971). Water shortage, topography and poor soil conditions are the main limitations to support traditional agriculture, however, drought-resistant vegetation or typical desert plants (xerophytes) are observed scattered along the coastal strip and in the valleys. The eastern desert of Egypt has difficult living conditions due to the prevailing hot and dry climate. Administratively, this desert is called the Red Sea Governor... middle of the paper... has low fertility due to the predominance of quartz grains. If aridity, topography and hot climate combine with low soil fertility, plant cover becomes rare and traditional agriculture is not suitable. However, specific vegetation may grow in this region, which tolerates water shortages and other environmental stresses. Among the natural vegetation of the region we find acacia and tamarix Spp. Local Bedouin depend on natural vegetation as a food and energy resource, as well as for medical purposes. Their animals also depend on this natural flora for grazing. Furthermore, there are some local attempts to cultivate some species that depend on groundwater, such as the FAO company (120 south of Marsa Alam). Olive trees and henna are grown on this farm. However, water scarcity near the farm has forced grazing animals to damage the vegetation grown on this farm.
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