Sudan Red Sea Climate & Environment

Sudan is the largest country in Africa, taking up 2,505,813 square kilometers of northeast and central Africa. The country includes virtually every geographical feature, from the harsh deserts of the north to the rain forests rising on its southern borders. The Nile is the link that runs through Sudan, and influences the lives of Sudan's people, even though many of them farm and herd far from the Nile or its two main branches, the Blue Nile and the White Nile.

Northern Sudan has two distinctive parts - the desert and the Nile Valley. East of the Nile lies the Nubian Desert and to the west, the Libyan Desert. Both deserts are stony with sand dunes draped over the landscape. The Nile Valley flows through the desert, but the strip of habitable land is no more than two kilometers wide and productivity depends on the annual flood.

The central clay plains provide the backbone of Sudan's economy because productive settlements cluster around available water. Furthermore, in the heartland of the central clay plains lies the jazirah where the great Gezira Scheme was developed. The Gezira Scheme project grows cotton for export and produces more than half of Sudan's revenue and export earnings.

Northeast of the central clay plains lies eastern Sudan, which is divided between desert and semi desert. The semi desert area has a rolling landscape that provides good grazing for cattle, sheep, and goats. Just east of here is an irregular geological formation known as the Qash Delta. Originally a depression, it has been filled with sand and silt by the flash floods of the Qash River, creating a delta above the surrounding plain. Extending 100 kilometers, the area watered by the Qash is a rich grassland with bountiful cultivation. Trees and bushes provide grazing for the camels from the north and the rich moist soil provides an abundance of food crops and cotton.

The Red Sea Hills are drier and cooler than the surrounding land. They stretch northward into Egypt where they make up a jumbled mass of hills. Below the hills sprawls the dry and barren coastal plain of the Red Sea where the sea is thick with coral reefs.

Every country has its own delicate eco-system. So be responsible while you are appreciating the beauty. If you are in the desert, the rule is Pack it in, Pack it out. If you are in a protected park, stick to the trail. Wandering away can cause unforeseen damage to the delicate plant and animal life. Be conscious of things like water consumption, proper waste disposal, and turning off air-conditioning units when away from your room. Water is a precious commodity in the desert regions.

In the Red Sea, do not feed the fish, do not collect or remove any material either living or dead, and do not touch the coral reef with any part of your body including your fins! Thanks to a growing number of dedicated environmental agencies, there is a greater knowledge of Reef Protection awareness.