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81-706: The Red Sea–Dead Sea Conveyance ( RSDSC ), sometimes called the Two Seas Canal , was a planned pipeline to run from the coastal city of Aqaba by the Red Sea to the Lisan area in the Dead Sea . Its abandonment was reported in June 2021. It was to provide potable water to Jordan , Israel and the Palestinian territories , bringing water with a high concentration of salts resulting from
162-860: A penstock to the level of the Dead Sea near its shore, thence via an open canal to the Sea itself, which lies about 420 meters below sea level. The project would have utilized about 225 km of pipelines for seawater and brine, parallel to the Arabah Valley in Jordan. The project would also have required about 178 km of freshwater pipelines to the Amman area, as well as several water desalination plants and at least one hydroelectric plant . In its final phase, it would have produced about 850 million cubic meters of freshwater per year. The project would have required electric power from
243-598: A Jordan Red Sea Project. According to the government, this project could be considered as the first phase of the RSDSC project. The Jordan project was to be implemented by a private company under authority granted by the government. The project would also serve as an economic development project to create housing for 1.36 million people (1) south of Amman, (2) at the Southern end of the Dead Sea, (3) north of Aqaba and (4) in gated communities. Several tourist resorts would be created. It
324-524: A bishopric under Byzantine rule and later became a Latin Catholic titular see after Islamic conquest around AD 650, when it became known as Ayla ; the name Aqaba is late medieval. The Great Arab Revolt 's Battle of Aqaba resulted in victory for Arab forces over the Ottoman defenders. Aqaba's location next to Wadi Rum and Petra has placed it in Jordan's golden triangle of tourism, which strengthened
405-564: A council attended by bishops of the Late Roman provinces of Palaestina Prima , Palaestina Secunda and Palaestina Tertia , to the last-named of which Aela belonged. A citadel was also built in the area that became the focal point of the Roman southern defense system. In the 6th century, Procopius of Caesarea mentioned a Jewish population in Eilat and its surroundings which enjoyed autonomy until
486-417: A different chemical composition. This potential damage includes changes in water salinity, massive formation of gypsum, formation of volatile toxic compounds, changes in water evaporation rates, changes in the composition of bacteria and algae which inhabit the sea surface, chemical changes in the rocks which surround the water, and loss of unique health benefits that account for much of the tourist attraction to
567-439: A fortified structure, occupying an area of 35 × 55 meters. 24 towers defended the city. The city had four gates on all four sides, defining two main lines intersecting at the centre. The intersection of these two thoroughfares was indicated by a tetrapylon (a four-way arch), which was later transformed into a luxury residential building decorated with frescoes dated to the tenth century. This type of urban structure, called MSIR,
648-567: A fortress on Pharaoh's Island (called Île de Graye by the Franks), the modern Jazīrat Fir'aun in Egyptian territorial waters about 7 kilometres (4 miles) west of Aqaba. The garrison of Elyn (now serving primarily as a military outpost) was further strengthened in 1142 by Pagan the Butler , Lord of Oultrejourdain , who pursued an ambitious program of castle building throughout his domain. However, there
729-638: A meeting with World Bank President Robert Zoellick , the Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister, Silvan Shalom , announced a pilot project to build a "pilot" pipe 180 km long from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. The pipe would pump 200 million cubic metres per year. Half of this would be desalinated for Jordanian consumption and half put into the Dead Sea. In October 2009 the Jordanian government announced that it would unilaterally tender
810-494: A new Arab city was established outside its walls under Uthman ibn Affan , known as Ayla ( Arabic : آيلا ). The Early Muslim city was excavated in 1986 by a team from the University of Chicago . Artefacts are now on exhibit at Aqaba Archaeological Museum and Jordan Archaeological Museum in Amman . The fortified city was inscribed in a rectangle of 170 × 145 meters, with walls 2.6 meters thick and 4.5 meters high, surrounding
891-558: A west road leading to the Paralia and Roman Egypt . Around AD 106 Aela was one of the main ports for the Romans. The Aqaba Church was constructed under Roman rule between 293 and 303 and is considered to be the oldest known purpose-built Christian church in the world. By the time of Eusebius , Aela became the garrison of the Legio X Fretensis , which was moved to Aela from Jerusalem. One of
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#1733092564618972-728: Is a large gulf at the northern tip of the Red Sea , east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian Peninsula . Its coastline is divided among four countries: Egypt , Israel , Jordan , and Saudi Arabia . The northernmost coral reef in the world is situated near the Eilat shore. The gulf is east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian Peninsula. With the Gulf of Suez to
1053-656: Is based on the tourism and port industry sectors. The economic growth in Aqaba is higher than the average economic growth in the country. Under the special economic zone status some investments and trades are exempted from taxation, as a result, new resorts, housing developments, and retail outlets are being constructed. New projects such as Tala Bay and Saraya al Aqaba are constructed aiming at providing high-end vacation and residential homes to locals and foreigners alike. Aqaba's location next to Wadi Rum and Petra has placed it in Jordan's golden triangle of tourism, which strengthened
1134-649: Is the Turkish Bath (Hamam) built in 306 AD, in which locals and visitors alike come to relax after a hot day. In 2006, the Tourism Division of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority ( ASEZA ) reported that the number of tourists visiting the Zone in 2006 rose to about 432,000, an increase of 5% over previous year. Approximately 65%, or 293,000 were Jordanians. Of foreign tourists, Europeans visited
1215-644: Is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba . Situated in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the administrative center of the Aqaba Governorate . The city had a population of 148,398 in 2015 and a land area of 375 square kilometres (144.8 sq mi). Today, Aqaba plays a major role in the development of the Jordanian economy , through the vibrant trade and tourism sectors. The Port of Aqaba also serves other countries in
1296-623: Is typical of early Islamic fortified settlements. The city prospered from 661 to 750 under the Umayyads and beyond under the Abbasids (750–970) and the Fatimids (970–1116). Ayla took advantage of its key position as an important step on the road to India and Arab spices (frankincense, myrrh), between the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Peninsula . The city is also mentioned in several stories of
1377-582: The Arabian Nights . The geographer Shams Eddin Muqaddasi describes Ayla as nearby the ruined ancient city. The city was mentioned in Medieval Arabic sources as having a mixed population of Jews and Christians. It subsequently became an important station for pilgrim caravans on the way to Mecca . Baldwin I of Jerusalem took over the city in 1115 without encountering much resistance. The centre of
1458-459: The Chalcolithic period, with thriving copper production on a large scale. This period is largely unknown due to the absence of written historical sources. University of Jordan archaeologists have discovered the sites, where they found a small building whose walls were inscribed with human and animal drawings, suggesting that the building was used as a religious site. The people who inhabited
1539-560: The Hejaz railway . During World War I, the Battle of Aqaba was the key battle that ended a 500-year Ottoman rule over the region of Syria . In general, the fauna in the Red Sea represents the fauna in the waters of the Indian Ocean , except that many species cannot penetrate it due to salinity and temperature limitations and some are only found in the southern part of the Red Sea. A large part of
1620-582: The National Water Carrier scheme in 1964 diverted water for Israel, Jordan and Syria to use for irrigation and drinking water. The decline of the Dead Sea level is causing major local environmental problems, including sinkholes and receding shorelines. Other routes for a conduit for the same objectives as the RSDSC, including the Mediterranean–Dead Sea Canal , were proposed in Israel in
1701-402: The desalination process (reject brine ) to stabilise the Dead Sea water level, and generate electricity to support the energy needs of the project. The project was planned to be carried out by Jordan and is entirely in Jordanian territory. It was to be financed by the governments of Jordan, Israel, and a number of international donors. The project had a tentative $ 10 billion price tag, with
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#17330925646181782-473: The fifth , the sixth , the eleventh , the twelfth and the eighteenth dynasties of Egypt , when Hatshepsut built a fleet to support the trade and journeyed south to Punt in a six-month voyage. Thebes used Nubian gold or Nub from her conquests south into Kush to facilitate the purchase of frankincense , myrrh , bitumen , natron , juniper oil, linen , and copper amulets for the mummification industry at Karnak . Egyptian settlements near Timna at
1863-468: The peace process between Israel and Jordan . In the late 1990s a team headed by Refael (Rafi) Benvenisti working with Minister Shimon Peres as the Minister of Regional Cooperation suggested to establish the stabilization of the Dead Sea water level ('Saving the Dead Sea') as a major objective of the project. It suggested building the project in stages in order to test the mixing of the two seas water phasing
1944-409: The $ 100 million first phase of the project would begin construction in the first quarter of 2018, and would be completed by 2021. In June 2021, it was reported that the water level in the Dead Sea was shrinking at a rate of more than one metre per year, and that its surface area had shrunk by about 33% since the 1960s. This was largely due to the diversion of most of the flow into the Dead Sea from
2025-622: The 1980s, but were discarded. The connection of the seas by canal was first suggested in the mid-19th century by British officers who were looking for ways to circumvent the French-built Suez Canal and had not realized that the level of the Dead Sea is much lower. Later on, at the end of the 19th century, planners thought of ways to use water from the Jordan River , which originates in the Sea of Galilee , for irrigation and to bring sea water to
2106-539: The 8th and 4th centuries BCE. Around 735 BC, the city was conquered by the Assyrian empire . Because of the wars the Assyrians were fighting in the east, their trading routes were diverted to the city and the port witnessed relative prosperity. The Babylonians conquered it in 600 BC. During this time, Elath witnessed great economic growth, which is attributed to the business background of its rulers who realized how important
2187-527: The ASEZ had attracted $ 18bn in committed investments, beating its $ 6bn target by 2020 by a third and more in less than a decade. The goal was adjusted to bring in another $ 12bn by 2020, but in 2009 alone, deals worth $ 14bn were inked. Some projects currently under construction are: Aqaba has a number of luxury hotels, including in the Tala Bay resort 20 km further to the south, which service those who come for fun on
2268-493: The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority ( ASEZA ) was established which acted as the statutory institution empowered with administrative, fiscal, regulatory and economic responsibilities. Jordan is divided into 12 administrative divisions, each called a Governorate . Aqaba Governorate divides into 3 Districts , some of which are divided into Subdistricts and further divided into villages. Benefiting from its location and status as Jordan's special economic zone, Aqaba's economy
2349-943: The British to supply the Arab forces. In 1918, the regions of Aqaba and Ma'an were officially incorporated into the Kingdom of the Hejaz . In 1925, Ibn Saud the ruler of Nejd with the help of his Wahhabi Ikhwan troops successfully annexed the Hejaz, but gave up the Ma'an and Aqaba to the British protectorate of Transjordan . The Jordanian census of 1961 found 8,908 inhabitants in 'Aqaba. In 1965, King Hussein , through an exchange deal with Saudi Arabia , gave 6,000 square kilometres (2,317 square miles) of desert land in Jordanian territories in exchange for other territories, including 12 kilometres (7 miles) of an extension of prime coastline south of Aqaba, which included
2430-605: The Dead Sea area. The report of Tahal Group, the Geological Survey of Israel, Portland State University , Oregon, US and Institute of Life Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem , states: There is a risk of damage to the coral reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba, due to water pumping. The coral reefs have so far resisted bleaching despite climate change , but the conveyance could upset this balance. The report of Thetis SpA,
2511-465: The Dead Sea from dehydrating would have flowed through the system, preventing salt water flow into wells. The World Bank study recommended re-routing the conduit to avoid the geological faults of the Araba Valley. A 2019 episode of Nova centered around issues the proposed project aims to solve. The documentary argued that "it would take an enormous amount of water from the Sea of Galilee to stabilize
Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance - Misplaced Pages Continue
2592-450: The Dead Sea to create energy from its position of -390 m below sea level. One of those planners was the Zionist leader Theodor Herzl . The completion of the National Water Carrier scheme in 1964 diverted water for Israel , Jordan and Syria to use for irrigation and drinking water. The Red Sea – Dead Sea conduit (RSDSC) was proposed at the end of the 1960s and was analysed as part of
2673-640: The Dead Sea," citing the Sea of Galilee's loss of more than a hundred billion gallons between 2013 and 2018. On the same program, scientist Ittai Gavrieli discussed indirect problems such as excreting reject brine into the Mediterranean Sea . Gavrieli and others opined that the Dead Sea basin is a unique example of human-caused climate change that would serve as a valuable geological park . Aqaba Aqaba ( English: / ˈ æ k ə b ə / AK -ə-bə , US also / ˈ ɑː k -/ AHK - ; Arabic : الْعَقَبَة , romanized : al-ʿAqaba , pronounced [ælˈʕæqɑba, ælˈʕæɡæba] )
2754-523: The Elat Deep, Aragonese Deep and Dakar Deep, formed between four left lateral strike-slip fault segments. Movement on one of these faults caused the 1995 Gulf of Aqaba earthquake . Trade across the Red Sea between Thebes' port of Elim and Elat at the head of the gulf is documented as early as the Fourth Dynasty of Egypt . Expeditions crossing the Red Sea and heading south to Punt are mentioned in
2835-564: The Interuniversity Institute For Marine Sciences In Eilat, Marine Science Station University of Jordan and Yarmouk University , Aqaba and Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research institute, states: The scheme had the potential to cause Damage to the natural landscape and ecosystem of the Arabah, due to the construction process, and the increase in humidity caused by the open canal segments. According to
2916-504: The Jordan Red Sea Project was expected to cost US$ 2.5 billion, and to be financed to a large extent from commercial sources, including debt and equity and soft international financing. As of January 2019, Israel had been expected to contribute over one billion dollars over a period of 25 years. The transfer of mass volumes of water from one sea to another can have drastic consequences on the unique natural characteristics of each of
2997-464: The Jordan River. In June 2021, the project was reportedly abandoned by the Jordanian government, citing a lack of interest by Israel. The proposed conveyance would have pumped seawater 230 meters uphill from the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba through the Arabah Valley in Jordan. The water would then flow down gravitationally through multiple pipelines to the area of the Dead Sea, followed by a drop through
3078-541: The Jordanian power grid. It would also have provided some electricity through hydroelectric power but would probably have been a large net user of energy. The net power demand would have had to be satisfied through other power projects whose costs are not included in the project costs. The Kingdom of Jordan had planned to build a large nuclear power plant to make up at least some of the difference. The project cost estimates varied from two to more than ten billion dollars, depending on its structure and stages. The first phase of
3159-588: The Southwest point thereof and thence Westward on a parallel (27°54'N) to the coast of the Sinaï Peninsula". The gulf is one of two gulfs created by the Sinai Peninsula's bifurcation of the northern Red Sea, the Gulf of Suez lying to the west of the peninsula and the Gulf of Aqaba to its east. Geologically, the gulf forms the southern end of the Dead Sea Transform . It contains three small pull-apart basins ,
3240-470: The Zone in the largest numbers, with about 98,000 visiting during the year. The division has financed tourism advertising and media campaigns with the assistance of the European Union. Aqaba has been chosen for the site of a new waterfront building project that would rebuild Aqaba with new man-made water structures, new high-rise residential and office buildings, and more tourist services to place Aqaba on
3321-424: The area if construction proceeded. The pipeline will cross areas of important cultural heritage, such as Wadi Finan , where the earliest copper mining and extraction in the world took place. Israeli environmental NGOs say that the reestablishment of the Jordan River to its natural state was a better solution to the decline of the Dead Sea than the proposed canal. In 2005, the proposal also generated some concern by
Red Sea–Dead Sea Water Conveyance - Misplaced Pages Continue
3402-471: The beaches as well as Scuba diving . Aqaba offers more than thirty primary diving locations, with the majority of them accommodating divers of all skill levels. These diving sites comprise fringing reefs that extend for over 25 kilometers, reaching all the way to the border with Saudi Arabia. It also offers activities which take advantage of its desert location. Its many coffee shops offer mansaf and knafeh , and baqlawa desserts. Another very popular venue
3483-705: The big investment associated with the project. The project was called "the Peace conduit" and was proposed to be located on Jordanian territory for financial and implementation reasons. On 9 May 2005, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority signed an agreement to go ahead with a feasibility study for the RSDSC. The agreement was signed on the Dead Sea by Jordanian Water Minister Raed Abu Soud , Israeli Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Palestinian Planning Minister Ghassan al-Khatib . In June 2009, after
3564-552: The chairman of Egypt 's Suez Canal Authority , who argued that the canal will increase seismic activity in the region , provide Israel with water for cooling its nuclear reactor near Dimona , develop settlements in the Negev Desert , and increase well salinity. However, as proposed, most of the desalinated water was expected to be used by Jordan and the Palestinians . Under the most recent proposal, water sufficient only to prevent
3645-469: The city then moved to 500 meters along the coast to the south, and the crusader fortress of Elyn was built, which allowed the Kingdom of Jerusalem to dominate all roads between Damascus , Egypt , and Arabia , protecting the Crusader states from the east and allowing for profitable raids on trade caravans passing through the area. In order to secure this strategic position, Baldwin also built and garrisoned
3726-568: The city was anciently Elath , Ailath . The name is presumably derived from the Semitic name of a tree in the genus Pistacia . Modern Eilat (established 1947), situated about 5 km north-west of Aqaba, also takes its name from the ancient settlement. In the Hellenistic period , it was renamed Berenice (in Greek Βερενίκη), but the original name survived, and under Roman rule was re-introduced in
3807-533: The city's location on the world map and made it one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan. The city is administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority , which has turned Aqaba into a low-tax, duty-free city, attracting several mega projects like Ayla Oasis , Saraya Aqaba , Marsa Zayed and expansion of the Port of Aqaba. They are expected to turn the city into a major tourism hub in
3888-407: The city's location on the world map and made it one of the major tourist attractions in Jordan. The city is administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority , which has turned Aqaba into a low-tax, duty-free city, attracting several mega projects like Ayla Oasis , Saraya Aqaba , Marsa Zayed and expansion of the Port of Aqaba. They are expected to turn the city into a major tourism hub in
3969-593: The city's location was. The Persian Achaemenid Empire took the city in 539 BC. The city continued to grow and prosper which made it a major trading hub by the time of the Greek rule by 300 BC, after the Wars of Alexander the Great , it was described by a Greek historian to be "one of the most important trading cities in the Arab World". The Ptolemaic Greeks called it Berenice . The Nabatean kingdom had its capital north of
4050-475: The city's status as a transport and logistics hub. There are numerous hotels that reside in Aqaba but new hotels are also under construction. Aqaba is the only seaport of Jordan so virtually all of Jordan's exports depart from here. Heavy machinery industry is also flourishing in the city with regional assembly plants being located in Aqaba such as the Land Rover Aqaba Assembly Plant . By 2008
4131-634: The city, at Petra . In 64 BC, following the Roman conquest, they annexed the city and called it Aela (also Haila , Aelana , in Greek rendered Αἴλα Aila ). Both Petra and Aela were under strong Nabatean influence despite the Roman rule. Aela reached its peak during Roman times, the great long-distance road the Via Traiana Nova led south from Bostra through Amman , terminating in Aela, where it connected with
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#17330925646184212-411: The city. According to Fulbright scholar Kimberly Cavanagh development projects will help exhibit the ways global- local partnerships and the resultant cultural exchanges, can result in mutually beneficial outcomes. The city of Aqaba has one of the highest population growth rates in Jordan in 2011, and only 44% of the buildings in the city had been built before 1990. A special census for Aqaba city
4293-547: The coastal waters of the Red Sea, the gulf is one of the world's premier sites for diving. The area is especially rich in coral and other marine biodiversity and has both accidental shipwrecks and vessels deliberately sunk in an effort to provide a habitat for marine organisms and bolster the local dive tourism industry. At this northern end of the gulf are three important cities: Taba in Egypt, Eilat in Israel, and Aqaba in Jordan. They are strategically important commercial ports and popular resorts for tourists seeking to enjoy
4374-406: The crossroads of the continents of Asia and Africa, while bordering Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Aqaba has a hot desert climate ( Köppen climate classification BWh ) with mild, sometimes warm winters and very hot dry summers. Subzero temperatures can be observed every few years. The record low temperature of −3.9 °C (25.0 °F) was on January 16, 2008, as in Eilat . In August 2000,
4455-421: The first phase of a project. On 9 December 2013, an agreement to build the pipeline was signed by Israel, Jordan, and Palestine. On 21 June 2016, Jordan announced that it had received 17 bids from international firms to construct the canal. On 27 November 2016, it was announced that the Jordanian government was shortlisting five consortia to implement the project. Jordan's ministry of Water and Irrigation said that
4536-457: The first phase of the project. The World Bank announced that it would release a feasibility study of water conveyance from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea together with an environmental and social assessment as well as a study of alternatives in early 2012. The many alternatives studied included a restoration of the Jordan River to its natural flow and the taking of no action. In August 2013, Jordanian government announced that it would move ahead with
4617-399: The first phase—slated to begin construction in 2021—costing $ 1.1 billion. The water level in the Dead Sea is shrinking at a rate of more than one metre per year, and its surface area has shrunk by about 33% since the 1960s. This is largely due to the diversion of most of the flow into the Dead Sea from the Jordan River , much of which originates in the Sea of Galilee . The completion of
4698-429: The forms Aila , Aela or Haila , adopted in Byzantine Greek as Άιλα Aila and in Arabic as Ayla (آيلا). The crusaders called the city Elyn . The present name al-ʿAqaba ( العقبة ) is a shortened from ʿaqabat Aylah ( عقبة آيلة ) "the mountain-pass of Ayla", first mentioned in the 12th century by Idrisi , at a time when the settlement had been mostly reduced to a military stronghold , properly referring to
4779-403: The head of the gulf date to the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt . At the northern edge, the ancient city of Ayla (in present-day Aqaba) was a commercial hub for the Nabateans . The Romans built the Via Traiana Nova , which joined the King's Highway at Aqaba and connected Africa to Asia and the Levant and Red Sea shipping. Aqaba was a major Ottoman port, connected to Damascus and Medina by
4860-618: The investment map and challenge other centers of waterfront development throughout the region. Aqaba was chosen as the Arab Tourism City of 2011. During the 5-day holiday at both the end of Ramadan and Eid Al-Adha , Jordanian and western expats flock into the city with numbers reaching up to 50,000 visitors. During this time the occupancy rate of most hotels there reaches as high as 90%, and are often fully booked. The several development projects (i.e. Ayla, Saraya etc.) now taking place in Aqaba provide "opportunities of empowerment" for local populations that want to expand their agency within
4941-555: The latter one leaving the site completely destroyed. The Edomites , who ruled over Edom just south of the Dead Sea , are believed to have built the first port in Aqaba called Elath around 1500 BC, turning it into a major hub for the trade of copper as the Phoenicians helped them develop their maritime economy. They profited from its strategic location at the junction of trading routes between Asia and Africa. Archaeologists have investigated an Iron Age settlement at Tell el-Kheleifeh , immediately west of Aqaba, inhabited between
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#17330925646185022-412: The magnificent Yamanieh coral reef . Aqaba was a major site for imports of Iraqi goods in the 1980s until the Persian Gulf War . In 1997, the Aqaba Marine Reserve was established within the southern boundaries of the Gulf of Aqaba . The city lies at Jordan's southernmost point, on the Gulf of Aqaba lying at the tip of the Red Sea. Its strategic location is shown in the fact that it is located at
5103-487: The oldest known texts written in the Arabic alphabet is a late 4th-century inscription found in Jabal Ram 50 kilometres (31 miles) east of Aqaba. The city became a Christian bishopric at an early stage. Its bishop Peter was present at the First Council of Nicaea , the first ecumenical council , in 325. Beryllus was at the Council of Chalcedon in 451, and Paul at the synod called by Patriarch Peter of Jerusalem in 536 against Patriarch Anthimus I of Alexandria ,
5184-403: The pass just to the north-east of the settlement ( 29°33′32″N 35°05′42″E / 29.559°N 35.095°E / 29.559; 35.095 , now traversed by Aqaba Highway ). Excavations at two tells (archaeological mounds) Tall Hujayrat Al-Ghuzlan and Tall Al-Magass , both a few kilometres north of modern-day Aqaba city, revealed inhabited settlements from c. 4000 BC during
5265-413: The pipeline ruptures (due to earthquake risk given the location in the Jordan Rift Valley ), these aquifers will be irreparably damaged. This can have fatal consequences to both the agriculture and ecosystem of the Arabah. The planning and construction of the pipelines will include measures to minimize the potential for pipeline ruptures. There are also potential threats to the archeological heritage of
5346-413: The preferred scenario of the World Bank Study the conduit will be multiple buried pipelines and not canals. Special care will be taken to minimize the environmental and archeological damage. There is a risk of damage to the aquifer of the Arabah, due to contamination of groundwater with water from the Red Sea. The alluvial deposits in Wadi Araba contain important supplies of fresh water. In the event that
5427-411: The project on the unique natural systems of the Red Sea, the Dead Sea, and the Arabah. Some have argued that these risks are serious enough to necessitate further discussion; others feel that their effects are negligible. In August 2011, the World Bank published a study based on environmental assessments carried out under its supervision. A letter to the World Bank was included in its introduction, in which
5508-426: The region. Aqaba's strategic location at the northeastern tip of the Red Sea between the continents of Asia and Africa has made its port important throughout thousands of years. The ancient city was called Elath , adopted in Latin as Aela and in Arabic as Ayla . Its strategic location and proximity to copper mines made it a regional hub for copper production and trade in the Chalcolithic period. Aela became
5589-412: The region. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country's only seaport . Over US$ 20 billion have been invested in Aqaba since 2001 when the Special Economic Zone was established. Along with tourism projects, Aqaba has also attracted global logistic companies such as APM Terminals and Agility to invest in logistics, which boosted
5670-441: The region. However, industrial and commercial activities remain important, due to the strategic location of the city as the country's only seaport . The city sits right across the border from Eilat , likewise Israel's only port on the Red Sea. After the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty , there were plans and hopes of establishing a trans-border tourism and economic area, but few of those plans have come to fruition. The name of
5751-408: The science team's leader explained that "it is preferable to study and mitigate unexpected impacts and phenomena which may arise when seawater first mixes in the Dead Sea, before a full scale RSDSC is implemented." There is a risk of damage to the unique natural system of the Dead Sea, due to mixing its water with Red Sea water, or brines created from the process of desalinating Red Sea water which has
5832-473: The seas, as well as on the desert valley which separates them, the Arabah . Some of these characteristics, especially in the Dead Sea area, are unique on a global perspective, and therefore crucially important for conservation. The environmental group EcoPeace Middle East has protested against the allegedly premature approval of the project. By the mid- noughties , the group listed several potential hazardous effects of
5913-399: The site had developed an extensive water system in irrigating their crops which were mostly made up of grapes, olives and wheat. Several different-sized clay pots were also found suggesting that copper production was a major industry in the region, the pots being used in melting the copper and reshaping it. Scientific studies performed on-site revealed that it had undergone two earthquakes, with
5994-550: The species in the Red Sea are endemic and the proportion of several groups reaches about 30%. It is possible that some of them developed during the Tethys Sea period. The endemic species are more suitable to the conditions in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Eilat and therefore thrive there more than the oceanic species. The gulf is one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. About 250,000 dives are performed annually in Eilat's 11 km coastline, and diving represents 10% of
6075-575: The time of Justinian I ( r. 527–565 ). According to Ibn Ishaq , Muhammad himself reached Aila during the expedition of Tabuk of 630, and extracted tribute from the city. During the Late Byzantine or even Early Muslim period, Aila was the origin of what came to be known as the Ayla-Axum amphoras . Aila fell to the Islamic armies by 629, and the ancient settlement was left to decay, while
6156-620: The warm climate. Further south, Haql is the largest Saudi Arabian city on the gulf. On Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab are the major centres. The largest population center is Aqaba, with a population of 148,398 (2015), followed by Eilat with a population of 50,724 (2020). The International Hydrographic Organization defines the southern limit of the gulf as "A line running from Ràs al Fasma Southwesterly to Requin Island ( 27°57′N 34°36′E / 27.950°N 34.600°E / 27.950; 34.600 ) through Tiran Island to
6237-466: The west, it extends from the northern portion of the Red Sea. It reaches a maximum depth of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) in its central area: the Gulf of Suez is significantly wider but less than 100 m (330 ft) deep. The gulf measures 24 km (15 mi) at its widest point and stretches some 160 km (100 mi) north from the Straits of Tiran to where Israel meets Egypt and Jordan. Like
6318-461: Was carried by the Jordanian department of statistics in 2007, the total population of Aqaba by the census of 2007 was 98,400. The 2011 population estimate is 136,200. The results of the census compared to the national level are indicated as follows: Gulf of Aqaba The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic : خَلِيج الْعَقَبَة , romanized : Khalīj al-ʿAqaba ) or Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew : מפרץ אילת , romanized : Mifrátz Eilát )
6399-468: Was divided into five phases. The first phase would include extraction of 400 million cubic metres of seawater per year, resulting in 210 million cubic metres/year (MCM/yr) of freshwater and 190 million cubic metres/year for discharge into the Dead Sea. The construction of the first phase was expected to take seven years. In March 2011, the Ministry of Water and Irrigation short-listed six firms for
6480-576: Was never retaken by the Crusaders. The old fort was rebuilt, as Aqaba Fortress , by Mamluk sultan Al-Ashraf Qansuh Al-Ghuri in the early 16th century. For the next four centuries, the site was a simple fishing village of little importance. During World War I, the Ottoman forces were forced to withdraw from Aqaba in 1917 after the Battle of Aqaba , led by T. E. Lawrence and the Arab forces of Auda Abu Tayi and Sherif Nasir . The capture of Aqaba allowed
6561-480: Was no large-scale settlement of Europeans in the area, and the region between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba remained mainly inhabited by Bedouins, who were obliged to pay tribute to the Lordship of Oultrejourdain. Despite all efforts to fortify the region, the city was captured in 1170 by a squadron sent by Saladin as he was besieging Gaza ; while it was successfully raided by Raynald of Châtillon in 1182, it
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