Sea Islands

Egypt borders the Red Sea in the east and the Mediterranean Sea north. On the one hand, the Red Sea coast stretches 800 km from Suez to the Sudanese border. On the other hand, the Mediterranean Sea coast spans about 1,050 km along the northern coast. It extends from the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula at the Egypt – Gaza frontiers to the western village of Sallum on the Egyptian border with Libya. Indeed, these extended maritime areas have several sea islands. Egypt has 39 sea islands. These islands are natural, except for the artificial island in the Gulf of Aqaba.

Coast Islands in Egypt

Herein, we arrange these islands according to their location, as follows:

• Red Sea islands.
• Also, the Mediterranean Sea islands.

List of Red Sea Islands

1. Giftun Islands.
2. Abu Munkar.
3. Hamata Islands.
4. El Ikhwan Islands.
5. Also, Green Island.
6. Mukkawar Island.
7. Pharaoh’s Island.
8. Sanafir Island.
9. Shadwan Island.
10. Tiran Island.
11. Utopia Island.
12. Additionally, Zabargad Island.

Pharaoh’s Island

Pharaoh’s Island, current popular name Coral Island, is a small island in the northern Gulf of Aqaba, some 250 metres (820 ft) east of Egypt’s eastern Sinai Peninsula. Some scholars identify this island port with biblical Ezion-Geber.

Giftun Islands

Giftun Islands exist in the Red Sea along the shoreline of Hurghada city, Al-Barhr Al-Ahmar governorate – Egypt. These islands stand approximately 11 kilometres east of the coast of Hurghada. Now, Giftun Island is the most famous one on the Red Sea. Also, it is the most important in terms of tourism and environmental activities. It is the only island authorised to welcome marine activities on its territories. The Giftun islands comprise part of the marine reserve in the Red Sea with spectacular coral reefs and drop-offs. Later, the Egyptian government has declared these Giftun Islands a protected area since 1995. Moreover, the Egyptian government does not allow establishment on the rest 38 islands Egypt has.

Geography of Giftun Islands

The islands are among the Egyptian sea islands along the Red Sea shore. They comprise two separate ones – Big Giftun and Small Giftun. The former one – Big Giftun Island, has the second largest area after Shadwan Island. Besides, both islands are a part of a more extensive archipelago, including one more island, Abu Monqar. Additionally, they have rare geological compositions and rock intensity, as well.

Some reef cliffs exist near these two islands, e.g. Banana Reef, Sha’ab Sabrina, Erg Somaya and Sha’ab Torfa. These sites are among the famous reef spots in Hurghada. In addition, the islands are renowned for their rare coral reefs, colourful fish and extraordinary birds. Also, the marine life surrounding these islands is one of the richest in the Red Sea. It has more than 196 kinds of solid coral reefs. This reef represents about 80% of the biodiversity of the coral reefs in the Red Sea. Also, in these coral reefs live more than 794 species of fish. Consequently, this number of fish represents about 65% of the biodiversity of fish.

Noteworthy that two kinds of birds that face the extinction danger threatening exist on the island. These birds are the Kittiwake and a specific type of eagles. One of the rare turtles lives on the beaches of this island, as well.

Giftun Islands

Shadwan Island

Shadwan Island is the largest reef island in the Strait of Jubal, also known as Shaker Island. It is a barren rocky island. The current around Shadwan is usually moderate, moving from south to north. An impressive vertical reef wall exists in the island’s north that goes deeper than 40 metres. The reef abounds with coral and finfish. Therefore, scuba divers go downstream to explore the wall on drift dives. In addition, there is a featured lighthouse to guide ships.

Utopia Island

The Egyptian Utopia Island is similar to the fiction by Sir Thomas More in two aspects. The first aspect is an isolated island. While the second aspect, the alternate rising of the tide, completely overwhelms the island by night. When it is the day, the tide goes down. Thus, Utopia appears every day clean and new. The previously mentioned renewal process matches with the perfection demanded by Sir Thomas More. Of course, it is enough reason why they call that island “Utopia.”

El Ikhwa Islands

El Ikhwa Islands, commonly known as Brothers Islands, are two small Red Sea islands in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt. The most prominent feature of the islands is the Brothers Islands Lighthouse, built by the British in 1883. Small Brother island lies one kilometre (0.6 miles) south of Big Brother.

Islands of the Mediterranean Sea

• Nelson’s Island.