Egypt, lies at the northeast corner of Africa at the
junction of four biogeographical regions, Irano-Turanian,
Mediterranean, Saharo-Sindian and Afrotropical. At the
same time it is at the center of the great Saharo-Sindian
desert belt that runs from Morocco on the northwest
corner of Africa to the high, cold deserts of central
Asia. Egypt is bounded on the north and east by two
largely enclosed seas, the Mediterranean Sea and the
Red Sea. This unique position is enhanced by the circumstance
that it is divided by the Nile, the longest river in
the world. Most of Egypt is either arid or hyper arid;
however, due to its very varied eco-zones, the country
is home to a wide diversity of terrestrial habitats
and a fauna and flora, which although relatively low
in species numbers and with few endemics, is extremely
varied in composition.
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Egypt lies at the junction of four biogeographical regions.
At the same time it is at the center of the great Saharo-Sindian desert. |
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Egypt
has been traversed by migratory peoples since time immemorial,
some of them have settled in this ancient land. Having
authentic and varied cultures, each group has influenced
the landscape in its own distinctive way. Their indigenous
knowledge and traditions constitute an important portion
of Egypt's cultural heritage, which is largely eclipsed
by the wonders of Ancient Egypt and its grand tombs,
pyramids and temples. These cultures are also threatened
by the intrusion of modern civilization. Promoting the
welfare of these people not only conserves their unique
knowledge and culture but also leads to the conservation
of nature.
Ecosystems and habitats must be maintained to safeguard
species. Species must be protected in order to conserve
ecosystems and habitats. In Egypt, the fairly low number
of species and the relatively large number of eco-zones
and habitats makes the preservation of both especially
important. |
