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The protected area includes marine and terrestrial components. The
terrestrial component encompasses roughly a 50 X 50 km segment of the
Red Sea hills and coastal desert. Wadi El Gemal and its
delta are the central theme of the protected area and the area
encompasses the entire watershed of the wadi. However, the protected
area takes in other adjacent desert and marine habitats, which
complement the wadi, both ecologically and functionally (i.e. in terms
of representing a meaningful management unit). Wadi El Gemal is the
third largest wadi in the Eastern Desert draining into the Red Sea, and
one of the best vegetated, with an estimated watershed area of some
1,840 km² (GEF 1998). The wadi watershed includes the northern flanks of
Gebel Hamata in the south, as well as the southern flanks of Gebel
Nugrus in the north. Several other important wadis are encompassed in
the protected area such as Wadi Abu Ghosoun, Wadi El Ringa and Wadi El
Rada. Several important peaks are included such as Gebel Hamata Gebel
Nugrus, Gebel Hafafit, Gebel Hamamid, Gebel Sartut and Gebel Sikeit. The
shores of the region are heterogeneous in nature encompassing rocky,
sandy and muddy beaches. The coastline has several important landmarks
such as the headlands of Ras Baghdadi and Ras Hankorab, and Sarm El Luli
bay. The marine component of the protected area encompasses a strip of
marine waters of an average width of 15 km. This component includes all
the important coral reefs in the region, as well as four marine islands
(the Hamata archipelago and Wadi El Gemal Island).
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