Djerba in the Gulf of Gabès

5 October 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Sunset on Djerba © SuperManu/cc-by-sa-3.0

Sunset on Djerba © SuperManu/cc-by-sa-3.0

Djerba is, at 514 square kilometres (198 sq mi), the largest island of North Africa, located in the Gulf of Gabes, off the coast of Tunisia. It has a population of about 160,000. The island comprises three of the delegations within the Medenine Governorate.   read more…

Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast

12 September 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  8 minutes

© flickr.com - David Evers/cc-by-2.0

© flickr.com – David Evers/cc-by-2.0

Alexandria is the second largest city and the second largest metropolitan area in Egypt after Greater Cairo by size and population, extending about 32 km (20 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country. It is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. Alexandria is Egypt’s largest seaport, serving approximately 80% of Egypt’s imports and exports. It is an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez. Alexandria is also an important tourist resort.   read more…

Dahab on the Red Sea

24 July 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Dahab © B. Simpson/cc-by-3.0

Dahab © B. Simpson/cc-by-3.0

Dahab is a small town situated on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Formerly a Bedouin fishing village, located approximately 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Sharm el-Sheikh, Dahab is considered to be one of the Sinai’s most treasured diving destinations. The arrival of international hotel chains and the establishment of other ancillary facilities has since made the town a popular destination with tourists. Dahab is served by Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport. Masbat (within Dahab) is a popular diving destination, and there are many (50+) dive centers located within Dahab.   read more…

Hurghada on the Red Sea

2 April 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

Al-Mahmeya © KarimSh

Al-Mahmeya © KarimSh

Hurghada is a city in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt. It is a main tourist center and second largest city (after Suez) in Egypt located on the Red Sea coast. The city was founded in the early 20th century, and since the 1980s has been continually enlarged by Egyptian and foreign investors to become the leading seashore resort on the Red Sea. Holiday villages and hotels provide aquatic sport facilities for sailboarders, yachtsmen, scuba divers and snorkelers.   read more…

Marsa Alam on the Red Sea

1 March 2015 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

Sunrise © Marc Ryckaert/cc-by-3.0

Sunrise © Marc Ryckaert/cc-by-3.0

Marsa Alam is a town in south-eastern Egypt, located on the western shore of the Red Sea. It is currently seeing fast increasing popularity as a tourist destination and development following the opening of Marsa Alam International Airport in 2001.   read more…

Agadir on the Atlantic

15 December 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

© Daniel*D/cc-by-sa-3.0

© Daniel*D/cc-by-sa-3.0

Agadir is a major city in central coastal Morocco, the capital of Agadir-Ida Ou Tanane province (MA-AGD) and of the Souss-Massa-Drâa economic region some 508 km to the south of Casablanca, 173 km south of Essaouira and 235 km southwest of Marrakech. A majority of its inhabitants speak Amazigh (Berber) as their mother tongue. The city is located on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean, near the foot of the Atlas Mountains, just north of the point where the Sous River flows into the ocean. Agadir was the premier sardine port in the world in the 1980s and has a famous beach stretching over 10 km with one of the finest seafront promenades in the world. Its climate has 340 days of sunshine per year which allows for swimming all year round. The winter is unusually warm and summer heat is never oppressive (summer haze however is common). Agadir is the premier tourist destination in the country, a claim sometimes disputed by Marrakech, and the premier fishing port of Morocco. Business is also booming with the export of citrus fruit and vegetables produced in the fertile valley of Souss. With its white buildings, wide flowered boulevards, modern hotels and European style cafes, Agadir is not a typical city of traditional Morocco but it is a modern, active and dynamic city, turned towards the future. The bay of Agadir and the nearby Bay of Taghazout are members of the “Club of the most beautiful bays in the world”. The city is served by the Agadir–Al Massira International Airport.   read more…

The port city of Port Said

22 October 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  6 minutes

Building of Suez Canal Authority © Abdelrhman 1990

Building of Suez Canal Authority © Abdelrhman 1990

Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 kilometres (19 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 604,000. The city was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal.   read more…

The Arab League

26 July 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

© HCPUNXKID/cc-by-sa-3.0

© HCPUNXKID/cc-by-sa-3.0

The Arab League is a regional organization of Arab countries in and around North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and Southwest Asia. It was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945 with six members. Currently, the League has 22 members, although Syria’s participation has been suspended since November 2011 as a consequence of government repression during the ongoing uprising and civil war.

The League’s main goal is to “draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration between them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries”.

The Arab League has also played a role in shaping school curricula, advancing the role of women in the Arab societies, promoting child welfare, encouraging youth and sports programs, preserving Arab cultural heritage, and fostering cultural exchanges between the member states. Literacy campaigns have been launched, intellectual works reproduced, and modern technical terminology is translated for the use within member states. The league encourages measures against crime and drug abuse, and deals with labour issues — particularly among the emigrant Arab workforce.   read more…

The Suez Canal

17 March 2014 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General, Union for the Mediterranean Reading Time:  7 minutes

Port Said - Suez Canal Authority © Daniel Csörföly

Port Said – Suez Canal Authority © Daniel Csörföly

The Suez Canal is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows ship transport between Europe and eastern Asia without navigation around Africa. The northern terminus is Port Said and the southern terminus is Port Tawfiq at the city of Suez. Ismailia lies on its west bank, 3 km (1.9 mi) from the half-way point.   read more…

Return to TopReturn to Top