About Sharm
Sharm el-Sheikh (27°51′N 34°17′E) is on a promontory overlooking the Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Its strategic importance led to its transformation from a fishing village into a major port and naval base for the Egyptian Navy. It was captured by Israel during the Sinai conflict of 1956 and restored to Egypt in 1957. A United Nations peacekeeping force was subsequently stationed there until the 1967 Six-Day War when it was recaptured by Israel. Sharm el-Sheikh remained under Israeli control until the Sinai peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982 after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979.
A hierarchical planning approach was adopted for the Gulf of Aqaba, whereby their components were evaluated and subdivided into zones, cities and centers. In accordance with this approach, the Gulf of Aqaba zone was subdivided into four cities: Taba, Nuweiba, Dahab and Sharm El-Sheikh. Sharm El-Sheikh city has been subdivided into five homogeneous centers namely: Nabq, Ras Nusrani, Naama Bay, Umm Sid and Sharm El Maya.The land plan shows that the total area of Sharm El-Sheikh is expected to be about 42 km², in the year 2017. This area is designed to include:
- Tourism resorts 8.4%
- Tourism Facilities 40.9%
- Green & Open areas 12.3%
- Social Services 9.9%
- Roads 12.2%
- Urban Housing 13.7%
- Bedouin Housing 1.6%
- Hand crafts & small industries 1.0%
