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Abstract The Eastern Desert of Egypt occupies an area of about 21% of the total area of Egypt (Abu Al-Izz 1971) and included several important wadis such as Wadi Qena, El assuity, and Wadi Allaqi. Wadi Allaqi, the largest Wadi in the South-Eastern Desert of Egypt, was declared a conservation area by the Prime Minister’s decision No. 945 of 1989 and has had protected status since then within the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). Because of its arid environment and combination of two ecosystems (extreme arid desert and shores of Lake Nasser) inhabited by nomadic tribes, this area was designated a biosphere reserve in 1993. Wadi Allaqi Biosphere Reserve is situated about 180 km south of Aswan, on the eastern side of Lake Nasser (between latitude 22° and 23° N, and longitude 33° and 35° E). It forms one of the most extensive drainage systems in Egypt’s Eastern Desert. Its upstream tributaries drain some of the mountains that divide the Red Sea coastal plain from the Nile Valley. The wadi extends for about 350 km, in a NW- SE direction. It has an average width of about 1 km being narrower upstream and considerably broader downstream as it approaches the lake. Starts in the area of Gebal Iss and reaching the Nile at Kurisku. Its most important tributary is Wadi Qabqaba, whose sources are in the Sudan. |