ABSTRACT
Egypt is part of the great Sahara Desert, a hot desert. The Nile River moistens only about 3 percent of Egypt; the rest of the country, except for a narrow coastal belt, is an uninhabitable desert. The Egyptian rulers of the twelfth and thirteenth century tried to save the ancient water communication link between Alexandria and the District of Mareotis. The general climate of the Mareotis area is Mediterranean: there is a long, dry, fairly warm period and a shorter, somewhat rainy, moderate winter. Desert tourism is growing and will continue to expand, and the prospect of Mareotis becoming a summer resort is great. Egyptians are seeking the open country and pure air of the coasts as relief from the crowded cities, and Europeans and people from nearby highly industrialized countries are seeking the fresh, pure, and healthy air of Egypt’s coastal deserts.
