Sinai Peninsula

A peninsula linking southwest Asia with northeast Africa at the northern end of the Red Sea between the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba. Long held by Egypt, the Sinai was occupied by Israel in 1956 and from 1967 to 1982, when it was returned to Egypt under the terms of the Camp David Accords (1978) and an Egyptian-Israeli treaty (1979).

Thesaurus

Noun

Sinai Peninsula - a peninsula in northeastern Egypt; at north end of Red SeaSinaiArab Republic of Egypt, Egypt, United Arab Republic - a republic in northeastern Africa known as the United Arab Republic until 1971; site of an ancient civilization that flourished from 2600 to 30 BCSinai Desert, Sinai - a desert on the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern EgyptMount Sinai, Sinai - a mountain peak in the southern Sinai Peninsula (7,500 feet high); it is believed to be the peak on which Moses received the Ten Commandments

Sinai Peninsula

a peninsula in western Asia, situated between the Gulfs of Suez and Aqaba of the Red Sea; part of Egypt. Area, 25,000 sq km.

Mountains, composed of granites, gneisses, and schists, dominate the southern part of the Sinai Peninsula; at 2,637 m, Mount Katrinah is the highest point in Egypt. To the north the land descends to elevations of 500-1,000 m; the highly dissected rocky plateau al-’Ajmah Jabal and part of the al-Tih plateau cover most of the peninsula. A narrow, sandy lowland stretches along the Gulf of Suez.

The Sinai Peninsula has deposits of oil at Sudr, Abu-Rudays, and al-Tur and deposits of manganese ore at Umm Bugma. The climate, at the point of transition from subtropical to tropical, is hot and dry. Annual precipitation is less than 50 mm. The Sinai Peninsula has no permanent rivers, only a dense network of wadis. It has sparse desert vegetation—subshrubs and ephemeral grasses. Thornbush and isolated trees grow along the dry riverbeds. Nomadic herdsmen raise sheep, goats, and camels. Date palms, barley, millet, and maize are cultivated in the oases.

Among the best-known works of art and architecture in the Sinai Peninsula is the Monastery of St. Catherine, founded in the fourth century. The monastery has a rich collection of medieval manuscripts and Byzantine art. Its icon painters, using the wax-painting technique, created some of the oldest Christian icons (sixth century); the vivid images of the icons are reminiscent of the Fayyum portraits.

REFERENCES

Pamiatniki Sinaia arkheologicheskie i paleograficheskie, fase. 1-2. St. Petersburg-Leningrad, 1912-25.
Soteriu, G. kai M. Eikones tes mones Sina, vols. 1-2. Athens, 1956-58. (In Greek and French.) [23–1212–]

Sinai Peninsula

Sinai Peninsula

Sinai Peninsula

Sinai Peninsula

REFERENCES

Sinai Peninsula

Synonyms for Sinai Peninsula

noun a peninsula in northeastern Egypt

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