Wadi Al-Allaqi Protectorate
Declared a protectorate in 1989, Wadi Al Allaqi is in the Aswan governorate in Egypt and covers about 30000 square km. It's a protected desert and biosphere reserve. The Wadi is a dry river that is very large and used to rise from the Red Sea hills. After the construction of Aswan High Dam, the water flowed and collected into Wadi Al Alaqi, which then became the lakes' part. The protectorate is a valley resulting from the drying of a large river and is 1 km wide and 275 km long.
Here, you can find more than 90 species of plants, including both annual and perennial varieties. The protectorate also has over 15 species of mammals, 16 species of birds, some venomous reptiles, and a large variety of invertebrates. The protectorate is only 180 km from Aswan. The Wadi has greenery and rich soil, which serves as animal pasture. The astounding botanical variety one can find here is no less than a treat for nature lovers.
More about Wadi Al-Allaqi
Located southeast of Aswan, the Wadi Allaqi protectorate has Lake Nasser to the west and the Red Sea to the east. Wadi Allaqi region is unique in that it has the earliest reference to mining, which took place here during the Twelfth Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom when the region was known by the name Akita, located in the Land of the Wawat. In the 1900s, the area was mined by British and South African companies.
The historical mining of Wadi
Historical mining focused on mining high-grade quartz veins and alluvial gold. The stooped-out quartz veins clearly show the historical mining activity. Waste dumps and tailing, too, can be seen in several deposits, indicating that the site saw significant mining activities in the past.
The Wadi is also used by the nomadic tribes of Bejas who reside there. Also, around 1,000 members of Bisharyn and Ababda have been seen here. The tribes used this land to graze livestock, produce charcoal for fuel, and even collect medicinal plants. Also, quarrying of nickel and copper and agriculture on a small scale was done here. A variety of medicinal plants was also gathered from the area.
However, all such activities were somehow stopped by the Wadi in 1989, after which the same was declared as a nature reserve, which is being managed by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency. In 1993, it was also declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
Wadi Allaqi Regional
The Wadi Allaqi region comprises nine tenement areas, eight containing historic gold workings. The ninth area is a rich reserve of copper-nickel deposits. Overall, there are nine Wadi Allaqi prospects, each covering 16km2.
