Taba, Egypt facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Taba Ṭābā (طَابَا)
City
Top-bottom, left-right: Pharaoh's Island, Fjord Bay, Saladin's Citadel walls, Fjord Bay's rest, Hilton Taba, Taba Heights, Panoramic view from the Red Sea, Egyptian flag
Taba Location in Egypt Show map of Egypt Taba Location in Middle East Show map of Middle East Taba Location in Africa Show map of Africa
Country	Egypt
Governorate	South Sinai
Area
• Total	87.7 sq mi (227.1 km2)
Population  (2015)
• Total	7,097
Time zone	UTC+2 (EST)

Taba (Arabic: طَابَا Ṭābā) is a town in Egypt. It is located at the very top of the Gulf of Aqaba. Taba is known for being Egypt's busiest border crossing with Eilat, a city in Israel. It is also the most northern holiday spot along Egypt's beautiful Red Sea Riviera.

History of Taba

The Taba Border Dispute

In 1906, a disagreement called the Taba Crisis happened. The Ottoman Empire wanted to build a post in Taba. But the British, who were in charge of Egypt at the time, sent their Egyptian Coast Guard to take control of the area. When a Turkish officer stopped them, the Egyptian force landed on nearby Pharaoh's Island instead.

The British Navy sent warships to show their strength. This made the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire agree to leave Taba on May 13, 1906. Both sides then agreed on a clear border. It would run from Rafah to a point on the Gulf of Aqaba, about 3 kilometers from Aqaba. At first, telegraph poles marked the border. Later, these were replaced with stone pillars.

Taba and Modern Borders

Taba was on the Egyptian side of the border agreed upon in 1949. During the Suez Crisis in 1956, Israel briefly took over Taba. But it was returned to Egypt in 1957. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel took control of the Sinai Peninsula again. A large hotel was built in Taba during this time.

After the Egypt–Israel peace treaty in 1979, Egypt and Israel discussed the exact border. Israel claimed Taba was on the Ottoman side of the 1906 border. This meant they thought previous agreements were wrong. After a long argument, the issue went to an international group. This group had one Israeli, one Egyptian, and three neutral experts.

The group looked at maps and found that almost all maps since 1915 showed Taba in Egypt. No one had argued about this before. Israel said that mistakes were made when the border pillars were put in place in 1906-1907. They believed the written agreement from 1906 was the real border. But the commission disagreed. They said that a border accepted for so long becomes legal.

A key part of the dispute was a missing border pillar near the Gulf of Aqaba. Old photos showed a pillar northeast of Taba. Israel argued it was placed by mistake. The commission did not agree with Israel. They decided the pillar should be in its original historical spot.

Taba Returns to Egypt

Because of this, Israel and Egypt continued talks. In February 1989, they reached an agreement. Taba was returned to Egypt. Hosni Mubarak, the Egyptian president, raised the Egyptian flag in Taba on March 19, 1989.

As part of this agreement, tourists can now cross from Israel at the Taba Border Crossing. They can visit the "Aqaba Coast Area of Sinai" for up to 14 days without a visa. This area stretches from Taba to Sharm el Sheikh, including places like Nuweiba, Saint Catherine's Monastery, and Dahab. This has made Taba a very popular place for tourists.

Taba as a Tourist Spot

About 20 kilometers south of Taba is a holiday area called Taba Heights. It has several big hotels like the Hyatt Regency and Marriott. Taba is also a great place for diving. Many people come here to learn to dive or enjoy the underwater world. There is also a golf course for visitors.

Important Events in Taba

• In 1995, the Taba Agreement was signed here by Israel and the PLO.
• On October 7, 2004, the Hilton Taba hotel was hit by a bomb. Sadly, 34 people died, including some Israelis. An investigation found that local Bedouins helped the attackers.
• In February 2014, a bus carrying tourists to Saint Catherine's Monastery exploded in Taba. This happened just before it crossed into Israel. Two South Koreans were killed and 14 were hurt. Terrorists were blamed for the attack.
• Despite these events, many people from Israel still visit Taba. Tourism increased in 2016.
• On October 27, 2023, a drone crashed near a hospital in Taba. Six people were injured. It is believed the drone was launched by Houthi rebels from Yemen and was heading towards Israel.

Geography of Taba

Climate and Weather

Taba has a hot desert climate. This means it is very hot and dry, like most of Egypt.

Temperatures in Taba Heights are a little cooler. It also has slightly more rainy days and a bit less sunshine.

Taba Protected Area

Fjord Bay, a rare coastal shark breeding site, has been preserved and closed to tourists

Southwest of Taba is a large protected area. It covers about 3,590 square kilometers. This area has amazing natural features like caves, valleys, and mountains. There are also some natural springs. This special place is home to 25 types of mammals, 50 kinds of rare birds, and 24 types of reptiles.

Getting Around Taba

Flag Plaza Square, Taba

Taba used to be a small Bedouin village, so it didn't have much transportation. Now, the nearby Al Nakb Airport has been improved. It is now called Taba International Airport. This airport handles many flights each week from places like the UK, Belgium, Russia, Denmark, and the Netherlands.

Many tourists also come into Taba by crossing the border from Eilat, Israel. A new marina has been built in Taba Heights. It is about 20 kilometers south of Taba. From here, ferries often travel to Aqaba in Jordan. However, these ferry trips are usually only for tourists on organized tours.

Images for kids

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  Taba Border Crossing

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  Taba Border Crossing (December 2010)

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  Taba from Space

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  Saladin's Citadel

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  Taba Sinai Bay

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  Taba Aerial photo

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  Hilton Taba

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  Club Méditerranée Taba

See also

In Spanish: Taba (Egipto) para niños