Abstract
Discovering new natural resources is important for sustainable development of remote oases in arid regions of Africa and the Middle East. The first comprehensive assessment of geological heritage of the Siwa Oasis in the northwestern part of Egypt is based on field inventory of potentially unique geological features and analysis of literature data. Comparison to similar features in the other parts of Egypt and the world, including the Russian South, is essential to evaluate the uniqueness of the described geological phenomena. A total of nine geological heritage types are established in the Siwa Oasis. These include stratigraphical, palaeontological, sedimentary, palaeogeographical, hydrological and hydrogeological, geothermal, pedological, geomorphological, and economical types. The most high-ranked are features constituting sedimentary, palaeogeographical, and hydrological and hydrogeological types. The former can be found in the old Shali town built from evaporite stones experienced diagenetic changes, and the latter is local manifestation of the Eocene–Oligocene palaeoenvironmental transition different from the global cooling trend. Additionally, saline lakes and pools, as well as stratigraphical sections, landforms, and some other features demonstrate certain uniqueness. A series of geosites are identified in the oasis and vicinities. Taken together, the geological heritage of the Siwa Oasis is significant for conservation and exploitation for research, education, and tourism purposes. It is suggested that geological tourism there should be combined with archaeological, industrial, and "ordinary" to become efficient and to contribute to the local sustainable development. Examples from the Russian South (the Big Tambukan and Big Yashalta lakes) permit to realize that the consideration of salt and therapeutic mud resource indicates on the higher value of the discussed geological heritage features of the Siwa Oasis. Moreover, this resource, which is of big uniqueness itself, can contribute substantially to tourism development on the basis of unique geological phenomena.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.