Farafra, Egypt

Coordinates: 27°03′30″N 27°58′12″E / 27.05833°N 27.97000°E

Farafra
Farafra

Location in Egypt

Coordinates: 27°03′30″N 27°58′12″E / 27.05833°N 27.97000°E
Country  Egypt
Governorate New Valley Governorate
Time zone EST (UTC+2)

The Farafra depression (Arabic: واحة الفرافرة‎  pronounced [elfɑˈɾɑfɾɑ]) is the second biggest depression by size located in Western Egypt and the smallest by population, near latitude 27.06° North and longitude 27.97° East. It is located in the Western Desert of Egypt, approximately mid-way between Dakhla and Bahariya.

Farafra has an estimated 5,000 inhabitants (2002) mainly living in the town of Farafra and is mostly inhabited by the local Bedouins. Parts of the town have complete quarters of traditional architecture, simple, smooth, unadorned, all in mud colour. Local pride has also secured endeavours to secure local culture. Also located near Farafra are the hot springs at Bir Sitta and the El-Mufid lake.

A main geographic attraction of Farafra is its White Desert (known as Sahara el Beyda, with the word sahara meaning a desert). The White Desert is a national park of Egypt and is located 45 km (28 mi) north of the town of Farafra. The desert centerpiece is its rock colored from snow-white to cream color. It has massive chalk rock formations that are text-book examples of ventifact and which have been created as a result of occasional sandstorm in the area. The Farafra desert is a typical place visited by some schools in Egypt, as a location for camping trips. The Desert was also the featured location in the music video for "Echoes" by the Klaxons.

"Jasrmmd road, and the locally developed clays at the top of the white chalk west of Qasr Farafra. As Zittel placed the beds at the former place below the White Chalk, this new position assigned to them may be regarded as provisional until confirmed or disproved by palaeontological evidence derived from the latter locality."[1]

Water Wells

"The Roman spring of Ain Bishay bubbles forth from a hillock on the northwest edge of town. It has been developed into an irrigated grove of date palms together with citrus, olive, apricot and carob trees, and is a cool haven amid the arid landscape. Several families tend the crops here; you should seek someone out and ask permission before wandering around."[2]

"Water wells in Farafra: Due to its geographical location and geological formation, the Farafra Oasis enjoys having a number of natural water wells. There are more than 100 wells spread out over the lands of the Farafra. Most of these wells are used in aggregation of the cultivated land in the oasis. Some of the wells in Farafra have become a favorite tourist destination. Bir Sitta, (well number 6 in Arabic), Bir Sab'a (well number 7), and Bir Ithnian wa ishrin (well number#22) are the most important wells in the Farafra Oasis. Because of the water's warm temperature and a slight percentage of sulfur, these wells are very favorable for swimming and relaxation. There is also a huge lake and a well named Abu Nus located 15 kilometers to the north of the Farafra oasis. This area has also become a major tourist attraction as well."[3]

Climate

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh).

Climate data for El Dabaa
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 20
(68)		 22.4
(72.3)		 26.2
(79.2)		 31.6
(88.9)		 35.4
(95.7)		 37.8
(100)		 37.8
(100)		 37.3
(99.1)		 35.1
(95.2)		 31.2
(88.2)		 25.5
(77.9)		 21.1
(70)		 30.12
(86.22)
Daily mean °C (°F) 12
(54)		 14
(57)		 17.8
(64)		 22.8
(73)		 27
(81)		 29.4
(84.9)		 30.3
(86.5)		 29.9
(85.8)		 27.2
(81)		 23.1
(73.6)		 17.6
(63.7)		 13.6
(56.5)		 22.06
(71.71)
Average low °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4)		 6
(43)		 9.2
(48.6)		 13.8
(56.8)		 17.9
(64.2)		 20.6
(69.1)		 21.9
(71.4)		 21.5
(70.7)		 19.5
(67.1)		 15.6
(60.1)		 10.1
(50.2)		 5.6
(42.1)		 13.82
(56.88)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 1
(0.04)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 1
(0.04)		 0
(0)		 2
(0.08)
Average relative humidity (%) 51 43 38 29 26 26 28 31 36 42 55 53 38.17
Source: Climate Charts[4]

Gallery

Panorama of the White Desert in Egypt
Panorama of the White Desert of Egypt
Farafra Desert
Mushroom rock formations at the White Desert 
One view 
Another view 
Limestone rock formation 
 

References

  1. ↑ Geological Survey Report... Part 3 of Geological Survey Report, Geological Survey Report. Egypt. Maṣlaḥat al-Misāḥah. 1901.Page 35.
  2. ↑ Sights in Qasr Al Farafra."
  3. ↑ "Water Wells of Farafra."
  4. ↑ "Farafra, Egypt: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data". Climate Charts. Retrieved 17 July 2013.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to White Desert, Egypt.