Eilat or Elat (אילת), pop. 50,000, is Israel's southernmost city, in the Southern District of Israel. Adjacent to the Egyptian city of Taba and Jordanian (previously Saudi) port of Aqaba, Eilat is located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Eilat, which is the eastern sleeve of the Red Sea (the western leading to the Suez Canal).
Eilat's weather is very hot and dry due to its proximity to the Négev, Sinai, Arabian and Sahara deserts. Temperatures at summer are often in excess in 35°C, and in winter - of 25°C, both very high even for the relatively hot Israel. However, the relatively cool (22°C-25°C) and clean waters of the Red Sea, which are the habitat of a large number of tropical marine species, and the exotic beauty of the landscape surrounding the city make it a favorite tourist attraction, Israel's most popular.
Eilat is also a port of strategic and economic significance. After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and in violation of international law, Egypt denied passage through the Suez Canal to Israeli-flagged vessels and to non-Israeli flagged vessles carrying cargo to Israeli ports. This made Eilat crucial to Israel for access to markets in East Africa and Southeast Asia, and for the import of oil. Without recourse to Eilat, vessels sailing from Israel would have to journey through the Mediterranean and around the Cape of Good Hope to reach Southeast Asia.
Eilat became a free trade zone in 1985. Eilat has a domestic airport (code: ETH). International flights to the city are served at Ovda International Airport(code: VDA), situated some 50 km north-east of the city.
Eilat holds various attractions, such as the Coral World Underwater Observatory, the Coral Reserve, and Dolphin Reef. Eilat's population includes a large number of foreign travellers, often working in the construction trade.
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Last updated: 10-29-2005 02:13:46
