Taba, Egypt#History

In 1906, Taba became the center of a territorial dispute between the British Empire and the Ottoman Empire, known as the "Taba Crisis." Although the Sinai Peninsula was nominally Ottoman, it had been largely administered by Egypt, except for the Aqaba region, which had been officially under Ottoman administration since 1892.{{cite journal |last=Selak |first=Charles B. |title=A Consideration of the Legal Status of the Gulf of Aqaba |journal=The American Journal of International Law |volume=52 |issue=4 |year=1958 |page=663}}{{cite book|first=Gideon|last=Biger|title=The Boundaries of Modern Palestine, 1840–1947|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wUqRAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA30 |date=2004|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-135-76652-8 |page=29}} When the Ottomans began plans to extend the Hejaz railway to the Gulf of Aqaba,{{cite book |last=Özyüksel |first=Murat |title=The Hejaz Railway and the Ottoman Empire: Modernity, Industrialisation and Ottoman Decline |publisher=I.B. Tauris |year=2014 |page=142}} potentially challenging British influence in the Red Sea via the Suez Canal,{{cite book | last=Razzouk |first=Ass'ad | title = Greater Israel. A Study in Zionist Expansionist Thought |publisher=Palestine Liberation Organization Research Center | year=1970 | page=67}} Britain dispatched Lieutenant Bramly with a small Egyptian force to establish police stations in the region. Upon encountering Ottoman troops already positioned in Taba — territory the British claimed as Egyptian{{cite book |last1=Gooch |first1=G. P. |last2=Temperley |first2=Harold |title=British Documents on the Origins of the War 1898-1914. Vol. V: The Near East. The Macedonian Problem and the Annexation of Bosnia 1903-9 |publisher=Her Britannic Majesty's Stationery Office |location=London |year=1928 |pages=189 |url=https://archive.org/details/britishdocuments05grea/page/189/mode/1up?view=theater}} — they demanded the immediate evacuation of Taba. The Ottomans refused, threatening to open fire,{{cite thesis |last=Abu-Rass |first=Thabit |title=The Egypt–Palestine/Israel Boundary: 1841–1992 |year=1992 |type=Master's thesis |page=30 |url=https://scholarworks.uni.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1923&context=etd}} which led the British to deploy the battleship Diana to the area. After several months of escalating tensions that threatened to spark an international conflict,{{cite journal |last=Burman |first=John |title=British Strategic Interests versus Ottoman Sovereign Rights: New Perspectives on the Aqaba Crisis, 1906 |journal=The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History |volume=37 |issue=2 |year=2009 |pages=285 f|doi=10.1080/03086530903010384 }} with Taba as the only place the British considered Egyptian that the Ottomans refused to evacuate,{{cite book |author=Foreign Broadcast Information Service |title=Near East/South Asia Report: Egypt: Historical Roots of the Taba Problem |year=1985 |page=5|url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/ADA338010.pdf}} Sultan Abdul Hamid II finally agreed to withdraw from Taba on 13 May 1906. Both the British and the Ottomans then agreed to demarcate a formal border that would run approximately straight from Rafah in a south-easterly direction to a point on the Gulf of Aqaba, not less than {{convert|3|mi|km|0|order=flip}} from Aqaba.{{Cite web|url=http://legal.un.org/riaa/vol_20.shtml|title=Reports of International Arbitral Awards — Codification Division Publications|website=legal.un.org|language=EN|access-date=2017-10-14}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/09/23/world/the-talk-of-taba-a-disputed-slice-of-sinai-is-taking-it-all-in-stride.html|title=THE TALK OF TABA; A DISPUTED SLICE OF SINAI IS TAKING IT ALL IN STRIDE|last1=Friedman|first1=Thomas L.|date=1986-09-23|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-10-14|last2=Times|first2=Special to the New York|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}} The border was initially marked with telegraph poles and these were later replaced by boundary pillars.

Taba was located on the Egyptian side of the armistice line in 1949. During the Tripartite Aggression in 1956, it was briefly occupied by Israel but restored to Egypt when the Israelis retreated in 1957. Israel reoccupied Taba after the June War in 1967, and subsequently, a 400-room hotel was built in the town. Following the 1979 Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Egypt and Israel were negotiating the exact position of the border, Israel claimed that Taba had been on the Ottoman side of a border agreed between the Ottomans and British Egypt in 1906 and had, therefore, been in error in its two previous agreements. After a long dispute, the issue was submitted to an international commission composed of one Israeli, one Egyptian, and three outsiders.

Both parties agreed that all maps since 1915, except for one 1916 Turkish-German map, show Taba on the Egyptian side and that no dispute had previously been raised on the issue in the intervening years. However, Israel claimed that errors had been made when the telegraph poles were replaced by boundary pillars in 1906–1907 and that the written 1906 agreement rather than its demarcation with boundary pillars was the legal border. The commission rejected the Israeli claim that the boundary pillars were in error but in any case held that a demarcated boundary accepted by all parties for such a long time had achieved legal status. Based on the wording of the Egypt-Israel peace treaty, the commission ruled that the accepted border during the Mandate period was the one that counted, though it rejected that that border was different from the earlier border. Of special concern was the final boundary pillar near the Gulf of Aqaba, which had disappeared. There are early photographs of a pillar north-east of Taba, but Israel claimed that it had been placed in error. The commission rejected Israel's case and positioned the pillar at its historical location.

Therefore, Egypt and Israel resumed negotiations which ended in February 1989 and as a result, Taba was returned to Egypt.{{Cite news |date=2018-06-17 |title=ISRAEL, EGYPT SIGN ACCORD ON RETURN OF TABA RESORT - The Washington Post |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1989/02/27/israel-egypt-sign-accord-on-return-of-taba-resort/f6598415-44b9-4e5d-928e-a17cd0b978b4/ |access-date=2025-02-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180617093454/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1989/02/27/israel-egypt-sign-accord-on-return-of-taba-resort/f6598415-44b9-4e5d-928e-a17cd0b978b4/ |archive-date=17 June 2018 }} Hosni Mubarak raised the Egyptian flag on the town on 19 March 1989. As part of this subsequent agreement, travelers are permitted to cross from Israel at the border checkpoint, and visit the "Aqaba Coast Area of Sinai", (stretching from Taba down to Sharm El Sheikh, and including Nuweiba, Saint Catherine's Monastery, and Dahab), visa-free for up to 14 days, making Taba a popular tourist destination. The resort community of Taba Heights is located some {{cvt|20|km}} south of Taba. It features several large hotels, including the Hyatt Regency, Marriott, Sofitel, and Intercontinental. It is also a significant diving area where many people come to either free dive, scuba dive, or learn to dive via the many diving courses available. Other recreation facilities include a new desert-style golf course.

On 24 September 1995, the Taba Agreement was signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Israeli government in the town of Taba.

On 7 October 2004, the Hilton Taba was hit by a bomb that killed 34 people. Of the deaths, over 20 were Israeli, 5 were Egyptian and 1 Russian, along with many injured Israelis.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3728436.stm|publisher=BBC News|date=9 October 2004|title=Death toll rises in Egypt blasts}} Twenty-four days later, an inquiry by the Egyptian Interior Ministry into the bombings concluded that the perpetrators received no external help but were aided by Bedouins in the peninsula.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3972635.stm|publisher=BBC News|date=1 November 2004|title='No al-Qaeda hand' in Egypt bombs}}

In February 2014, a bus taking tourists to Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai exploded in Taba as the bus was preparing to cross into Israel. Three South Koreans and one Egyptian were killed, and 14 South Koreans were injured. No group took responsibly for the blast.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-26217380|title=Sinai attacks: Deadly bombing hits Egypt tour bus|publisher=BBC News|date=16 February 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/world/middleeast/bus-bombing-kills-tourists-in-sinai-egypt.html?hp&_r=0|title=Bus bomb kills tourists|work=New York Times|date=17 February 2014}}

Israeli tourism in Taba was up in 2016 with many traveling to enjoy the northernmost Red Sea resort.

On 27 October 2023, a drone crashed into a building next to a hospital. Six people were lightly injured. The six people would be discharged from the hospital after receiving the necessary first aid.{{Cite web |title=al-arabiya reports the unidentified drone hitting a hospital building |date=27 October 2023 |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2023/10/27/Egypt-says-blast-near-medical-facility-in-Taba-caused-by-unidentified-drone-}}{{Cite web |title=Egypt confirms drone 'crashed' in Taba, wounding six people |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-update/egypt-confirms-drone-crashed-taba-wounding-six-people |access-date=2024-11-11 |website=Middle East Eye |language=en}}

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh),{{Cite web |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/51108/ |title=Climate: Taba - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=5 November 2013 }} as the rest of Egypt.

{{Weather box

|width = auto

|metric first=yes

|single line=yes

|collapsed=yes

|location=Taba

|Jan record high C=27

|Feb record high C=31

|Mar record high C=34

|Apr record high C=41

|May record high C=44

|Jun record high C=44

|Jul record high C=47

|Aug record high C=46

|Sep record high C=43

|Oct record high C=39

|Nov record high C=37

|Dec record high C=31

|Jan high C=20.9

|Feb high C=22.6

|Mar high C=25.8

|Apr high C=29.9

|May high C=33.8

|Jun high C=37.2

|Jul high C=38.2

|Aug high C=38.7

|Sep high C=35.9

|Oct high C=32.4

|Nov high C=27.3

|Dec high C=22.5

|Jan mean C=15.6

|Feb mean C=17.0

|Mar mean C=19.9

|Apr mean C=23.8

|May mean C=26.5

|Jun mean C=30.4

|Jul mean C=31.8

|Aug mean C=32.2

|Sep mean C=30.1

|Oct mean C=26.6

|Nov mean C=21.8

|Dec mean C=17.2

|Jan low C=10.4

|Feb low C=11.4

|Mar low C=14.0

|Apr low C=17.7

|May low C=19.3

|Jun low C=23.7

|Jul low C=25.5

|Aug low C=25.7

|Sep low C=24.4

|Oct low C=20.9

|Nov low C=16.3

|Dec low C=11.9

|Jan record low C=3

|Feb record low C=3

|Mar record low C=8

|Apr record low C=11

|May record low C=16

|Jun record low C=21

|Jul record low C=22

|Aug record low C=23

|Sep record low C=21

|Oct record low C=16

|Nov record low C=8

|Dec record low C=5

|precipitation colour=green

|Jan precipitation mm=4

|Feb precipitation mm=6

|Mar precipitation mm=5

|Apr precipitation mm=3

|May precipitation mm=1

|Jun precipitation mm=0

|Jul precipitation mm=0

|Aug precipitation mm=0

|Sep precipitation mm=0

|Oct precipitation mm=1

|Nov precipitation mm=3

|Dec precipitation mm=6

|Jan rain days=2

|Feb rain days=1

|Mar rain days=2

|Apr rain days=1

|May rain days=1

|Jun rain days=0

|Jul rain days=0

|Aug rain days=0

|Sep rain days=0

|Oct rain days=0

|Nov rain days=1

|Dec rain days=2

|Jan humidity=50

|Feb humidity=51

|Mar humidity=47

|Apr humidity=38

|May humidity=35

|Jun humidity=29

|Jul humidity=25

|Aug humidity=32

|Sep humidity=40

|Oct humidity=45

|Nov humidity=47

|Dec humidity=50

|Jand sun=8

|Febd sun=9

|Mard sun=9

|Aprd sun=10

|Mayd sun=12

|Jund sun=13

|Juld sun=13

|Augd sun=13

|Sepd sun=12

|Octd sun=10

|Novd sun=9

|Decd sun=7

|source 1= Climate-Data.org, altitude: 14m

|source 2 = BBC Weather for records and humidity,{{Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/347702 |title=BBC Weather - Ţābā |publisher=BBC Weather |access-date=5 November 2013 }} Weather2Travel for rainy days and sunshine{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/taba.php |title=Taba Climate and Weather Averages, Egypt |publisher=Weather2Travel |access-date=5 November 2013 |archive-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105190750/http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/taba.php |url-status=dead }}

}}

Taba heights' temperatures are slightly cooler and it has slightly more rainy days. It receives slightly less sunshine.

{{Weather box

|metric first=yes

|single line=yes

|collapsed=yes

|location=Taba heights

|Jan high C=20

|Feb high C=22

|Mar high C=25

|Apr high C=29

|May high C=33

|Jun high C=36

|Jul high C=37

|Aug high C=38

|Sep high C=35

|Oct high C=32

|Nov high C=27

|Dec high C=22

|Jan low C=10

|Feb low C=11

|Mar low C=14

|Apr low C=17

|May low C=19

|Jun low C=23

|Jul low C=25

|Aug low C=25

|Sep low C=24

|Oct low C=20

|Nov low C=16

|Dec low C=12

|precipitation colour=green

|Jan precipitation mm=3

|Feb precipitation mm=5

|Mar precipitation mm=5

|Apr precipitation mm=3

|May precipitation mm=1

|Jun precipitation mm=0

|Jul precipitation mm=0

|Aug precipitation mm=0

|Sep precipitation mm=0

|Oct precipitation mm=1

|Nov precipitation mm=3

|Dec precipitation mm=4

|Jan rain days=2

|Feb rain days=2

|Mar rain days=2

|Apr rain days=2

|May rain days=1

|Jun rain days=0

|Jul rain days=0

|Aug rain days=0

|Sep rain days=0

|Oct rain days=1

|Nov rain days=1

|Dec rain days=2

|Jand sun=8

|Febd sun=9

|Mard sun=9

|Aprd sun=10

|Mayd sun=11

|Jund sun=13

|Juld sun=13

|Augd sun=12

|Sepd sun=11

|Octd sun=10

|Novd sun=9

|Decd sun=7

|source 1= Weather2Travel{{Cite web |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/taba-heights.php |title=Taba Heights Climate and Weather Averages, Egypt |publisher=Weather2Travel |access-date=5 November 2013 |archive-date=5 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140105195946/http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/taba-heights.php |url-status=dead }}

}}

File:Fjord Bay - Taba, 2.jpg

Located just southwest of Taba is a {{convert|3,590|km2|sqmi|sigfig=4|abbr=on}} protected area, including geological formations such as caves, a string of valleys, and mountainous passages. There are also some natural springs in the area. The area has 25 species of mammals, 50 species of rare birds, and 24 species of reptiles.[http://www.touregypt.net/parks/taba.htm Taba Protected Area of Egypt]

File:Flag Plaza (Taba, Egypt).JPG

Since Taba existed only as a small Bedouin village, there was never any real transportation infrastructure. More recently, Al Nakb Airport, located on the Sinai plateau some {{convert|35|km|mile|abbr=off}} from Taba, was upgraded and renamed Taba International Airport (IATA: TCP, ICAO: HETB), and now handles half a dozen charter flights a week from the UK as well as weekly charter flights from Belgium, Russia, Denmark, and the Netherlands. Some tourists enter via the Taba Border Crossing and a marina has been built in the new Taba Heights development, some {{convert|20|km|mile|abbr=on}} south of Taba, and which has frequent ferry sailings to Aqaba in Jordan, although these are restricted to tourists on organised tours.

Image:Taba_border_crossing_-_Egyptian_side.jpg|Taba Border Crossing

Image:Taba_border.jpg|Taba Border Crossing (December 2010)

File:Taba-Egypt.JPG|Taba from Space

File:Aqaba Castle.jpg|Saladin's Citadel

File:DL2A---Club-Med-Taba-Sinai-Bay-Egypte-ok-(38).png|Taba Sinai Bay

File:Taba Aerial photo.jpg|Taba Aerial photo

File:Hotel_Hilton_-_Taba_-_panoramio.jpg|Hilton Taba

File:DL2A---Club-Med-Taba-Sinai-Bay-Egypte-ok-(36).png|Club Méditerranée Taba

• Cultural tourism in Egypt
• Ras Muhammad National Park
• Taba Summit

{{reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage|Taba}}

• [http://www.mygreategypt.com/East/South_Sinai/Cities/Taba_Heights/ Photographical Impressions] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217101205/http://www.mygreategypt.com/East/South_Sinai/Cities/Taba_Heights/ |date=2007-12-17 }}
• [https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=amman,+jordan&ie=UTF8&om=1&z=16&ll=29.490955,34.89687&spn=0.007919,0.021629&t=h&iwloc=A Taba at Google Earth]
• [https://www.orascomdh.com/ Orascom Development (Taba Heights)]

{{Red Sea Riviera}}

{{Egyptian cities by population}}

{{Cities and towns in Egypt | state = collapsed}}

{{Former Israeli settlements in the Sinai | state = collapsed}}{{authority control}}

Category:National parks of Egypt

Category:Populated coastal places in Egypt

Category:Underwater diving sites in Egypt

Category:Populated places in South Sinai Governorate

Category:Tourism in Egypt

Category:Red Sea

Category:Seaside resorts in Egypt

Category:Tourist attractions in Egypt

Category:Egypt–Israel border crossings

Category:Former Israeli settlements in Sinai