For the Israeli navy destroyer by the same name, see HMS Zealous (R39). World War II Zealous was one of four British destroyers of the Home Fleet that rescued 525 Norwegians who had been hiding from German patrols in caves on the

Eilat (Hebrew: אילת) should not be confused with the nearby kibbutz of Eilot (Hebrew: אילות). Eilot (Hebrew אילות should not be confused with the nearby city of Eilat (Hebrew אילת

Eilat, Israel as seen across the gulf from Aqaba, Jordan.

Eilat
Hebrew	אֵילַת
Founded in	1951
Government	City (from 1959)
District	South
Population	46,900[1] (2007)
Jurisdiction	80,000 dunams (80 km²)
Mayor	Meir Yitzhak Halevi (2003-2008)

Eilat (Hebrew: אֵילַת‎) is Israel's southernmost city and a busy port as well as popular tourist resort, located at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on the Gulf of Eilat arm of the Indian Ocean. The following list of Israeli cities is based on the current index of the There are six main administrative districts of Israel, known in Hebrew as mehozot (מחוזות singular mahoz) and fifteen The South District (מחוז הדרום Mehoz HaDarom) is one of Israel 's six administrative districts, and is the largest in terms of land area as well A dunam or dönüm, dunum, donum is a unit of Area used in the Ottoman Empire and still used in various standardized versions For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. The Gulf of Aqaba ( Arabic: خليج العقبة transliterated: Khalyj al-'Aqabah in Israel known as the Gulf of Eilat ( Hebrew The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's Oceanic divisions covering about 20% of the water on the Earth 's surface Home to 55,000 people, the city is part of the Southern Negev Desert, at the south end of the Arava, and straddles the southern end of the geographic line demarcating Africa from Asia. The Negev (נֶגֶב Tiberian vocalization: Néḡeḇ) is the Desert region of southern Israel. The Arabah (הָעֲרָבָה Tiberian: HāʻĂrāḇā وادي عربة Wādī ʻAraba) is a section of the Great The city is adjacent to the Egyptian village of Taba, to the south, and the Jordanian port city of Aqaba, to the east. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of

Eilat's semi-arid desert climate is moderated by proximity to a tropical sea. Summer air temperatures often exceed 40 °C and 18 °C in winter, while water temperatures range between 20-26 °C. The city's beaches, nightlife and desert landscapes make it a popular destination for domestic and international tourism.

Archaeology and history in the region

Despite harsh conditions, the region supported large populations as far back as 8,000 BCE. Beginning in 1861 ancient sites have been recorded throughout the region, but to date only c. 7% of the area has undergone a detailed archaeological survey with c. 1500 ancient sites recorded in a 1200 sq km area. In contrast to the gaps found in settlement periods in the neighbouring Negev Highlands and Sinai, these sites show continuous settlement for the past 10,000 years.

The geology and landscape are varied: igneous and metamorphic rocks, sandstone and limestone; mountains up to 892 m. above sea level; broad valleys such as the Arava, and seashore on the Gulf of Aquaba. With an annual average rainfall of 28 mm and summer temperatures of 40C and higher, water resources and vegetation are limited.

“The main elements that influenced the region’s history were the copper resources and other minerals, the ancient international roads that crossed the area, and its geopolitical and strategic position. These resulted in a settlement density that defies the environmental conditions. ” ^[2]

Location and name

Eilat is named after the Biblical Elath, believed to correspond with modern-day Aqaba. The term Hebrew Bible is a generic reference to those books of the Bible originally written in Biblical Hebrew (and the related Biblical Aramaic For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of

Early settlement

Eilat, on the Red Sea. The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia.

The original settlement was probably at the northern tip of the Sea of Reeds, now on the border with Jordan, while the later commercial port city and a copper based economic center are believed to correspond with modern Aqaba, Jordan. The Reed Sea (or Sea of Seaweed, Sea of Reeds) is a proposed translation of the biblical phrase Yam Suph ( a phrase traditionally understood to refer Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of

Archaeological excavations uncovered impressive prehistoric tombs dating to the 7th millennium BCE at the western edge of Eilat, while nearby copper workings and mining operations at Timna Valley are the oldest on earth. Timna Valley Park is a National Park in the Negev Desert of Israel, located approximately 30km north of Eilat. Ancient Egyptian records also document the extensive and lucrative mining operations. Ancient Egypt was an Ancient Civilization in eastern North Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now

Biblical era

Eilat is mentioned several times in the Bible, first as one of the stations of the Children of Israel after The Exodus from Egypt. The Stations list is the list of the locations visited by the Israelites following their exodus from Egypt found in the Bible The Exodus ( is the term used for the escape departure and emancipation of the enslaved Israelites freed from Ancient Egypt as described in the Hebrew King David conquered Edom, and took over Eilat as well. David, Arabic: داوود or داود dawud, "beloved" was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible In Kings 2 14:21-22: "And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in the room of his father Amaziah. The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. Judea is a term used for the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel. Amaziah of Judah (אמציה was the king of Judah, and son and successor of Joash ( 2 Kings 141-4 He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept among his fathers. " And again in Kings 2 16:6: "At that time Rezin king of Aram recovered Elath to Aram, and drove the Jews from Elath; and the Edomites came to Elath, and dwelt there, unto this day". Aram (אֲרָם or ʾĂrām was a son of Shem, according to the Table of Nations in Genesis 10 of the Hebrew Bible, as well as the father of

During the Roman period a road was built to link the area with the Nabataean city of Petra (modern-day Jordan). The Nabataeans ( Arabic: الأنباط, Al-Anbāṭ) were an ancient Semitic people Arabs of southern Jordan, Canaan Petra (from "petra" rock in Greek; Arabic: البتراء Al-Batrāʾ) is an archaeological site in the Arabah Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The remains of a large copper smelting and trading community which flourished during the Ummayad Period (700-900 CE) were also found between what is now Eilat's industrial zone and nearby Kibbutz Eilot. Copper (ˈkɒpɚ is a Chemical element with the symbol Cu (cuprum and Atomic number 29 Chemical reduction, or smelting, is a form of Extractive metallurgy. A kibbutz ( Hebrew: קיבוץ קִבּוּץ lit "gathering clustering" plural kibbutzim) is a collective community in Eilot (Hebrew אילות should not be confused with the nearby city of Eilat (Hebrew אילת

The Darb el Hajj or "Pilgrim's Road", from Africa through Egypt to Mecca, passed out of Sinai from the west at Eilat before skirting the sea and continuing south into Arabia. The Hajj (حج is a pilgrimage to Mecca (Makkah It is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Mecca ˈmɛkə also spelled Makkah ˈmækə (in full Makkah Al-Mukarramah (Arabic mækːæ(t ælmʊkarˑamæ مكّة المكرمة, literally Honored

Formation of the State of Israel

A glimpse of blue waters from the Darb el Hajj - today Ovda - approach to Eilat

The area of Eilat was designated as part of the Jewish state in the 1947 UN Partition Plan. The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 was a plan approved by the General Assembly on November 29 During the War of Independence an old Ottoman police station, called Umm Rashrash in Arabic, was taken without a fight on March 10, 1949 as part of Operation Ovda, in which both the Negev and Golani Brigades participated. The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish Events 241 BC - First Punic War: Battle of the Aegates Islands - The Romans sink the Carthaginian fleet bringing Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Operation Ovda (מבצע עובדה Mivtza Uvda) was an operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, from March The Negev Brigade (aka 12th Brigade Hativat HaNagev in Hebrew) was an Israeli infantry brigade that served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The Golani Brigade (חטיבת גולני also known as the 1st Brigade is an Israeli Infantry brigade which was formed on February 28, 1948 when the (Only one of Umm Rashrash 's mud-brick buildings remains standing, in its own park. ) Having forgotten to bring an Israeli flag with them, the Negev Brigade soldiers improvised and raised the "Ink Flag" in order to claim for Israel the area upon which Eilat would be constructed. The Negev Brigade (aka 12th Brigade Hativat HaNagev in Hebrew) was an Israeli infantry brigade that served in the 1948 Arab-Israeli war.

Growth

Begun as a military outpost, Eilat quickly grew as the area's resources were surveyed and developed. The Timna Copper Mines were opened and a port constructed, the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline laid, and tourists began visiting. The Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC operates several petroleum and petroleum products pipelines in Israel, most notably the Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline The Port of Eilat became vital to the fledgling country's development. The Port of Eilat is the only Israeli port on the Red Sea, located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba.

After the 1948 Arab-Israeli War all Arab nations maintained a state of hostility with Israel, blocking all land routes; Israel's access to and trade with the rest of the world was maintained by air and sea alone. Further, Egypt denied passage through the Suez Canal to Israeli-registered ships or to any ship carrying cargo to or from Israeli ports. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation This made Eilat and its sea port crucial to Israel's communications, commerce and trade with Africa and Asia, and for oil imports. Without recourse to a port on the Red Sea Israel would have been unable to develop its diplomatic, cultural and trade ties beyond the Mediterranean basin and Europe.

Such a situation took place in 1956 and again in 1967, when Egypt's closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping effectively blockaded the port of Eilat. Year 1956 ( MCMLVI) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. The Straits of Tiran ( Arabic: مضيق تيران Hebrew: מיצרי טיראן are the narrow sea passages about 13 km (8 miles wide between the Sinai In 1956 this lead to Israel's participation in the Sinai Campaign along with England and France, and in 1967 was cited by Israel as an additional casus belli leading to the outbreak of the Six-Day War. The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, (أزمة السويس - العدوان الثلاثي Crise du canal de Suez מבצע קדש Kadesh Casus belli is a Latin language expression meaning the justification for acts of war Background Suez Crisis aftermath The Suez Crisis of 1956 represented a military defeat but a political victory for Egypt

In the 1970's tourism became increasingly important to the city's economy as other industries shut down or were drastically reduced. Today tourism is the city's major source of income.

Despite the rise in world terrorism Eilat has been relatively safe, averaging 2-3 incidents per decade for the past 30 years. Terrorism is the systematic use of terror especially as a means of coercion The last attack, the Eilat bakery bombing, took place in a residential neighborhood of Eilat in January 2007. The Eilat bakery bombing happened on 29 January 2007 when a Palestinian Suicide bomber from the Gaza Strip infiltrated the northern Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.

Open borders

Following peace treaties signed with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, Eilat's borders with its neighbors were finally opened. In 2007, over 200 Sudanese refugees from Egypt who arrived in Israel illegally on foot were given work and allowed to stay in Eilat, despite the fact that Sudan is technically still at war with Israel. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. There are tens of thousands of Sudanese refugees in Egypt, most of them seeking refuge from ongoing military conflicts in their home country of Sudan. Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. ^[3][4][5] Eilat's population includes a large number of foreign workers, estimated at over 10,000, working as caregivers, hotel workers and in the construction trades.

Eilat became a free trade zone in 1985. A free trade zone ( FTZ) or export processing zone ( EPZ) is one or more special areas of a country where some normal Trade barriers such as ^[6]

Transportation

Eilat is connected to the rest of Israel, and internationally by air, road, sea, and bus. Eilat Airport is located in the city centre, and used largely for domestic flights ^[7](domestic code: ETH, international code: LLET). Eilat Airport (נמל התעופה אילת Namal HaTe'ufa Eilat) also known as J International flights to the city often use Ovda International Airport some 50 km northwest of the city. Ovda International Airport (נמל התעופה עובדה Namal HaTe'ufa Ovda, also transliterated Uvda), is Israel's second international airport ^[8]

Eilat has two main roads connecting it with the center of Israel. Egged, the national bus company, provides regular service to points north on an almost hourly basis during daylight hours. Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd (אגד is the largest Bus company in Israel, and the second largest in the world (after London Buses There are also two border crossings: the Taba Border Crossing to Taba, Egypt and Wadi Araba Crossing to Aqaba, Jordan; named by Israel as Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing. The Taba Border Crossing ( معبر طابا, מעבר טאבה) is an international border crossing between Taba, Egypt, and Eilat This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Wadi Araba Border Crossing ( تقاطع وادي عربة, מעבר-גבול ערבה) is an international border crossing between Aqaba, Jordan For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of Although there is currently no rail network to the city the Port of Eilat and Eilat Marina allow travel by sea. The Port of Eilat is the only Israeli port on the Red Sea, located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba. A train station linking Eilat with Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv is in the making. |}A train station, railway station, railroad station, or station yard is a facility at which Passengers may board and alight from Trains Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, he-Latn Yerushaláyim; Arabic: ar القُدس, ar-Latn al-Quds) is the Tel Aviv-Yafo (תֵּל ־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ تل أبيب Tal ʾAbīb) (usually Tel Aviv) is the second-largest city in Israel

Economy

Eilat's economy is based around leisure and tourism.

Tourism and Attractions

Coral World Underwater Observatory.

Eilat offers a wide range of accommodations - from hostels to luxury hotels - as well as many unique attractions and recreational options within a 50km. (35 mile) radius.

• Bedouin hospitality. The Bedouin, (from the Arabic (ar بدوي pl badū) are a desert-dwelling Arab Nomadic pastoralist, or previously
• Birdwatching and ringing station: Eilat is located on the main migration route between Africa and Europe. Birdwatching or birding is the observation and study of Birds with the naked eye or through a visual enhancement device like Binoculars.
• Camel tours. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the
• Coral Beach Nature Reserve, an underwater marine reserve of tropical marine flora and fauna. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many
• Coral World Underwater Observatory - allows visitors to view marine life in its own habitat. The park, located at the southern tip of Coral Beach, has aquariums, a museum, simulation rides, and shark, turtle and stingray tanks. An aquarium (plural aquariums or aquaria) is a Vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which Water -dwelling Plants Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body Turtles are Reptiles of the Order Testudines (all living turtles belong to the Crown group Chelonia) most of Dasyatidae is a family of rays, cartilaginous marine Fishes related to Skates and Sharks Dasyatids are common in tropical ^[9]
• Diving: Skin and SCUBA diving, with equipment for hire on or near all major beaches. Diving off a deck into the Great South Bay of Long Islandjpg|thumb|A man dives into the Great South Bay of Long Island. Scuba diving is swimming underwater, or taking part in another activity while using a Scuba set. Scuba diving equipment rental and compressed air are available from a number of diving clubs and schools open all year round.
• Dolphin Reef, offering visitors an opportunity to swim and interact with dolphins, is also a marine biology and research station. Dolphins are Marine mammals that are closely related to Whales and Porpoises There are almost forty species of dolphin in seventeen genera. ^[10]
• Freefall parachuting. Parachuting, also known as skydiving is where a person jumps from enough height so that he can deploy a fabric Parachute and land safely
• Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve, established in the 1960s to conserve endangered species, including Biblical animals, from this and similar regions. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The reserve has a Visitors Center, care and treatment enclosures, and large open area where desert animals are acclimated before re-introduction into the wild. Hai-Bar efforts have successfully re-introduced the Asian Wild Ass, or Onager, into the Negev. The Onager ( Equus hemionus) is a large Mammal belonging to the horse family and native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan The Onager ( Equus hemionus) is a large Mammal belonging to the horse family and native to the deserts of Syria, Iran, Pakistan The Negev (נֶגֶב Tiberian vocalization: Néḡeḇ) is the Desert region of southern Israel. ^[11]

Capra ibex nubiana, a resident of Hai-Bar

• IMAX theatre. IMAX (short for Image MAXimum is a Film format created by Canada 's IMAX Corporation that has the capacity to display images of far greater size and
• Kings City, a biblical theme park located in the hotel area next to the Stella Maris Lagoon. Kings City is a biblical theme park in Eilat, Israel which has been inaugurated in June 2006 ^[12]
• Marina with some 250 yacht berths. For other uses of this word see Marina (disambiguation. A marina is a sheltered Harbor where Boats and Yachts
• Timna Valley Park - the oldest copper mines in the world. Timna Valley Park is a National Park in the Negev Desert of Israel, located approximately 30km north of Eilat. Egyptian temple of Hathor, King Solomon's Pillars, ancient pit mines and rock art. ^[13]
• "What's Up" the Observatory in Eilat, a portable Astronomical Observatory with programs in the desert as well as on the promenade. An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial and/or celestial events

Sister cities

• Antibes-Juan-les-Pins, France^[14]
• Arica, Chile^[15]
• Durban, South Africa^[16]
• Smolyan, Bulgaria^[17]
• Kamen, Germany^[18]
• Kampen, Netherlands
• Toronto, Canada^[14]
• Los Angeles, United States^[14]
• Ushuaia, Argentina^[14]

Eilat has streets named after Durban, Kamen, Kampen and Los Angeles as well as a Canada Park. Antibes ( Provençal Occitan: Antíbol in classical norm or Antibo in Mistralian norm is a resort town in the Alpes-Maritimes Juan-les-Pins is a town in the commune of Antibes, in the Alpes-Maritimes, in southeastern France, on the Côte d'Azur, which is part This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Arica is a port city in northern Chile, located only 18 km (11 miles south of the border with Peru. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Durban (eThekwini is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the EThekwini metropolitan municipality. The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Smolyan (Смолян is a town and ski resort in the very south of Bulgaria, the administrative center of Smolyan Province. The state of Bulgaria (България transliterated bg-Latn ''Balgaria'' The country preserves the traditions (in ethnic name language and alphabet of the First Bulgarian Kamen is a Town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the district Unna. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Kampen is a Municipality and a city in the eastern Netherlands. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Toronto (təˈrɒntoʊ colloquially pronounced or) is the largest city in Canada and is the provincial capital of Ontario Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Ushuaia (u'swaia is the capital of the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego and is sometimes considered to be the southernmost city in the world For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. Durban (eThekwini is the third most populous city in South Africa, forming part of the EThekwini metropolitan municipality. Kamen is a Town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the district Unna. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page Several Maple trees also grow in various parts of the city. Acer ( maple) is a Genus of Trees or Shrubs They are variously classified in a family of their own the Aceraceae, or

An Eilat beach with Aqaba, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia (at far right) across the Red Sea, against the backdrop of the Edomite Mountains. For the town in the West Bank see Aqabah West Bank. Aqaba (العقبة Al-ʻAqabah) is a coastal town in the far south of Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi The Red Sea is a Salt water Inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia.

Climate

Gallery

A winter's twilight. The Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (הלשכה המרכזית לסטטיסטיקה HaLishka HaMerkazit LeStatistika) abbreviated CBS, is an Israeli

Raising the Ink Flag.

Amram's Pillars.

At Coral Beach.

See also

• Eilat (destroyer)
• Eilot (kibbutz)
• Eilat Airport
• Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company
• Eilat International Film Festival
• Eilat bakery bombing
• Ezion-Geber
• Ink Flag (Israel)
• Kings City
• Operation Ovda
• Ovda International Airport
• Port of Eilat
• Taba Border Crossing
• Yotvata Airfield

References

External links

• (Hebrew) Official city site
• Eilat Tourism site (English)
• Eilat International Film Festival
• Eilat Tourist directory
• (Hebrew) A film about Eilat in 1960 commentary
• Dolphin Reef Eilat
• (Arabic) AlArabiya News Channel Cairo Official Rejects Eilat Claims

• Photos of Eilat
• Coral Beach in southern Eilat
• Tourism city guide site (English)
• "What's Up" the Observatory in Eilat
• [1]