The Eastern Desert is the desert of southern Egypt and northern Sudan that lies between the Nile Valley and the Red Sea.
Unlike the broad sand seas often associated with the Sahara, the Eastern Desert is dominated by exposed rock, gravel plains, and rugged mountains. Its backbone includes ancient Precambrian rocks, among the oldest geological materials visible in Egypt. The Red Sea Hills rise dramatically across parts of the region.
The desert has supported travel and mining for thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians quarried stone and minerals there, while later routes linked the Nile with Red Sea ports. Gold mining has also been important in different historical periods.
The Eastern Desert is distinct from Egypt’s Western Desert, which lies west of the Nile, and from the Nubian Desert farther south. Together, these regions form parts of the wider Sahara, but their geology and landscapes differ substantially.