Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This proposed property includes Saudi waters of the northern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba (Tabuk Province), an area recognized for exceptional coral reef biodiversity and ecosystem services. Unlike many reef regions that have experienced severe mass bleaching, corals here—especially in the Gulf of Aqaba—show extraordinary resistance to heat stress, with studies indicating tolerance levels exceeding 5°C above local summer maxima.
Scientists link this resilience to historical selection during recolonization, making these reefs a rare global “gene bank” for climate-resistant corals and an open-air laboratory for coral adaptation research. The area also features notable geomorphic and deep-sea components, including raised marine terraces and the NEOM Brine Pools (discovered at ~1,770 m), which may archive past tsunamis and seismic events.
Protecting the site supports endemic and threatened species and long-term conservation.

---

Coral Reefs of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was submitted in 2024 to the UNESCO Tentative List in Saudi Arabia.