SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt, July 11 (Xinhua) -- The Senior Officials Meeting of the 15th Non-aligned Movement (NAM) Summit debuted in Sharm El Sheikh on Saturday. The following is a brief introduction of this Egyptian costal city.

    Located at the very southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in northeastern Egypt, Sharm El Sheikh is on the coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai.

    Sharm El Sheikh is on a promontory overlooking the Straits of Tiran at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba. Its strategic importance led to its transformation from a fishing village into a major port and naval base for the Egyptian Navy. It was captured by Israel during the Sinai conflict of 1956 and restored to Egypt in 1957. AUN peacekeeping force was subsequently stationed there until the 1967 Six-Day War when it was recaptured by Israel. Sharm El Sheikh remained under Israeli control until the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982 after the Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty of 1979.

    Before 1967, Sharm El Sheikh was little more than an occasional base of operations for local fishermen. Commercial development of the area began during the Israeli presence in the area. After the Sinai was restored to Egypt in 1982, the Egyptian government embarked on an initiative to encourage continued development of the city. Foreign investors, some of whom had discovered the potential of the locality during the Israeli occupation, contributed to a spate of building projects.

    Sharm El Sheikh's major industry is foreign and domestic tourism, owing to its dramatic landscape, year-round dry and temperate climate and long stretches of natural beaches.

    Its water is clear and calm for most of the year and has become popular for various water sports, particularly recreational scuba diving and snorkeling which some consider to be among the best in the world. Coral reefs, under water and marine life, unmatched anywhere in the world, offer a spectacular and dazzling time for divers.

    These natural resources, together with its proximity to European tourism markets, have stimulated the rapid growth of tourism that the region is currently experiencing. The total number of resorts increased from 3 in 1982 to 91 in 2000.

    Sharm El Sheikh is known as the City of Peace, referring to the large number of international peace conferences that have been held there. The Maritime Congress Center in the city can host events and congresses for up to 4,700 participants, and the 15th NAM summit will be held in the center from July 15 to 16.