The
Sinai Peninsula or simply
Sinai (; ; , ; ) is a triangular
peninsula in
Egypt about in area. It is situated between the
Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the
Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in
Asia, as opposed to
Africa, serving as a
land bridge between two continents. The bulk of the peninsula is divided administratively into two of Egypt's 27
governorates (with three more straddling the
Suez Canal area), and has a population of approximately 1,400,000 people. In addition to its formal name,
Egyptians also refer to it as ( "the land of
turquoise"). The
ancient Egyptians called it
Mafkat, or "land of the green minerals".
