The extremely halophilic archaeon, Natrialba aegyptiaca strain 40^T, which was isolated from a salty soil close to Aswan, Egypt is able to produce a halophilic extracellular, raw starch-digesting amylase. Optimization of medium components and culture conditions to enhance amylase production was investigated. Maximum production of this amylase was achieved in a medium contained (%, w/v): NaCl, 15; KCl, 1.5; MgSO₄.7H₂O, 0.1 and soluble starch, 0.05 at a pH range between 6-8 and a temperature range between 45-47 ^oC after incubation period of 144 hr. under static conditions and 48 hr. with shaking at 150 rpm. The enzyme could efficiently hydrolyze raw starches from different plant sources.