The study area is allocated between longitudes 31° 58′ 1.9′′ and 32° 44′ 42.3′′ easting and latitudes 28° 47′ 32.7′′ and 29° 00′ 4.9′′ northing, at the eastern desert of Egypt. The study area covers about 1079070 feddans include Mountains, part of suez gulf and wadi Araba. Their acreages are 513995, 135032, and 430043 feddans respectively. The actually study area represent wadi Araba covers about 430043 feddans. Seven physiographic units were distinguished in the study area .i.e. Marine sediments, Coastal braided deltas, Wadis, Piedmont, Alluvial terraces, Alluvial fans, and Bajadas. These units area are 8480, 21455, 111042, 5890, 234515, 38381, and 10280 feddan respectively. For studying the soil of the investigated area, 17 profiles were excavated to represent the soil of the different physiographic units. The profiles were dugged to 150 cm depth impervious layer or water table whichever is shallower. The soils were morphologically examined, sampled for lab investigation and classified. The distinguished subgroups are: Typic Aquisalids, Typic Haplocalcids, Typic Torrifluvents, Typic Torriorthents, Aquic Torrifluvents, Calcic Haplocalcids, Gypsic Haplocalcids and Lithic Torriorthents. The capability index (Ci) for irrigated agriculture was collected representing to the current land capability map of the study area comprises of seven units i.e. S3sn-1 (with limitations of severe salinity and alkalinity, moderate for texture and calcium carbonate, and slight for topography and gypsum.), S3sn-2 (with limitations of moderate for texture, salinity and alkalinity, and slight for topography, calcium carbonate and gypsum), N1tsn-1 (with limitations of sever for texture, salinity and alkalinity, moderate for topography and calcium carbonate and slight for gypsum), N1tsn-2 (with limitations of sever for texture, moderate for topography, depth, calcium carbonate, salinity and alkalinity, and slight for gypsum), N1tsn-3 (with limitations of very sever for salinity and alkalinity, sever for depth, moderate for topography and texture, slight for calcium carbonate and gypsum), N1sn (with limitations of severe for texture, moderate for salinity and alkalinity, slight for topography, calcium carbonate and gypsum.), N1wsn (with limitations of very severe for wetness, severe for texture, depth, salinity and alkalinity, slight for topography, calcium carbonate and gypsum). Their acreages are 21455, 111042, 38381, 10280, 5890, 234515 and 8480 feddan respectively The potential land capability map of the study area comprises of five units i.e S2s (with limitations of moderately for texture, slight intensity of calcium carbonate and gypsum),. S3s-1 (with limitations of moderate for texture, calcium carbonate and slight intensity of gypsum s), S3s-2, (with limitations of sever texture, moderate intensity of calcium carbonate, and slight intensity of gypsum), S3s-3 (with limitations of sever intensity of depth, moderate intensity of texture and slight intensity of calcium carbonate gypsum limitations).and N1ws (with limitations of sever intensity of wetness, moderate intensity of texture and depth and slight intensity of calcium carbonate and gypsum limitations). Their acreages are 111042, 21455, 283176, 5890 and 8480feddan respectively. Generally, the soil mapping units are grouped primarily on the basis of their capability to produce common cultivated crops and pasture plants without deterioration over a long period of time.
The aims of the current investigation are on screen interpretation and delineation of the physiographic units, soil mapping, and (current and potential) land capability assessment of the study area.