South Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Coastal Drylands bioregion

The bioregion’s land area is provided in units of 1,000 hectares. The conservation target is the combined Global Safety Net (GSN1) areas for the component ecoregions. The protection level indicates the percentage of the GSN goal that is currently protected on a scale of 0-10. N/A means data is not available at this time.

  • 78,023
    Total Land Area (1000 ha)
  • 12
    Number of Ecoregions
  • 22%
    Protection Target
  • 3
    Protection Level

The South Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Coastal Drylands bioregion, located in the Horn of Africa subrealm, consists of 12 ecoregions—Horn of Africa Xeric Bushlands (45), South Arabian Fog Woodlands, Shrublands, and Dune (56), Southwest Arabian Montane Woodlands and Grasslands (59), Djibouti Xeric Shrublands (92), Eritrean Coastal Desert (93), Hobyo Grasslands and Shrublands (95), Socotra Island Xeric Shrublands (105), Somali Montane Xeric Woodlands (106), Southwest Arabian Coastal Xeric Shrublands (107), Southwest Arabian Escarpment Shrublands and Woodlands (108), Southwest Arabian Highland Xeric Scrub (109), Red Sea Mangroves (115)—encompassing the Horn of Africa, the southern Red Sea and Alden Sea, and the southernmost tip of the Arabian Peninsula. The bioregion is mostly desert with some drylands and scrublands and covers an area of approximately 78 million hectares, not including mangroves and adjacent marine areas in the Red Sea. The Horn of Africa is home to both the frankincense and myrrh trees and contains many endemic and rare animals adapted to the region’s dry and hot climate.

Map of the South Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Coastal Drylands bioregion (AT22)

The South Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Coastal Drylands bioregion is part of the Horn of Africa subrealm and is made up of 12 ecoregions: Red Sea Mangroves [1], Djibouti Xeric Shrublands [2],  Eritrean Coastal Desert [3], Horn of Africa Xeric Bushlands [4], Somali Montane Xeric Woodlands [5], Hobyo Grasslands and Shrublands [6], Socotra Island Xeric Shrublands [7], South Arabian Fog Woodlands, Shrublands, and Dune [8], Southwest Arabian Escarpment Shrublands and Woodlands [9], Southwest Arabian Coastal Xeric Shrublands [10], Southwest Arabian Montane Woodlands and Grasslands [11], Southwest Arabian Highland Xeric Scrub [12].

Learn more about each of the ​South Red Sea & Gulf of Aden Coastal Drylands ecoregions below.

Join the One Earth Community

Sign up to receive monthly updates about our work. 

Explore the Bioregions

Want to learn more about the fascinating species, diverse ecosystems, and natural wonders of the Earth? Click the button below to launch One Earth's interactive navigator and discover your Bioregion!

LAUNCH NAVIGATOR