More than a dozen different Bedouin tribes live scattered
throughout the Sinai Peninsula. The Aleiqat is the oldest of the
tribes. They are primarily found along the western coast of
the peninsula. The largest Bedouin tribe is the Tiyaha, which
occupies the eastern part of the region. Southern Sinai in par-
ticular is the home of the Towara, or Arabs of the Tor. Over
the years, the Towaras have successfully managed to preserve
political leadership by forming alliances with different groups
that have occupied the Sinai for centuries before it was incor-
porated into Egypt.