The Sinai Peninsula does not look important on a map. It is mostly empty desert with a few mountains. But this triangle of land between Africa and Asia has been fought over for thousands of years. The Sinai sits between Egypt and Israel. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the south. The Suez Canal, one of the world's most important waterways, runs along its western edge. Ships use the canal to travel between Europe and Asia without going all the way around Africa. On October 6, 1973, Egyptian forces crossed the Suez Canal into the Sinai. This land had been captured by Israel in 1967. Egypt wanted it back. The conflict lasted three weeks. After the war, both countries eventually agreed to a peace deal. Egypt got the Sinai back. The Sinai's terrain varies greatly. The north is flat sandy desert. The south has rugged mountains, including Mount Sinai, which rises 7,497 feet. The land between holds ancient routes that traders and armies have used for centuries.