# Damietta Governorate

Damietta Governorate (Egyptian Arabic: محافظة دمياط Muḥafazat Dumyāṭ) is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. It is located in the northeastern part of the country, and has a population of over 1.3 million. The capital is the city of Damietta.
Damietta (city) is famous for its guava farms, as well as the palm trees that cover the coast from Ras El Bar in the east to Gamasa in the west. The governorate exports millions of palm trees to many countries every year, including Greece and China. Damietta also produces wheat, maize, cotton, rice, potatoes, lemons, grapes and tomatoes. It is also famous for its sweet industry, sardine packing, furniture industry and Domiati cheese. Ras El Bar, one of the oldest summer resorts in Egypt, is located at the point where the Nile river meets the Mediterranean Sea.
In August 2018, Manal Awad Mikhail was the first Coptic woman to be appointed as a governor in Egypt.
On 3 July 2024, the new governor of Damietta was Ayman el-Shahaby.

## Overview

An important feature of this governorate is the Damietta Port which has been able to accommodate the movement of ships when bad weather forbids nearby ports to do so.

## Municipal divisions

The governorate is divided into the following municipal divisions for administrative purposes, with a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 1,610,586.
Municipal Divisions :
| Anglicized name | Native name | Arabic transliteration | Population (January 2023 Est.) | Type |
| Al Sarw | قسم السرو | As-Sarw | 29,782 | Kism (fully urban) |
| El Zarqa | مركز الزرقا | Az-Zarqā | 151,020 | Markaz |
| Damietta | مركز دمياط | Dumyāṭ | 354,716 | Markaz |
| Damietta 1 | قسم أول دمياط | Dumyāṭ 1 | 120,752 | Kism (fully urban) |
| Damietta 2 | قسم ثان دمياط | Dumyāṭ 2 | 190,357 | Kism (fully urban) |
| Faraskur | مركز فارسكور | Fāraskūr | 273,979 | Markaz |
| Police Dept. Port of Damietta | إداره شرطه ميناء دمياط الجديد | Idārah Shurṭah Mīnā' Dumyāṭ al-Jadīd | | Police-administrated Area |
| Kafr El Battikh | مركز كفر البطيخ | Kafr al-Baṭṭīkh | 142,627 | Markaz |
| Kafr Saad | مركز كفر سعد | Kafr Sa'd | 281,533 | Markaz |
| New Damietta | قسم مدينه دمياط الجديده | Madīnat Dumyāṭ al-Jadīdah | 55,434 | Kism (fully urban) |
| Ras El Bar | قسم رأس البر | Ra's al-Bar | 10,386 | Kism (fully urban) |

## Population

According to population estimates, in 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate lived in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 38.7%. Out of an estimated 1,330,843 people residing in the governorate, 815,244 people lived in rural areas as opposed to only 515,599 in urban areas.

## Industrial zones

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) the governorate is home to two industrial zones.
| Zone name | Space (feddans) |
| New Damietta | 558 |
| General Free Zone in Damietta | 190 |

## Demographics

The governorate's area is 1.029 km$^2$ or about 5% of the Delta's area, and about 1% of the area of Egypt. The inhabited area is about 589.2 km$^2$. Its population – according to a 1999 census – was 953,430. The average rate of population growth is 2.09% per year.

## Administrative divisions

The governorate consists of 4 subdivisions, 10 cities, 35 local village units, 59 villages and 722 sub-villages. The subdivisions are Damietta, Faraskur, El Zarqa and Kafr Saad. The governorate includes 7 colleges and institutes, 19 professional training centers, and 657 pre-college schools.