Outline of Egypt
Geography of Egypt -- Regions of Egypt
Table:
Nr.

Name

Area (km²)

Population (2015)

Capital

2

Alexandria

2,300

4,812,186

Alexandria

27

Aswan

62,726

1,431,488

Aswan

22

Asyut

25,926

4,245,215

Asyut

3

Beheira

9,826

5,804,262

Damanhur

19

Beni Suef

10,954

2,856,812

Beni Suef

16

Cairo

3,085

9,278,441

Cairo

5

Dakahlia

3,538

5,949,001

Mansura

6

Damietta

910

1,330,843

Damietta

15

Faiyum

6,068

3,170,150

Faiyum

9

Gharbia

1,942

4,751,865

Tanta

14

Giza

13,184

7,585,115

Giza

13

Ismailia

5,067

1,178,641

Ismailia

4

Kafr el-Sheikh

3,467

3,172,753

Kafr el-Sheikh

26

Luxor

2,410

1,147,058

Luxor

1

Matruh

166,563

447,846

Mersa Matruh

20

Minya

32,279

5,156,702

Minya

10

Monufia

2,499

3,941,293

Shibin el-Kom

21

New Valley

440,098

225,416

Kharga

8

North Sinai

28,992

434,781

Arish

7

Port Said

1,345

666,599

Port Said

Consulting the table and the supplementary paragraphs listed below.

Solve the question: What is connected by infrastructure that the Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt ruled the city during its construction ? Respond with the correct answer (omit explanations) in JSON format as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

Alexandria Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الإسكندرية Muḥāfāzah Al Iskandariyah ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . The city of Alexandria was historically the capital of Egypt until the foundation of Fustat , which was later absorbed into Cairo . Today the Alexandria governorate is considered second in importance after the Cairo Governorate . It is located in the northern part of the country , directly on the Mediterranean Sea , making it one of the most important harbours in Egypt . Along with Cairo , Port Said and Suez , Alexandria is one of four governorates in the country that are also municipalities . [ citation needed ] The governorate capital is the city of Alexandria , the second largest city in Egypt . Alexandria governorate lies along the Mediterranean coast and stretch for about 70 km northwest of the Nile Delta . The governorate is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the north , El Behera governorate in the south and the east and Matrouh governorate in the west . The total area size of Alexandria governorate is almost 2818 km2 . It has the most important harbour in Egypt and it is the second largest urban governorate in the country with population more than four and half million ( 4,799,740 in March 2015 ) and population density of 1700 square kilometres according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics ( CAPMAS ) . Alexandria has a unique geographical location and a mild climate . It is also considered an industrial governorate where 40% of Egyptian industries are concentrated , especially chemicals , food , spinning and weaving as well as petrol industries and fertilizers .
Alexandria ( /ˌælɪɡˈzændriə/ or /-ˈzɑːnd-/ ; Arabic : الإسكندرية al-ʾIskandariyya ; Egyptian Arabic : اسكندرية Eskendereyya ; Coptic : ⲁⲗⲉⲝⲁⲛⲇⲣⲓⲁ Alexandria or ⲣⲁⲕⲟϯ Rakote , Greek : Αλεξάνδρεια Alexandria ) is the second-largest city in Egypt and a major economic center . With a population of 5,200,000 , Alexandria is the largest city on the Mediterranean , the sixth-largest city in the Arab world and the ninth-largest in Africa . The city extends about 40 km ( 25 mi ) at the northern coast of Egypt along the Mediterranean Sea . Alexandria is a popular tourist destination , and also an important industrial center because of its natural gas and oil pipelines from Suez . Alexandria was founded in c. 331 BC by Alexander the Great , king of Macedon and leader of the Greek League of Corinth , during his conquest of the Achaemenid Empire . An Egyptian village named Rhacotis existed at the location and grew into the Egyptian quarter of Alexandria . Alexandria grew rapidly to become an important center of Hellenistic civilization and remained the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and Roman and Byzantine Egypt for almost 1,000 years , until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in AD 641 , when a new capital was founded at Fustat ( later absorbed into Cairo ) . Hellenistic Alexandria was best known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria ( Pharos ) , one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World ; its Great Library ( the largest in the ancient world ) ; and the Necropolis , one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages . Alexandria was the intellectual and cultural center of the ancient Mediterranean world for much of the Hellenistic age and late antiquity . It was at one time the largest city in the ancient world before being eventually overtaken by Rome . The city was a major center of early Christianity and was the center of the Patriarchate of Alexandria , which was one of the major centers of Christianity in the Eastern Roman Empire . In the modern world , the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria both lay claim to this ancient heritage .
Aswan Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة أسوان Muḥāfāzah Aswān ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . The southernmost governorate in Upper Egypt , its capital is Aswan . The Aswan Governorate borders Qena to the north , Red Sea Governorate to the east , New Valley Governorate to the west , and Sudan 's Northern state to the south . It has a population of 1,394,687 inhabitants ( 2014 ) , and occupies an area of 62,726 km² .
Aswan ( /æsˈwɑːn , ɑːs-/ , also US : /ˈæswɑːn , ˈɑːs- , ˈæz-/ ; Arabic : أسوان , romanized : ʾAswān [ ʔɑsˈwɑːn ] ; Coptic : Ⲥⲟⲩⲁⲛ , romanized : Souan ) is a city in the south of Egypt , and is the capital of the Aswan Governorate . Aswan is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dam on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract . The modern city has expanded and includes the formerly separate community on the island of Elephantine . The city is part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network in the category of craft and folk art .
Asyut Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة أسيوط Muḥāfāzah Asyut , Coptic : ⲡⲓⲑⲱϣ ` ⲛⲥⲓⲱⲟⲩⲧ Bitosh enSiowd ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It stretches across a section of the Nile River . The capital of the governorate is the city of Asyut .
Asyut [ spelling 1 ] ( Arabic : أسيوط Asyūṭ pronounced [ ʔɑsˈjuːtˤ ] , Coptic : ⲥⲓⲟⲟⲩⲧ Siowt ) is the capital of the modern Asyut Governorate in Egypt , which has one of the largest Coptic Catholic bishopric churches in the country ; the ancient city of the same name , which is situated nearby . The modern city is located at 27°11′00″N 31°10′00″E / 27.18333°N 31.16667°E / 27.18333 ; 31.16667 , while the ancient city is located at 27°10′00″N 31°08′00″E / 27.16667°N 31.13333°E / 27.16667 ; 31.13333 .
Beheira Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة البحيرة Muḥāfāzah Al Buhāyra , IPA : [ albuˈħaːɾæ ] , the Lake ) is a coastal governorate in Egypt . Located in the northern part of the country in the Nile Delta , its capital is Damanhur .
Damanhur ( Arabic : دمنهور Damanhūr , IPA : [ dɑmɑnˈhuːɾ ] ; Egyptian : Dmỉ-n-Ḥr.w ; Coptic : Ⲡⲓϯⲙⲓⲛ̀ϩⲱⲣ Pitimienhōr ; Ancient Greek : Ἑρμοῦ πόλις μικρά Hermopolis Mikra ) is a city in Lower Egypt , and the capital of the Beheira Governorate . It is located 160 km ( 99 mi ) northwest of Cairo , and 70 km ( 43 mi ) E.S.E . of Alexandria , in the middle of the western Nile Delta . In Ancient Egypt , the city was the capital of Lower Egypt 's 7th Nome of A-ment . It stood on the banks of a canal which connected the lake Mareotis with the Canopic or most westerly arm of the Nile . The city was dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian god Horus . In Greek and Roman times , it was called Hermopolis Mikra or Hermopolis Parva , which would also give it an association with Hermes , the Egyptian Thoth . As Hermopolis , the city attracted the notice of numerous ancient geographers , including Stephanus of Byzantium s. v. , Strabo ( xvii . p. 802 ) , Ptolemy ( iv . 5 . § 46 ) , and the author of the Antonine Itinerary ( p. 154 ) . It is a Roman Catholic titular see .
Beni Suef ( Arabic : محافظة بني سويف Muḥāfāzah Bani Suef ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is situated in the center of the country .
Beni Suef ( Arabic : بني سويف Baniswēf ) , is the capital city of the Beni Suef Governorate in Egypt .
Cairo Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة القاهرة Muḥāfāzah al-Qahira ) is the most populated of the governorates of Egypt . Its capital , the city of Cairo , is the national capital of Egypt , and is part of the Greater Cairo metropolitan area . Because it is completely urbanized , the governorate is considered a city proper , and functions as a municipality . [ citation needed ] However , there are uninhabited desert areas . Parts of the governorate were separated in April 2008 to form the Helwan Governorate ( reincorporated into the Cairo Governorate in April 2011 ) .
Cairo ( /ˈkaɪroʊ/ KY-roh ; Arabic : القاهرة , romanized : al-Qāhirah , pronounced [ ælˈqɑːhɪɾɑ ] ( listen ) ) is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world . Its metropolitan area , with a population of over 20 million , is the largest in Africa , the Arab world , and the Middle East , and the 15th-largest in the world . Cairo is associated with ancient Egypt , as the famous Giza pyramid complex and the ancient city of Memphis are located in its geographical area . Located near the Nile Delta , Cairo was founded in 969 AD by the Fatimid dynasty , but the land composing the present-day city was the site of ancient national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo . Cairo has long been a centre of the region 's political and cultural life , and is titled the city of a thousand minarets for its preponderance of Islamic architecture . Cairo is considered a World City with a Beta + classification according to GaWC . Cairo has the oldest and largest film and music industries in the Arab world , as well as the world 's second-oldest institution of higher learning , Al-Azhar University . Many international media , businesses , and organizations have regional headquarters in the city ; the Arab League has had its headquarters in Cairo for most of its existence . With a population of over 9 million spread over 3,085 square kilometers ( 1,191 sq mi ) , Cairo is by far the largest city in Egypt . An additional 9.5 million inhabitants live in close proximity to the city . Cairo , like many other megacities , suffers from high levels of pollution and traffic . Cairo 's metro , one of two in Africa ( the other being in Algiers , Algeria ) , ranks among the fifteen busiest in the world , with over 1 billion annual passenger rides .
Dakahlia Governorate or Dakahliya Governorate ( Egyptian Arabic : محافظة الدقهلية Muḥāfẓet El Dakahlia , pronounced [ ed.dæʔæhˈlejjæ ] ) is an Egyptian governorate lying northeast of Cairo . Its area is approximately 3,500 km² . Its capital is Mansoura .
Mansoura ( Arabic : المنصورة Al Manṣūra , IPA : [ el.mɑnˈsˤuːɾɑ ] , rural : [ el.mænˈsˤuːɾe ] ) is a city in Egypt , with a population of 960,423 . It is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate .
Damietta Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة دمياط Muḥāfāzah Dumyat ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is located in the northeastern part of the country , and has a population of over 1 million . Its 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 , lemon , grapes and tomatoes . It is also famous for its sweet industry , sardine packing , and Domiati cheese . Ras El Bar , one of the oldest summer resorts in Egypt , is located at the point where The Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea . In August 2018 , Manal Awad Mikhail was the first Christian Coptic woman to be appointed as a governor in Egypt .
Damietta ( Arabic : دمياط Dumyāṭ , IPA : [ domˈjɑːtˤ ] ; Coptic : ⲧⲁⲙⲓⲁϯ , romanized : Tamiat ) is a port and the capital of the Damietta Governorate in Egypt , a former bishopric and present multiple Catholic titular see . It is located at the Damietta branch , an eastern distributary of the Nile , 15 kilometres ( 9.3 mi ) from the Mediterranean Sea , about 200 kilometres ( 120 mi ) north of Cairo .
Faiyum Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الفيوم Muḥāfāzah Al Fayyūm ) is one of the governorates of Egypt in the middle of the country . Its capital is the city of Faiyum , located about 81 mi ( 130 km ) south west of Cairo . It has a population of 3,072,181 ( 2014 ) .
Faiyum ( Arabic : الفيوم el-Fayyūm pronounced [ elfæjˈjuːm ] , borrowed from Coptic : ̀Ⲫⲓⲟⲙ or Ⲫⲓⲱⲙ Phiom or Phiōm from Ancient Egyptian : pꜣ ym the Sea , Lake ) is a city in Middle Egypt . Located 100 kilometres ( 62 miles ) southwest of Cairo , in the Faiyum Oasis , it is the capital of the modern Faiyum Governorate . Originally called Shedet in Egyptian , the Greeks called it Koinē Greek : Κροκοδειλόπολις , romanized : Krokodilópolis , and later Byzantine Greek : Ἀρσινόη , romanized : Arsinoë . It is one of Egypt 's oldest cities due to its strategic location .
Gharbia Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الغربية Muḥāfaẓah Al Gharbeya , IPA : [ alɣɑɾˈbejjɑ , -jæ ] ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is located in the north of the country , south of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate , and north of Monufia Governorate . Its capital is Tanta , which is 90 km north of Cairo , and 120 km south east of Alexandria . The largest city in Gharbia is El Mahalla El Kubra . The total area of Gharbia governorate is 1,942 km2 , making it the tenth largest governorate of Egypt .
Tanta ( Egyptian Arabic : طنطا Ṭanṭa pronounced [ ˈtˤɑntˤɑ ] , Coptic : ⲧⲁⲛⲧⲁⲑⲟ ) is a large city in Egypt . It is the country 's fifth largest populated area , with 658,798 inhabitants as of 2018 . Tanta is located between Cairo and Alexandria : 94 km ( 58 mi ) north of Cairo and 130 km ( 81 mi ) southeast of Alexandria . The capital of Gharbia Governorate , it is a center for the cotton-ginning industry . One of the major railway lines goes through Tanta . Three annual festivals are held in Tanta in honor of Ahmad al-Badawi , a revered Sufi figure of the 13th century , who founded the Badawiyya Tariqa in Egypt and is buried in Ahmad Al-Badawi Mosque , the main mosque of Tanta . Tanta is known for its sweets shops and roasted chickpeas .
Giza Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الجيزة Muḥāfaẓah Al Jizah ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is in the center of the country , situated on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Cairo . Its capital is the city of Giza . It includes a stretch of the left bank of the Nile Valley around Giza , and acquired a large stretch of Egypt 's Western Desert , including Bahariya Oasis when the 6th of October Governorate was merged into it on 14 April 2011 . The Giza Governorate is also home to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza .
Giza ( /ˈɡiːzə/ ; sometimes spelled Gizah or Jizah ; Arabic : الجيزة al-Jīzah , Egyptian Arabic pronunciation : [ el ˈgiːze ] ) is the third-largest city in Egypt and the capital of the Giza Governorate . It is located on the west bank of the Nile , 4.9 km ( 3 mi ) southwest of central Cairo , and forms a part of the Greater Cairo metropolis . Giza lies less than 20 km ( 12.43 mi ) north of Memphis ( Men-nefer ) , which was the capital city of the first unified Egyptian state from the days of the first pharaoh , Narmer . Giza is most famous as the location of the Giza Plateau : the site of some of the most impressive ancient monuments in the world , including a complex of ancient Egyptian royal mortuary and sacred structures , including the Great Sphinx , the Great Pyramid of Giza , and a number of other large pyramids and temples . Giza has always been a focal point in Egypt 's history due to its location close to Memphis , the ancient pharaonic capital of the Old Kingdom . Its St. George Cathedral is the episcopal see of the Coptic Catholic Eparchy of Giza .
Ismailia Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الإسماعيلية Muḥāfāzah Al Ismāʿīliya , IPA : [ muˈħɑfzˤah alʔesmæʕeˈlejjæ ] ) is one of the Canal Zone governorates of Egypt . Located in the northeastern part of the country , its capital is the city of Ismailia . It was named after Ismail Pasha , who as Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt , oversaw the country during the building of the Suez Canal . It is located between the other two Canal governorates ; Port Said Governorate , in the Northern part of Egypt and Suez Governorate .
Ismailia ( Arabic : الإسماعيلية al-Ismāʻīlīyah , pronounced [ lesmæʕiˈlejjæ ] ) is a city in north-eastern Egypt . Known in Egypt as The City of Beauty and Enchantment , Ismailia is situated on the west bank of the Suez Canal , it is the capital of the Ismailia Governorate . The city has a population of 366,669 as of 2012 [ update ] ( or approximately 750,000 , including surrounding rural areas ) . It is located approximately halfway between Port Said to the north and Suez to the south . The Canal widens at that point to include Lake Timsah , one of the Bitter Lakes linked by the Canal .
Kafr El Sheikh Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة كفر الشيخ Muḥāfāzah Kafr Al Sheikh ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It lies in the northern part of the country , along the western branch of the Nile in the Nile Delta . Its capital is the city of Kafr El Sheikh .
Kafr El Sheikh ( Egyptian Arabic : كفر الشيخ pronounced [ kɑfɾ eʃˈʃeːx ] ) is an Egyptian city and the capital of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate , Egypt , about 134 km north of Cairo , in the Nile Delta of lower Egypt . As of November 2006 , the town had a population of around half- a million . Kafr El Sheikh was earlier known as Denqiun , and has been settled for thousands of years by Egyptian farmers , agriculture has always been the main activity of its people . In 2006 the University of Kafr El Sheikh was established . Kafr El Sheikh is responsible for more than 40% of total sea food production in Egypt .
Luxor Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الأقصر Muḥāfāzah Al Aqṣar ) has been one of Egypt 's governorates since 7 December 2009 , when former president Hosni Mubarak announced its separation from the Qena Governorate . It is located 635 km south of Cairo . It is currently the smallest governorate in Egypt , spanning approximately 5 km from north to south , and 1.5 km from east to west , and lies in Upper Egypt along the Nile . The city of Luxor is the capital of the Luxor governorate . The government is studying the possibility of extending the boundaries of the governorate to include the neighboring towns of Armant and Esna .
Luxor ( /ˈlʌksɔːr , ˈlʊk-/ ; Arabic : الأقصر l-aqṣur Egyptian Arabic pronunciation : [ ˈloʔsˤoɾ ] , Upper Egyptian pronunciation : [ ˈloɡsˤor ] ; Coptic : ⲡⲁⲡⲉ babe ) is a city in Upper ( southern ) Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate . The population numbers 506,535 ( 2012 estimate ) , with an area of approximately 417 square kilometres ( 161 sq mi ) . The modern city sprawls to the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Waset , also known as Nut ( Coptic : ⲛⲏ ) and to the Greeks as Thebes or Diospolis , Luxor has frequently been characterized as the world 's greatest open-air museum , as the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor stand within the modern city . Immediately opposite , across the River Nile , lie the monuments , temples and tombs of the west bank Necropolis , which includes the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens . Thousands of tourists from all around the world arrive annually to visit these monuments , contributing greatly to the economy of the modern city .
Matrouh Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة مطروح Muḥāfāzah Maṭrūḥ ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . Located in the north-western part of the country , it borders Libya . Its capital is Mersa Matruh .
Mersa Matruh ( Arabic : مرسى مطروح , IPA : [ ˈmæɾsæ mɑtˤˈɾuːħ ] ) is a port in Egypt , capital of Matrouh Governorate . It is 240 km ( 150 mi ) west of Alexandria and 222 km ( 138 mi ) from Sallum on the main highway from the Nile Delta to the Libyan border . Another highway leads south from the town , toward the Western Desert and Siwa Oasis and Bahariya Oasis . In ancient Egypt and during the reign of Alexander the Great , the city was known as Amunia . In the Ptolemaic Kingdom and later during the Byzantine Empire , it was known as Paraitónion ( Koinē Greek : Παραιτόνιον ) , and during the Roman Empire , it was called Paraetonium in Latin , which became Al-Baretoun ( Arabic : البارتون ) after the Arab conquest of Egypt . As a British military base during World War II , several battles were fought around its environs as the German Afrika Korps attempted to capture the port . It fell to the Germans during the Battle of Mersa Matruh , but was recaptured following the Second Battle of El Alamein . Marsa Matruh is served by Marsa Matruh International Airport . The city features soft white sand beaches and calm transparent waters ; the bay is protected from the high seas by a series of rocks forming a natural breakwater , with a small opening to allow access for light vessels .
Minya Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة المنيا Muḥāfẓet El Minya ) is one of the governorates of Upper Egypt . Its capital city , Minya , is located on the left bank of the Nile River .
The name Minya may also have originated from the city 's name in Sahidic Coptic Tmoone and in Bohairic Thmonē , meaning the residence , in reference to an early monastery formerly in the area . It is the city where the Codex Tchacos was discovered . Minya is dubbed by the locals Bride of Upper Egypt , in reference to its strategic location in Middle Egypt as a vital link between the north and the south of Egypt . Minya has one of the highest concentration of Coptic Christians in Egypt ( approximately 50% of total population ) . It is the home city of the Minya University , Suzanne Mubarak Center for Arts , the new Minya Museum , and the regional North of Upper Egypt Radio and Television .
Monufia Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة المنوفية Muḥāfaẓah Al Munufeyah IPA : [ elmenoˈfejjæ , -monoˈ- ] ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is located in the northern part of the country in the Nile Delta , to the south of Gharbia governorate and to the north of Cairo . The governorate is named after Menouf , an ancient city which was the capital of the governorate until 1826 . The current governor is Said Mohammed Mohammed Abbas .
Shibin El Kom ( Arabic : شبين الكوم pronounced [ ʃɪˈbiːn elˈkoːm ] , colloquially shortened to Shibin ) is a city in Egypt 's Nile Delta , and the capital of the Monufia Governorate .
New Valley Governorate or El Wadi El Gedid Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة الوادي الجديد [ muˈħɑfzah alˈwæːdi alˈjɑˈdiːd ] , Muḥāfāzah Al Wādī Al Jadīd ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is in the southwestern part of the country , in Egypt 's Western Desert ( part of the Sahara Desert ) , between the Nile , northern Sudan , and southeastern Libya . Consisting of roughly a third of Egypt 's area , this spacious governorate is the country 's largest and one of the biggest subnational divisions on the African continent , as well as the world . At 440,098 square kilometers in area , New Valley Governorate is just slightly larger than the country of Iraq . The capital is at the Kharga Oasis .
The Kharga Oasis ( Egyptian Arabic : الخارجة El Kharga , pronounced [ elˈxæɾɡæ ] ) the outer ; Coptic : ( ϯ ) ⲟⲩⲁϩ ` ⲛϩⲏⲃ , ( ϯ ) ⲟⲩⲁϩ ` ⲙⲯⲟⲓ ( Di ) Wah Ēnhib , Oasis of Hib , ( Di ) Wah Ēmpsoy , Oasis of Psoi ) is the southernmost of Egypt 's five western oases . It is located in the Western Desert , about 200 km ( 125 miles ) to the west of the Nile valley . Kharga or El Kharga is also the name of a major town located in the oasis , the capital of New Valley Governorate . The oasis , which was known as the 'Southern Oasis ' to the Ancient Egyptians and Oasis Magna to the Romans , is the largest of the oases in the Libyan desert of Egypt . It is in a depression about 160 km ( 100 miles ) long and from 20 km ( 12 miles ) to 80 km ( 50 miles ) wide . Its population is 67,700 ( 2012 ) .
North Sinai Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة شمال سيناء Muḥāfāzah Shamāl Saīnāʾ ) is one of the governorates of Egypt . It is located in the north-eastern part of the country , and encompasses the northern half of the Sinai Peninsula . It is bordered in the north by the Mediterranean Sea , in the south by South Sinai Governorate , in the west by Port Said , Ismailia , and Suez Governorates , and in the east by the Gaza Strip and Israel . Its capital is the city of El Arish . A governorate is administered by a governor , who is appointed by the President of Egypt and serves at the president 's discretion . The population of the North Sinai Governorate as at 2015 was 434,781 people , comprising predominantly Bedouin tribesmen . The Governorate covers an area of 27,574 square kilometers . The population density is 15 inhabitants per square kilometer . A significant economic activity of the Bedouin tribes has been smuggling . They have been active smuggling into the Gaza Strip supplies and weapons using cross-border tunnels as well as assisting illegal migrants into Israel . These activities have been curtailed by the Egyptian government crackdown of smuggling into the Gaza Strip and by the building of the Israel-Egypt barrier . North Sinai has since 2011 been especially affected by the Sinai insurgency and measures by government forces to combat it , which has resulted in many casualties .
ʻArish or el-ʻArīsh ( Arabic : العريش al-ʿArīš Egyptian Arabic pronunciation : [ elʕæˈɾiːʃ ] , Coptic : ϩⲣⲓⲛⲟⲕⲟⲣⲟⲩⲣⲁ Hrinokorura ) is the capital and largest city ( with 164,830 inhabitants as of 2012 [ update ] ) of the North Sinai Governorate of Egypt , as well as the largest city on the entire Sinai Peninsula , lying on the Mediterranean coast 344 kilometers ( 214 mi ) northeast of Cairo . It borders the Gaza Strip and Israel . ʻArīsh is distinguished by its clear blue water , widespread fruitful palmy wood on its coast , and its soft white sand . It has a marina , and many luxury hotels . The city also has some of the faculties of Suez Canal University . ʻArīsh is by a big wadi , the Wādī al-ʻArīsh , which receives flash flood water from much of north and central Sinai . The Azzaraniq Protectorate is on the eastern side of ʻArīsh .
Port Said Governorate ( Arabic : محافظة بورسعيد Muḥāfāzah Būr Saīd ) is one of the Canal Zone governorates of Egypt . It is located in the northeastern part of the country , on the Mediterranean Sea at the northern gate of the Suez Canal , making it the second most important harbor in Egypt . Its capital is the city of Port Said , and it is the home of the Suez Canal Authority historical administrative building and the Lighthouse of Port Said . Port Said Governorate is wholly urban , with 98.2% of the area populated . Most of the districts of the Governorate lie on the African side of the Suez Canal , although Port Fuad lies on the Asian side .
Port Said ( Arabic : بورسعيد Bur Sa'īd ) is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 kilometres ( 19 mi ) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea , north of the Suez Canal , with an approximate population of 603,787 ( 2010 ) . The city was established in 1859 during the building of the Suez Canal . There are numerous old houses with grand balconies on all floors , giving the city a distinctive look . Port Said 's twin city is Port Fuad , which lies on the eastern bank of the canal . The two cities coexist , to the extent that there is hardly any town centre in Port Fuad . The cities are connected by free ferries running all through the day , and together they form a metropolitan area with over a million residents that extends both on the African and the Asian sides of the Suez Canal . The only other metropolitan area in the world that also spans two continents is Istanbul . Port Said acted as a global city since its establishment and flourished particularly during the nineteenth and the first half of the twentieth century when it was inhabited by various nationalities and religions . Most of them were from Mediterranean countries , and they coexisted in tolerance , forming a cosmopolitan community . Referring to this fact Rudyard Kipling once said If you truly wish to find someone you have known and who travels , there are two points on the globe you have but to sit and wait , sooner or later your man will come there : the docks of London and Port Said .