Gharbia Governorate

Governorate in Egypt

For other uses of "Gharbia", see Al Gharbiyah (disambiguation).

Governorate in Egypt

Gharbia Governorate

Governorate

Flag

Gharbia Governorate on the map of Egypt

Coordinates: 30°52′01″N 31°01′41″E﻿ / ﻿30.867°N 31.028°E﻿ / 30.867; 31.028
Country|  Egypt
Seat| Tanta (capital)
Government

• Governor| Tarek Rahmi
Area

[1]

• Total| 1,942 km2 (750 sq mi)
Population

(January 2023)[2]

• Total| 5,409,714
• Density| 2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
GDP

[3]

• Total| EGP 174 billion
(US$ 11.1 billion)
Time zone| UTC+2 (EET)
HDI (2021)| 0.743[4]
high · 9th

Gharbia Governorate (Arabic: محافظة الغربية Muḥāfaẓat al-Gharbiyya, IPA: [elɣɑɾˈbejjɑ, -jæ], "the western governorate") 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.

## Municipal divisions

[edit]

The governorate is divided into municipal divisions, with a total estimated population, as of January 2023, of 5,500,507. In some instances there is a markaz and a kism with the same name.[2]

Municipal Divisions  Anglicized name | Native name | Arabic transliteration | Population
(January 2023 Est.) | Type

|
|
|
|

El Mahalla El Kubra | مركز المحله الكبرى | Al-Maḥallah al-Kubrā | 829,692 | Markaz
El Mahalla El Kubra 1 | قسم أول المحلة الكبرى | Al-Maḥallah al-Kubrā 1 | 186,805 | Kism (fully urban)
El Mahalla El Kubra 2 | قسم ثان المحلة الكبرى | Al-Maḥallah al-Kubrā 2 | 289,541 | Kism (fully urban)
El Mahalla El Kubra 3 | قسم ثالث المحلة الكبرى | Al-Maḥallah al-Kubrā 3 | 133,652 | Kism (fully urban)
El Sunta | مركز السنطة | As-Sanṭah | 507,934 | Markaz
Basyoun | مركز بسيون | Basyūn | 318,370 | Markaz
Kafr El Zayat | مركز كفر الزيات | Kafr az-Zayyāt | 486,055 | Markaz
Kotoor | مركز قطور | Quṭūr | 357,643 | Markaz
Samanoud | مركز سمنود | Samannūd | 426,257 | Markaz
Tanta | مركز طنطا | Ṭanṭā | 716,116 | Markaz
Tanta 1 | قسم أول طنطا | Ṭanṭā 1 | 315,737 | Kism (fully urban)
Tanta 2 | قسم ثان طنطا | Ṭanṭā 2 | 277,863 | Kism (fully urban)
Zefta | مركز زفتى | Ziftā | 449,066 | Markaz
Zefta | قسم زفتى | Ziftā | 114,983 | Kism (fully urban)

## History

[edit]

al-Gharbiyya is an Arabic term meaning "Western one" or "Western side".[5] In the 13th century it comprised 165 villages. The 15th-century geographer al-Qalqashandi describes the region as fertile and prosperous.[5]

El Mahalla El Kobra was the provincial capital until 1836, later succeeded by Tanta.[5]

The region is notable for the cultivation of cotton, and its textile industry.[5]

## Population

[edit]

In 1960, the governorate numbered 1,815,000 inhabitants.[5] According to population estimates, in 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate lived in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 30.0%. Out of an estimated 4,751.865 people residing in the governorate, 3,324,630 people lived in rural areas as opposed to only 1,427,235 in urban areas.[6]

## Cities

[edit]

* El Mahalla El Kubra
* Kafr El Zayat
* Samanoud
* Tanta
* Zifta
* El Santa
* Kotoor
* Basyoun

## Projects and programs

[edit]

In 2016, Switzerland committed to funding a solid waste management program in Gharbia, a project with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment that will conclude in 2021. The National Solid Waste Management Programme (NSWMP) involves the construction of infrastructure for new, as well as the expansion and improvement of existing waste treatment, landfill, and recycling facilities.[7]

## Notable people

[edit]

* Mohamed Salah (Liverpool F.C. footballer)[8]

## See also

[edit]

* List of cities and towns in Egypt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Al-Gharbiyyah". britannica. Archived from the original on 2018-11-20. Retrieved 2018-11-20.
2. ^ a b https://www.capmas.gov.eg/Admin/Pages Files/202331512347عدد السكان على مستوى المراكز والاقسام فى 1ـ 1ـ 2023.pdf. Retrieved 2 April 2023. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
3. ^ "GDP BY GOVERNORATE", mped.gov.eg
4. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI - Table - Global Data Lab". globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
5. ^ a b c d e Herzog, R. (1965). "al-G̲h̲arbiyya". In Lewis, B.; Pellat, Ch. & Schacht, J. (eds.). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition. Volume II: C–G. Leiden: E. J. Brill. p. 1010\. OCLC 495469475.
6. ^ "Population Estimates By Sex & Governorate 1/1/2015" (PDF). CAPMAS. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-10-19. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
7. ^ "Switzerland funds programme to improve solid waste management in 4 Egyptian governorates". Daily News Egypt. 5 October 2016.
8. ^ Al Sherbini, Ramadan (April 26, 2016). "Egypt turns to celebs to fight drugs". Gulf News Egypt. Archived from the original on 2016-10-18. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Gharbia Governorate Official website (in Arabic)
* El Watan News of Gharbia Governorate

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