Hurghada

City on the Red Sea coast of Egypt

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|

City in Red Sea, Egypt

Hurghada

الغردقة

City

Hurghada

Location in Egypt

Coordinates: 27°15′28″N 33°48′42″E﻿ / ﻿27.25778°N 33.81167°E﻿ / 27.25778; 33.81167Coordinates: 27°15′28″N 33°48′42″E﻿ / ﻿27.25778°N 33.81167°E﻿ / 27.25778; 33.81167
Country| Egypt
Governorate| Red Sea
Founded| 1905
Elevation

| 14 m (46 ft)
Population

(auto)

• Total| 261,714
Time zone| UTC+2 (EET)
Area code| (+20) 65

Hurghada (/hərˈɡædə, -ˈɡɑː-/; Arabic: الغردقة al-Ġardaqa, Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [el ɣæɾˈdæʔæ]) is a city in the Red Sea Governorate of Egypt. It is one of the country's main tourist centres located on the Red Sea coast.

## Overview[edit]

Hurghada Marina in 2009.

Hurghada was founded in the early 20th century. For many decades it was a small fishing village, but it has grown into a major Red Sea resort as a result of Egyptian and foreign investment that began in the 1980s. Holiday resorts and hotels provide facilities for windsurfing, kitesurfing, yachting, scuba diving and snorkeling. The city is known for its watersports, nightlife and warm weather. Daytime temperatures are around 30 °C (86 °F) most of the year, and during July and August temperatures can reach over 40 °C (104 °F).[citation needed] Hurghada is a popular holiday destination for Europeans, especially during the winter, and some spend Christmas and New Year there. Tourist numbers from Russia dropped significantly[citation needed] after the Metrojet Flight 9268 plane crash in November 2015.

Hurghada extends for about 36 kilometres (22 mi) along the coast, but does not reach far into the surrounding desert. The resort is a destination for Egyptian tourists from Cairo, the Delta and Upper Egypt, as well as package holiday tourists from Europe. Hurghada has a population of 248,000 and is divided into:

* El Ahia and El Helal – the northern part
* El Dahar (Downtown) – the old town
* Sakala – the city center
* El Kawsar – the modern part
* El Mamsha (Village Road) – a pedestrianised street with a length of over 4 km (2.5 mi)

Many of Hurghada's newer hotels, restaurants, and shops are located along El Mamsha. Most of the newest and largest hotel resorts are located in the area between Mamsha and Sahl Hasheesh on El Mamsha. Beyond Sahl Hasheesh there are the hotels of Makadi Bay. Dahar is the oldest part of the town where the town's traditional bazaar, the post office and the long-distance bus stations (Go Bus and Upper Egypt Bus) are situated. The busiest area is Sakala, the "city center" on Sheraton Road, where there are hotels, shops and restaurants.[1]

The city is served by the Hurghada International Airport with scheduled passenger traffic connecting to Cairo and directly to several cities in Europe. A new terminal was opened in 2015 to accommodate increasing traffic.[citation needed]

## History[edit]

The village, which later evolved into what is now the city of Hurghada, was first settled in 1905. It acquired its name from a plant which has grown there naturally since the days of Ancient Egypt. Originally Hurghada was a fishing village. Oil was discovered in the area in 1913, and in 1921 British oil companies began its production and export. During the reign of King Farouk a recreational center was built in the city, but after President Nasser's nationalization of Egypt's industries it was reallocated to the Egyptian Armed Forces.

During the War of Attrition between Israel and Egypt (1967–70), Shadwan Island in the Red Sea to the east of the city was fortified by Egyptian troops and used as a radar post. On 22 January 1970 the island was the site of Operation Rhodes, a helicopter assault by Israeli troops who occupied it for 36 hours.

During the October War of 1973, Hurghada harbor was the target of four Israeli operations [he].

In September 1994, drive-by shooters killed two Egyptians and a German tourist; another German man was wounded in the attack and died of his injuries after returning to Germany.[2]

In 2016, a terrorist attack in Hurghada, inspired by the jihadist group Islamic State, wounded three tourists.[3] In another terrorist attack in Hurghada in 2017, a man declared that he wanted to kill only non-Egyptians, and stabbed seven female tourists. Two German women and one Czech woman were killed in the attack, which took place at two separate resort hotels.[4][5]

## Tourism[edit]

A fake Lidl store in Hurghada

Hurghada's major industry is foreign and domestic tourism, owing to its landscape, year-round hot and dry climate and long beaches. Its waters are clear and calm for most of the year and have become popular for water-sports, particularly scuba diving and snorkelling.

There are diving sites around Abu Ramada Island, Fanadir, Giftun Kebir, and Giftun Soraya. Tourists also visit shipwrecks such as the El Mina or the Rosalie Moller. The beach at Hurghada is busy and public, and beyond the town the coast road passes through holiday villages set in the desert.[6][7][8][9]

In a 2016 attack and again in a 2017 attack foreign tourists at Hurghada's beach resorts were targeted by terrorists.[4]

## Demographics[edit]

### Russian residents[edit]

Hurghada has 4 schools for Russian children, which are: Constellation (Созвездие), Our Traditions (Наши Традиции), Dina (Дина) and The World of Knowledge (Мир знаний) (the Russian School Hurghada), as well as the newsletter MK in Egypt. Much of the signage in the city, as of 2015[update], is in Russian.[citation needed] In June 2015 MK in Egypt publisher Yulia Shevel stated that there were about 20,000 Russians in Hurghada, giving it Egypt's largest Russian population, though only about 3,000 were officially documented.[10] Russian women staying in Hurghada often marry Egyptian men through an urfi (non-shariah) process.[11]

In 2017, the Russian Consulate was open in Hurghada.[12]

## Climate[edit]

Hurghada has a subtropical-desert climate (Köppen climate classification: BWh), with mild-warm winters and hot to very hot summers. Temperatures in the period December–January–February are warm, but in the evenings temperature may drop from an average 20 Celsius degrees to 10. November, March and April are comfortably warm. May and October are hot and the period from June to September is very hot. The average annual temperature of the sea is 24 °C (75 °F), ranging from 21 °C (70 °F) in February and March to 28 °C (82 °F) in August.

The highest temperature recorded occurred on June 12, 2013 and was 46 °C (115 °F), while the lowest record temperature was recorded on February 2, 1993 and was 0 °C (32 °F).[13]

Climate data for Hurghada

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Record high °C (°F)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 30.7
(87.3)  | 34.3
(93.7)  | 41.3
(106.3)  | 39.4
(102.9)  | 44.0
(111.2)  | 40.8
(105.4)  | 38.6
(101.5)  | 38.2
(100.8)  | 38.2
(100.8)  | 34.4
(93.9)  | 30.3
(86.5)  | 44.0
(111.2)
Average high °C (°F)  | 21.5
(70.7)  | 22.6
(72.7)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 29.1
(84.4)  | 32.9
(91.2)  | 35.3
(95.5)  | 36.2
(97.2)  | 36.1
(97.0)  | 34.3
(93.7)  | 31.1
(88.0)  | 26.8
(80.2)  | 22.7
(72.9)  | 29.5
(85.1)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 15.7
(60.3)  | 16.8
(62.2)  | 19.3
(66.7)  | 22.8
(73.0)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 29.7
(85.5)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 21.0
(69.8)  | 17.1
(62.8)  | 23.4
(74.1)
Average low °C (°F)  | 11.0
(51.8)  | 11.4
(52.5)  | 14.0
(57.2)  | 17.8
(64.0)  | 21.9
(71.4)  | 24.8
(76.6)  | 26.4
(79.5)  | 26.2
(79.2)  | 24.2
(75.6)  | 20.9
(69.6)  | 16.6
(61.9)  | 12.5
(54.5)  | 19.0
(66.2)
Record low °C (°F)  | 0.0
(32.0)  | 0.0
(32.0)  | 7.5
(45.5)  | 9.1
(48.4)  | 13.4
(56.1)  | 18.8
(65.8)  | 20.9
(69.6)  | 20.9
(69.6)  | 17.0
(62.6)  | 13.8
(56.8)  | 9.2
(48.6)  | 6.0
(42.8)  | 0.0
(32.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 0.4
(0.02)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.3
(0.01)  | 1.0
(0.04)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.0
(0.0)  | 0.6
(0.02)  | 2.0
(0.08)  | 0.9
(0.04)  | 5.2
(0.21)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.01 mm) | 0.3  | 0.2  | 0.3  | 0.3  | 0.2  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.0  | 0.2  | 0.2  | 0.3  | 2
Average relative humidity (%)  | 48  | 46  | 46  | 43  | 42  | 41  | 45  | 46  | 48  | 53  | 51  | 51  | 46.7
Average dew point °C (°F)  | 6
(43)  | 5
(41)  | 7
(45)  | 8
(46)  | 11
(52)  | 13
(55)  | 15
(59)  | 16
(61)  | 16
(61)  | 15
(59)  | 11
(52)  | 8
(46)  | 11
(52)
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 265.7  | 277.6  | 274.3  | 285.6  | 317.4  | 348.0  | 352.3  | 322.4  | 301.6  | 275.2  | 263.9  | 246.7  | 3,530.7
Mean daily sunshine hours | 8.6  | 9.9  | 8.8  | 9.5  | 10.2  | 11.6  | 11.4  | 10.4  | 10.1  | 8.9  | 8.8  | 8.0  | 9.7
Average ultraviolet index | 5  | 7  | 8  | 11  | 12  | 12  | 12  | 12  | 10  | 8  | 6  | 4  | 9
Source 1: World Meteorological Organization (1971-2000)[14]
Source 2: NOAA (mean temperature, record high and lows, humidity and sun 1961–1990)[15]

Time and Date (dewpoints, 1985-2015)[16] Weather Atlas (daily sun hours)[17]

Climate Charts[18] shows different averages and cooler day temperatures in summer.

Climate data for Hurghada, Egypt

Month  | Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec  | Year
Average high °C (°F)  | 21.2
(70.2)  | 22.2
(72.0)  | 24.4
(75.9)  | 27.6
(81.7)  | 30.5
(86.9)  | 32.8
(91.0)  | 33.3
(91.9)  | 33.4
(92.1)  | 31.8
(89.2)  | 29.6
(85.3)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 21.9
(71.4)  | 27.9
(82.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)  | 15.7
(60.3)  | 16.8
(62.2)  | 19.3
(66.7)  | 22.8
(73.0)  | 26.1
(79.0)  | 28.9
(84.0)  | 29.7
(85.5)  | 29.9
(85.8)  | 28.0
(82.4)  | 25.2
(77.4)  | 21.0
(69.8)  | 17.1
(62.8)  | 23.4
(74.1)
Average low °C (°F)  | 10.3
(50.5)  | 11.1
(52.0)  | 13.9
(57.0)  | 18.0
(64.4)  | 21.5
(70.7)  | 24.6
(76.3)  | 26.0
(78.8)  | 26.2
(79.2)  | 24.0
(75.2)  | 20.8
(69.4)  | 15.9
(60.6)  | 12.6
(54.7)  | 18.7
(65.7)
Average precipitation mm (inches)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 0
(0)  | 2
(0.1)  | 2
(0.1)  | 1
(0.0)  | 5
(0.2)
Average relative humidity (%)  | 48  | 46  | 46  | 43  | 42  | 41  | 45  | 46  | 48  | 53  | 51  | 51  | 46.67
Source: Climate Charts[18]

Hurghada mean sea temperature[19] Jan  | Feb  | Mar  | Apr  | May  | Jun  | Jul  | Aug  | Sep  | Oct  | Nov  | Dec

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

22 °C (72 °F)  | 21 °C (70 °F)  | 21 °C (70 °F)  | 22 °C (72 °F)  | 24 °C (75 °F)  | 26 °C (79 °F)  | 27 °C (81 °F)  | 28 °C (82 °F)  | 27 °C (81 °F)  | 26 °C (79 °F)  | 25 °C (77 °F)  | 23 °C (73 °F)

## Resorts near Hurghada[edit]

### Sahl Hasheesh[edit]

Main article: Sahl Hasheesh

Sahl Hasheesh is a newly developed resort located 18 kilometres (11 mi) south of Hurghada on the Red Sea.[20]

### El Qoseir[edit]

Main article: El Qoseir

Russian dumplings (pelmeni) on sale in central Hurghada.

El Qoseir is one of the Egyptian gateways, and one of the oldest cities on the western coast of the Red Sea. In the past it was known by various names, such as Thagho in the pharonic period, Leucos Limen (white port in Greek) in the Hellenistic and Ptolemaic period, and Portus Albus in the Roman period. In the Islamic period it was given the name El Qoseir, which means "a small palace or fortress".

Located between Hurghada and Marsa Alam, El Qoseir used to be an important port. Many people traveled from there to the Land of Punt to buy ivory, leather and incense. During the Ottoman and the Islamic periods, Egyptians and Muslims from North Africa traveled from El Qoseir as pilgrims to Mecca. It was also the only port importing coffee from Yemen. During the French occupation of Egypt, El Qoseir was the arrival point for Arabs and Muslims from Hejaz coming to fight beside the Mamluk against the French army. The most important sites in El Qoseir are the fort and the water reservoir. The water reservoir was El Qoseir's only source of drinking water 100 years ago.

El Qoseir El Adima, the city's historic area, was once a Roman port and hundreds of amphora and old pottery artefacts have been found there. There are several 300-year-old buildings in the area, including an Ottoman fort and a number of historic mosques: El Farran, El Qenawi and El Senousi. The police station is also located at a historic site. The area contains bazaars, cafes, coffee shops and restaurants selling sea food.

### Makadi Bay[edit]

A tourist resort located 30 km south of Hurghada dedicated only to hotels, shops, and clubs. There are no settlements with locals. The place features good sandy beach.

Anemone and clownfish at Sharm El Naga beach

### Sharm El Naga[edit]

A village, around 40 km (25 mi) south of Hurghada. Its beach contains a beautiful reef cliff.

### Soma Bay[edit]

Main article: Soma Bay

Soma Bay.

Soma Bay A tourist resort situated 45 km (28 mi) south of Hurghada, with various hotels including Palm Royale Soma Bay, La Residence des Cascades, Robinson Club, Sheraton (Kempinski – opening August 2008) & Caribbean World Resort Soma Bay (opened December 7).

### El Gouna[edit]

Main article: El Gouna

Walkway in Hurghada by night.

A privately owned luxury hotel town, about 25 km north of Hurghada. Quiet and clean, the town consists of several islands separated by channels and connected by bridges. Besides 14 hotels and 3 marinas, there are also 2200 private villas and apartments, while many more are under construction. It is promoted by some as Egypt's Venice. It is built on 10 km of beachfront and has unique and diverse architecture.

El Gouna provides diving and watersports centers, horse stables, go-karting, shopping arcades, bazaars, a wide selection of restaurants and bars, night clubs, an internet cafe, four bank branches, many automated teller machines (ATMs), two pharmacies, the El Gouna international school, El Gouna national school, a nursery, a private hospital, three marinas, a library, an airport, one of several casinos on the Red Sea coast, a private radio station, a post office, a museum, real estate offices and an 18-hole golf course designed by Gene Bates with a unique aqua driving range.

### El Mahmya[edit]

A tourist beachfront camp on the protected Giftun island, 45 minutes by boat from Hurghada.[21]

## Education[edit]

International schools include:

* German School Hurghada
* Russian School Hurghada
* French School of Hurghada

## See also[edit]

* Egypt portal

* Marsa Alam
* Red Sea Riviera
* Hurghada International Airport
* List of cities and towns in Egypt

## References[edit]

1. ^ "The main areas in Hurghada". Lifebeyondex. 7 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 April 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
2. ^ Elkoussy, Bahaa (28 September 1994). "German, Egyptians killed by militants". UPI.
3. ^ Sims, Alexandra (8 January 2016). "Egypt hotel attack: Three tourists wounded by assailants in Hurghada resort". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 June 2022. Retrieved 6 Feb 2017.
4. ^ a b Sanchez, Raf; Samaan, Magdy (16 July 2017). "Two tourists killed and four wounded in Egypt beach resort stabbing". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
5. ^ "Two tourists stabbed to death in beach attack at Egyptian resort". The Guardian. 14 July 2017. Archived from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
6. ^ "Dive sites Hurghada". Archived from the original on 2021-01-21. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
7. ^ The Rough Guide to Egypt Daniel Jacobs, Dan Richardson, Shafik Meghji - 2010 - Page 576 1848365012 "From Ed-Dahar, two main roads run 2–4km south to Sigala, which contains the modern port of Hurghada and a mass of restaurants and hotels, squeezed in wherever the terrain allows. Beyond Sigala is nothing but desert and an endless array of coastal holiday villages..."
8. ^ Lonely Planet Middle East - Anthony Ham - 2009 Page 185 1742203590 "Activities There's little to do in Hurghada itself other than sit on a beach and dream of more secluded places. The public beach in Sigala is less than appealing, though many resorts offer preferable sun-and-sand options"
9. ^ "Scuba diving in Hurghada". Archived from the original on 2018-07-14. Retrieved 2017-11-02.
10. ^ Abdallah, Buruddeen M. "Hurghada: 'Russian' capital of Egypt" (Archive). Daily Trust. June 6, 2015. Retrieved on November 18, 2015.
11. ^ Walby, Joanne (2010). "Extended Holiday in Hurghada: Russian Migrant Women and 'Urfi Marriage" (PDF). Surfacing. 3 (1): 39–70. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-01-26. Retrieved 2017-01-26.
12. ^ "Russia to open consulate in Hurghada to boost tourism". The Cairo Post. 2015-02-14. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2017-01-26.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
13. ^ "Hurghada, Egypt". Voodoo Skies. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
14. ^ "Weather Information for Hurghada". World Meteorological Organization. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
15. ^ "Hurguada (Hurghada) Climate Normals 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 25, 2015.
16. ^ "Climate & Weather Averages in Hurghada, Egypt". Time and Date. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
17. ^ "Monthly weather forecast and climate in Hurghada, Egypt". Weather Atlas. Archived from the original on 15 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
18. ^ a b "Hurguada, Egypt: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data". Climate Charts. Archived from the original on 9 November 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2013.
19. ^ "Hurghada Climate and Weather Averages, Egypt". Weather2Travel. Archived from the original on 30 May 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
20. ^ "Famous Cities: Sahl Hasheesh". State Information Service. Government of Egypt. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
21. ^ "Giftun island Hurghada, Egypt". Archived from the original on June 6, 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2015.

## External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to الغردقة.

* Egyptra Travel Guide from Egypt
* Hurghada travel guide from Wikivoyage
* RedSeaPages - Pulse of the Red Sea Archived 2016-07-01 at the Wayback Machine

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