Port Said Governorate

Governorate of Egypt

31°16′N 32°18′E﻿ / ﻿31.267°N 32.300°E﻿ / 31.267; 32.300

Governorate in Egypt

Port Said Governorate

Governorate

Flag

Port Said Governorate on the map of Egypt

Country|  Egypt
Seat| Port Said (capital)
Government

• Governor| Moheb Khalil[1]
Area

• Total

| 1,345 km2 (519 sq mi)
Population

(January 1, 2023)[2]

• Total

| 789,241
• Density| 590/km2 (1,500/sq mi)
GDP

[3]

• Total| EGP 190 billion
(US$ 12.1 billion)
Time zone| UTC+2 (EGY)
• Summer (DST)| UTC+3 (EEST)
HDI (2021)| 0.801[4]
very high · 1st
Website| portsaid.gov.eg

Port Said[5] (Arabic: محافظة بورسعيد, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat Būr Saʼīd) is a governorate located at the northeast end of the Nile Delta, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea at the northern mouth of the Suez Canal in north-eastern Egypt. It is wholly urban,[6] comprising the original Port Said city on the west bank of the Suez Canal, and the town of Port Fuad on the eastern bank, which makes it one of the few transcontinental metropolitans in the world, as it spans across two continents (Africa/Asia).[7]

Port Said is one of six governorates that make up the Suez Canal economic region, and is the home of the Suez Canal Authority historical administrative building and the Lighthouse of Port Said.

## Geography

[edit]

See also: Port Said and Port Fuad

In 2015 a huge natural gas reserve was discovered off the coast of Port Said and was described as "the largest ever found in the Mediterranean Sea".[8] Egypt now has one of the largest areas of natural gas and Italian company, ENI has been contracted to work on the natural gas liquefaction for Egypt.[9][10] It was welcome news as Egypt has long suffered an energy crisis.[11][12]

The New Suez Canal project launched in 2015 included dredging of the East Port Said Canal.[13]

Port Said - the French Cathedral and Kitchner Street

## Municipal divisions and demographics

[edit]

Port Said Governorate is divided into eight regions:[7] The seven Port Said city districts (hayy) of Al-Sharq, Al-Arab, Al-Manakh, Al-Dawahi, Al-Janoub, Al-Zuhur, and West District, in addition to the district-town of Port Fuad.

These districts are further subdivided in to 11 qism (police ward) which had a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 789,241 people:[2]

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

|
|
|
|

Al Dawahi | قسم الضواحي | Aḍ-Ḍawāḥy | 148,624 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Arab | قسم العرب | Al-'Arab | 60,251 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Janoub | قسم الجنوب | Al-Janūb | 41,901 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Janoub 2 | قسم ثان الجنوب | Al-Janūb 2 | 38,273 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Manakh | قسم المناخ | Al-Manākh | 84,679 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Manasra | قسم المناصرة | Al-Manāṣrah | 5,587 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Sharq | قسم الشرق | Ash-Sharq | 34,679 | Kism (fully urban)
Al Zohur | قسم شرطة الزهور | Az-Zuhūr | 266,381 | Kism (fully urban)
Port Fuad | قسم أول بورفؤاد | Būr Fuād | 89,541 | Kism (fully urban)
Port Fuad 2 | قسم ثان بورفؤاد | Būr Fuād 2 | 12,026 | Kism (fully urban)
Police Department Port Said | إدارة شرطة ميناء بورسعيد | Idārah Shurṭah Mīnā' Būr Sa'īd |  | Police-administrated Area
Mubarak East | قسم شرق التفريعة | Mubārak - Sharq at-Tafrī'tah | 7,299 | Kism (fully urban)

## Social unrest

[edit]

In February 2012, more than 70 people died in the Port Said Stadium Riot after a football match.[14] Social unrest in early 2013 continued for at least two weeks.[15] While protesting on March 5, 2013, protesters set fire to the governorate's headquarters and several people were injured.[16]

In October 2016, some Egyptians protested rent increases.[17][18]

## Industrial zones

[edit]

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Port Said:[19]

Zone name

C1 Industrial Zone
C6 Industrial Zone
C11 Industrial Zone (Craftsmen Housing and Workshops)
Industrial Zone Northwest of Portex Factory
Industrial Zone South of Port Said (Al Rasswa)
Industrial Zone Extension South of Port Said (Al Rasswa)

### East Port Said Industrial Zone

[edit]

Main article: East Port Said Industrial Zone

Located on the Sinai side of the canal,[20] Port Said East is a development project that contains the Suez Canal Container Terminal, which opened in 2004.[21]

In November 2015, president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi publicly launched a new harbour development project at East Port Said.[22]

A side canal at Port Said East was opened in 2016.[23]

## Economy

[edit]

See also: Port Said and Port Fuad

To promote trade, during his presidency, Anwar Sadat declared it a duty-free zone. Port Said Governorate is a major transit point for trade, importing and exporting millions of tons of goods each year. Tourism is also promoted for the region.[24]

## Important sites

[edit]

See also: Port Said and Port Fuad

There are several museums in this area. For cultural tourism one may want to visit the Port Said National Museum of Antiquities which opened in 1987 and is located at the confluence of the Suez Canal waters and the Mediterranean Sea. It houses about 9,000 artifacts from all eras, ranging from the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, and modern eras, as well as Coptic and Islamic eras.[25] The Military Museum of Port Said, established in 1964, commemorates the 1956 the tripartite aggression on the city. It features armory and military artifacts, equipment used in the wars fought between 1956 - 1967 and in 1973.[26] El Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said opened on December 25, 1995, and includes artwork by Egyptian artists in various branches of Fine Art.[27][28]

The Statue de Lesseps, honoring Ferdinand de Lesseps, the developer of the Suez and Panama Canals, has its base at the entrance to the Suez Canal, along Palestine Street, where passing ships come from all over the world. This makes it a favorite with tourists.[29] Nearby, is the Suez Canal Authority building built on the banks of Port Said at the start of the project.[29]

The lighthouse and jetties at Port Said, located at the northern terminus of the Suez canal, and completed in 1869, were built of concrete of Teil lime and Port Said sand. The lighthouse is a monolith 180 feet high. In the construction 120,000 tons of Teil hydraulic lime were used. It was an important engineering feat involving 25,000 blocks, each weighing twenty-five tons.[30]

Tall al Faramah, also called Pelusium, is of Ecclesiastical and archeological importance.[31] It is an archeological, prehistoric site with ruins and a Byzantine church.[32]

In 2004, the marine sector of Egypt had 3,013 fishermen who were categorized in the recreational fishing sector, fishing in and around the Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. "Recreational fishing is widely practised along the Mediterranean Coast", where Port Said is located.[33] Tel Tennis is an island (also called Tinnis or Thenessus) located 7 km (4.3 mi) southwest of Port Said on Lake Manzala and can be reached from Port Said by boat.[34]

One can find historic churches in Port Said Governorate. There is a Roman Church, established in 1926,[35] a Melkite Greek Catholic Church called Saint Elias Greek Catholic Church,[36] and an old French Cathedral.[37]

## See also

[edit]

* Governorates of Egypt

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Samir, Farah (4 July 2024). "Egypt Announces New Governors for Cairo, Alexandria and Other Cities | Egyptian Streets".
2. ^ a b "ﻋـــﺩﺩ ﺍﻟﺳﻛــﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﺗﻘﺩﻳﺭﻯ ﻟﻸﻗﺳــﺎﻡ" (PDF) (in Arabic). Retrieved 1 April 2023.
3. ^ "GDP BY GOVERNORATE", mped.gov.eg
4. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI - Table - Global Data Lab". globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
5. ^ "Muḩāfaz̧at Būr Sa'īd". Geonames. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
6. ^ "Population Estimates By Governorate ( Urban /Rural ) 1/1/2018". www.capmas.gov.eg. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
7. ^ a b "About - Administrative Division". portsaid.gov.eg. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
8. ^ "Vast Reserves of Natural Gas Found Off the Coast of Egypt". The New York Times. New York Times. 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
9. ^ "ENI Granted Land to Build Gas Processing Plant". Egypt Oil & Gas Web Portal. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
10. ^ Reed, Stanley (6 March 2015). "BP Signs $12 Billion Deal to Develop Natural Gas in Egypt". The New York Times. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 July 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
11. ^ Mills, Robin (14 June 2015). "Tackling fiscal, gas and electricity challenges is central to resolving Egypt's energy crisis". The National Business. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
12. ^ Mills, Robin (6 September 2015). "Gas find is a badly needed source of relief for Egypt". The National Business. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
13. ^ Mamish, Mohab (3 March 2016). "In Response to News Alleging Vessels Change Routes To The Cape Of Good Hope". Suez Canal Authority. Retrieved 18 October 2016.[permanent dead link]
14. ^ Fahmy, Mohamed Fadel; Wedeman, Ben (2 February 2012). "Egyptian health ministry: 74 dead, hundreds injured in soccer riots". CNN. Archived from the original on 28 May 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
15. ^ "4 people, 400 injured in clashes in Egypt's Port Said". Xinhua. 4 March 2013. Archived from the original on 8 March 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
16. ^ "Protesters set governorate's headquarters on fire in Egypt 's Port Said". Xinhua. 5 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 November 2015. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
17. ^ "Port Said MPs defend protesters' right to oppose price hikes". Daily News Egypt. 21 October 2016. Archived from the original on 22 October 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
18. ^ El-Sheikh, Sarah (23 October 2016). "Coordinator of Port Said housing protests arrested from his residence". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 24 October 2016. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
19. ^ "Industrial Zones of Governorate". Ministry of Investment Egypt. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
20. ^ "Location". ep-egypt.com. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
21. ^ "Industrial Area Port Said East". SCCT. Retrieved 30 April 2018.
22. ^ "Suez Canal Axis Development project becomes economic zone". www.tradearabia.com. 29 November 2015.
23. ^ "East Port Said Canal Inauguarted". World Maritime News. 25 February 2016.
24. ^ "Port Said Gobernorate". Ask-Aladdin. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
25. ^ "Port Said National Museum". Supreme Council of Antiquities. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
26. ^ "Military Museum of Port Said". Ask Aladdin. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
27. ^ "Al-Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said". Fine Art Gov Egypt. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
28. ^ "History of Al-Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said". Fine Art Government of Egypt. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
29. ^ a b "Port_Said". Ask Aladdin. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
30. ^ Frost, G.H. (27 June 1885). Engineering News and American Contract Journal, Volumen 13. University of Iowa. p. 406. Retrieved 20 October 2016.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
31. ^ Grzymski, Krzysztof A. (1997). "Pelusium: Gateway to Egypt". Pelusium: Gateway to Egypt.
32. ^ "Tall al Faramah". Geonames. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
33. ^ FAO Fishery Country Profile - The Arab Republic of Egypt. 2004. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
34. ^ Stanley, Jean-Daniel (2015). "Submergence and burial of ancient coastal sites on the subsiding Nile delta margin, Egypt". Journal of Mediterranean Geography (104): 65–73\. doi:10.4000/mediterranee.2282. Archived from the original on 23 October 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
35. ^ "Apostolic Vicariate of Port Said". GC Catholic. Archived from the original on 29 January 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
36. ^ "Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center". Melkite Greek Catholic Churches. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
37. ^ "French Cathedral". Geonames. Archived from the original on 20 October 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Port Said Governorate official website Archived 6 December 2012 at the Wayback Machine
* Port Said history (in Arabic)
* El Wattan News of Port Said Governorate[permanent dead link]

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