Port Said Governorate

Port Said Governorate
Governorate

Flag

Port Said Governorate on the map of Egypt
Country  Egypt
Seat Port Said (capital)
Government
 • Governor Adel Mohamed Ibrahim [1]
Area
 • Total 1,345 km2 (519 sq mi)
Population (2015)
 • Total 666,599[2]
Time zone EET (UTC+2)
Website Port Said

Port Said Governorate (Egyptian Arabic: محافظة بورسعيد‎‎ Muḥāfẓet Būr Sa‘īd)[3] 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, it is the home of the Suez Canal Authority headquarters and the Lighthouse of Port Said. It is urban with 98.2% of the area populated.[2] Port Said Governorate also includes Port Fuad.[4]

Geography

See also: Port Said and Port Fuad

In 2015 a huge natural gas reserve was discovered and was described as "the largest ever found in the Mediterranean Sea". It was found off the coast of Port Said.[5] 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.[6][7] It was welcome news as Egypt has long suffered an energy crisis.[8][9]

The New Suez Canal project launched in 2015 included dredging of the East Port Said Canal.[10]

PORT SAÏD -- The French Cathedral and Kitchner Street

Cities

Population

At the 2006 Census, there were 570,768 people. 2015 estimates put that figure at 666,599. With an urbanization rate of 100%, the Port Said Governorate is one of the most urbanized in the country, along with Cairo and Suez.[2]

Social unrest

In February, 2012, more than 70 people died in the Port Said Stadium Riot after a soccer match.[11] Social unrest in early 2013 continued for at least two weeks.[12] While protesting, on March 5, 2013, protesters set fire to the governorate's headquarters and several people were injured.[13]

In October, 2016 Egyptians protested the increase in their rent on apartments. One official and several residents were arrested.[14][15]

Industrial zones in Port Said

According to the Egyptian Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), in affiliation with the Ministry of Investment (MOI), the following industrial zones are located in this governorate:[16]

New urban community industrial zone

Economy

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.[17]

Important sites

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.[18] 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.[19] Al-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.[20][21]

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.[22] Nearby, is the Suez Canal Authority building built on the banks of Port Said at the start of the project.[22]

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.[23]

Tall al Faramah, also called Pelusium, is of Ecclesiastical and archeological importance.[24] It is an archeological, prehistoric site with ruins and a Byzantine church.[25]

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.[26] 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.[27]

One can find historic churches. There is a Roman Church, established in 1926,[28] a Melkite Greek Catholic Church called Saint Elias Greek Catholic Church[29] and an old French Cathedral.[30]

References

  1. ↑ "Egypt's new provincial governors: Who's who?". Ahram Online. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Population Estimates By Sex & Governorate 1/1/2015" (PDF). CAPMAS. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  3. ↑ "Muḩāfaz̧at Būr Sa'īd". Geonames. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  4. ↑ "Campaign magnified in Port Fouad to remove encroachments". Port Said Governorate Official Website. September 22, 2016. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  5. ↑ "Vast Reserves of Natural Gas Found Off the Coast of Egypt". New York Times. August 30, 2015. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "ENI Granted Land to Build Gas Processing Plant". Egypt Oil & Gas Web Portal. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  7. ↑ Reed, Stanley (March 6, 2015). "BP Signs $12 Billion Deal to Develop Natural Gas in Egypt". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  8. ↑ Mills, Robin (June 14, 2015). "Tackling fiscal, gas and electricity challenges is central to resolving Egypt's energy crisis". The National Business. Retrieved 19 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Mills, Robin (September 6, 2015). "Gas find is a badly needed source of relief for Egypt". The National Business. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  10. ↑ Mamish, Mohab (March 3, 2016). "In Response to News Alleging Vessels Change Routes To The Cape Of Good Hope". Suez Canal Authority. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  11. ↑ Fahmy, Mohamed Fadel; Wedeman, Ben (February 2, 2012). "Egyptian health ministry: 74 dead, hundreds injured in soccer riots". CNN. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  12. ↑ "4 people, 400 injured in clashes in Egypt's Port Said". Xinhua. March 4, 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Protesters set governorate's headquarters on fire in Egypt 's Port Said". Xinhua. March 5, 2013. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  14. ↑ "Port Said MPs defend protesters' right to oppose price hikes". Daily News Egypt. October 21, 2016. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  15. ↑ El-Sheikh, Sarah (October 23, 2016). "Coordinator of Port Said housing protests arrested from his residence". Daily News Egypt. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "Investment Regimes, Industrial Zones of Governorate". Ministry of Investment Egypt. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "Port Said Gobernorate". Ask-Aladdin. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  18. ↑ "Port Said National Museum". Supreme Council of Antiquities. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  19. ↑ "Military Museum of Port Said". Ask Aladdin. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "Al-Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said". Fine Art Gov Egypt. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  21. ↑ "History of Al-Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said". Fine Art Government of Egypt. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  22. 1 2 "Port_Said". Ask Aladdin. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  23. ↑ Frost, G.H. (June 27, 1885). Engineering News and American Contract Journal, Volumen 13. University of Iowa. p. 406. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  24. ↑ Grzymski, Krzysztof A. (1997). "Pelusium: Gateway to Egypt". Pelusium: Gateway to Egypt.
  25. ↑ "Tall al Faramah". Geonames. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  26. ↑ FAO Fishery Country Profile - The Arab Republic of Egypt. 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  27. ↑ Stanley, Jean-Daniel (2015). "Submergence and burial of ancient coastal sites on the subsiding Nile delta margin, Egypt". Journal of Mediterranean Geography: 10. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "Apostolic Vicariate of Port Said". GC Catholic. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  29. ↑ "Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center". Melkite Greek Catholic Churches. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
  30. ↑ "French Cathedral". Geonames. Retrieved 20 October 2016.

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

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