Red Sea Governorate
Governorate of Egypt
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The Red Sea Governorate (Arabic: محافظة البحر الأحمر, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat al-Baḥr al-Aḥmar) is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. Located between the Nile and the Red Sea in the southeast of the country, its southern border forms part of Egypt's border with Sudan. Its capital and largest city is Hurghada.
Red Sea Governorate
محافظة البحر الأحمر | |
|---|---|
Hurghada port mosque | |
 Flag  | |
.svg) Red Sea Governorate on the map of Egypt | |
| Coordinates: 25°32′1″N 33°26′18″E | |
| Country |  Egypt |
| Seat | Hurghada (capital) |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Walid Abdel-Azim[1] |
| Area | |
• Total | 119,099 km2 (45,984 sq mi) |
| Population (January 2024)[2] | |
• Total | 410,229 |
| • Density | 3.44444/km2 (8.92105/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Total | EGP 76 billion (US$ 4.8 billion) |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EGY) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EEST) |
| HDI (2021) | 0.738[4] high · 10th |
| Website | www |
Municipal divisions
The governorate is divided into multiple municipal divisions with a total estimated population of 410,229 as of January 2024. In the case of Red Sea governorate, some are fully urban, some are fully rural, and some are a combination of both.[6][7]
| Anglicized name | Native name | Arabic transliteration | Population (January 2023 Est.) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurghada 1 | قسم أول الغردقة | Al-Ghurdaqah 1 | 83,888 | Kism (fully urban) |
| Hurghada 2 | قسم ثان الغردقة | Al-Ghurdaqah 2 | 128,713 | Kism (fully urban) |
| El Qusair | قسم القصير | Al-Quṣayr | 53,230 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Shalateen | قسم الشلاتين | Ash-Shalātīn | 13,761 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Halaib | قسم حلايب | Ḥalāyib | 8,312 | Kism (fully rural) |
| Marsa Alam | قسم مرسى علم | Marsā 'Alam | 9,147 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Ras Gharib | قسم رأس غارب | Ras Ghārib | 46,297 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Safaga | قسم سفاجا | Safājā | 56,721 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
Geography
Administratively, the Red Sea Governorate is bordered in the north by the Suez Governorate, to the east by the Red Sea, and to the west by the governorates of Aswan, Qena, Sohag, Asyut, Minya and Beni Suef. In the south it is bordered by Sudan's Red Sea State. It contains the disputed territory of the Halaib Triangle, including the Siyal Islands, and contains the Red Sea Hills, a mountain chain making up the Itbay region of Eastern Egypt and Sudan.
Population
The Red Sea Governorate has seen large percentage increases in population in recent decades, and has a population of 400,069 as of 2023.[2]
Industrial zones
According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in the Red Sea Governorate:[8]
| Zone name |
|---|
| Alaki 1 |
| Alaki 2 |
| Baranis 1 |
| Baranis 2 |
Economy
The coast is a tourist destination. Since the early 1980s, Hurghada has been a popular destination for beach lovers and scuba divers. Tourism is also growing in the southern cities of Al-Qusair, Safaga and Marsa Alam. In addition to the numerous hotels and tourist establishments in the centers are located in Al-Bahr al-Ahmar 2 official nature reserves are to be developed for tourism or. The Wadi al-Gamal National Park (Valley of the camels) at Hamata near the town of Marsa Alam and the Gebel Elba National Park in disputed Halaib Triangle north of the town of Halaib. Besides a strong tourism industry, there is also a large offshore fishing industry. The area, which extends over the province, is rich in minerals, such as in phosphates. The Ras Gharib region contains 70% of Egypt's oil production.[citation needed]