North Sinai Governorate
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox settlement
North Sinai (Template:Langx Template:Transliteration) is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the north-eastern part of the country, and encompasses the northern half of the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered in the north by the Mediterranean Sea, in the south by South Sinai Governorate, in the west by Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez Governorates,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and in the east by the Gaza Strip in Palestine (Rafah Governorate) and Israel (Southern District). Its capital is the city of El Arish. A governorate is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Egypt and serves at the president's discretion.
North Sinai has a rich history dating back to ancient times and is home to several ancient settlements that hold significant historical and Biblical importance – Ostrakine and Kasion, both of which served as a border city between Egypt and Syria and an important bishopric in the Byzantine era; Kadesh Barnea, an important site, with its history tied to the events described in the Bible.
The population of the North Sinai Governorate as at 2015 was 434,781 people, comprising predominantly Bedouin tribesmen. The Governorate covers an area of 27,574 square kilometers. The population density is 15 inhabitants per square kilometer.
North Sinai was especially affected by the Sinai insurgency and measures by government forces to combat it,<ref>IRIN: Economic life slows to a crawl amid crackdown in North Sinai Template:Webarchive</ref> which has resulted in many casualties. On October 14, 2016, twelve Egyptian troops were killed at a checkpoint near El Arish.<ref name="AP Militants">Template:Cite news</ref> On November 27, 2017, a mosque in the village of Al-Rawda was attacked by roughly 40 gunmen, killing at least 305 and injuring up to 128 others, making it the deadliest terror attack in Egyptian history.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Municipal divisions
The governorate is divided into municipal divisions for administrative purposes with a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 504,201.<ref name="CAPMAS2023" />
| Anglicized name | Native name | Arabic transliteration | Population (January 2023 Est.) |
Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Arish 1 | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 60,219 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| El Arish 2 | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 70,856 | Kism (fully urban) |
| El Arish 3 | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 47,701 | Kism (fully urban) |
| El Arish 4 | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 29,343 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| El Hassana | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 21,213 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Sheikh Zuweid | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 65,964 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Bir El Abd | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 60,827 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Nakhl | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 6,662 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Rafah | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 82,793 | Kism (urban and rural parts) |
| Shurtet El Qasima | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 13,331 | Kism (fully rural) |
| Shurtet Rumana | Template:Lang | Template:Transliteration | 45,292 | Kism (fully rural) |
Population
Template:Historical populations According to population estimates, in 2024 the majority of residents in the governorate lived in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 60.2%. Out of an estimated total of 450,531 people, 261,219 people lived in urban areas and 179,312 lived in rural areas.<ref name="pop 2015" />
Counties and cities
North Sinai is divided into six markaz (counties), each with an eponymous city as their capitals.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- Al-Arish, also the governorate's capital and largest city, with 164,830 inhabitants Template:As of.
- Nekhel
- Rafah
- Bir al-Abd
- Al-Hassana (see Raid on Bir el Hassana and the map included therein; "bir" means "a well")
- Sheikh Zuweid
Industrial zones
According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in North Sinai:<ref name="IndustrialZones">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Zone name |
|---|
| Be'r El Abd Industrial Zone |
| Massaeed Crafts Zone |
Governors
- Muhammad Abdul Mun'em El Qirmani (May 1974-November 1976)<ref name="governers">Template:Cite web</ref>
- Fu'ad Ibrahim Nassar (November 1976-November 1978)<ref name="governers" />
- Muhammad Hussein Shawkat (November 1978-May 1980)<ref name="governers" />
- Youssef Sabri Abu Taleb (May 1980-August 1982)<ref name="governers" />
- Mounir Ahmad Shash (September 1982-January 1996)<ref name="governers" />
- Muhammad Dasouqi El Ghayati (January 1996-July 1997)<ref name="governers" />
- Ali Hifzi Muhammad (July 1997-November 1999)<ref name="governers" />
- Ahmad Abdul Hamid Muhammad (November 1999-April 2008)<ref name="governers" />
- Abdel Fadil Shousha (April 2008-January 2010)<ref name="governers" />
- Murad Muwafi (January 2010-January 2011)<ref name="governers" />
- Sayyid Abdul Wahhab Mabrouk (30 January 2011 – 8 August 2012)<ref name="governers" />
- Abdul Fattah Harhour (4 September 2012 – 30 August 2018)<ref name="governers" />
- Abdel Fadil Shousha (second term) (August 2018-)<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
References
External links
- Official website English
- Template:Official website Template:In lang
- El Wattan News of North Sinai Governorate