View source for Safaga

{{Short description|Town on the Red Sea coast of Egypt}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|name                   = Safaga
|other_name             =
|native_name            =  {{lang|arz|سفاجا}}
|nickname               = 
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Egypt|City]]
|image_skyline    = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Images from Safaga No 1..JPG
| photo2a = Kalawy Magic Life 01 2008.JPG
| photo2b = Safaga - panoramio (2).jpg
| photo3a = Safaga.jpg
| size = 275
| spacing = 2
| color = transparent
| border = 0
}}
|image_caption          = Overview of Safaga
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|pushpin_mapsize        = 300
|pushpin_map_caption    = Location in Egypt
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = [[Egypt]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[Governorates of Egypt|Governorate]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Red Sea Governorate|Red Sea]]
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|<!-- Politics ----------------->
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<!-- Area    --------------------->
|area_magnitude         = 
|unit_pref                = metric
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="citypopulation">{{cite web |title=Safājā (Kism (urban and rural parts), Egypt) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/egypt/admin/al_ba%E1%B8%A5r_al_a%E1%B8%A5mar/3104__saf%C4%81j%C4%81/ |website=City Population |access-date=17 March 2023}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 5,285 
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<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|population_as_of               = 2021
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|population_total               = 55,299 
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<!-- General information  --------------->
|timezone               = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
|utc_offset             = +2
|timezone_DST           = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
|utc_offset_DST         = +3
|coordinates            = {{coord|26|45|27|N|33|56|12|E|region:EG|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes    = <ref name="citypopulation" />
|elevation_m            = 23
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'''Port Safaga''', also known as '''Safaga''' ({{langx|ar|سفاجا}} ''{{Transliteration|ar|Safāja}}'', {{IPA|arz|sæˈfæːɡæ|IPA}}), is a town in [[Egypt]], on the coast of the [[Red Sea]], located {{convert|53|km|mi|abbr=on}} south of [[Hurghada]]. This small port is also a tourist area that consists of several [[bungalow]]s and rest houses.

Having numerous phosphate mines, it is regarded as the phosphates export center. A paved road of {{convert|164|km|mi|abbr=on}} connects Safaga to [[Qena]] of [[Upper Egypt]].

== History ==

The town was founded between 282 BC and 268 BC, by Satyrus ({{langx|grc|Σάτυρος}}).<ref name=Strabo>[https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0099.tlg001.perseus-grc1:16.4.5 Strabo, Geography, §16.4.5]</ref><ref name=Stephanus>[https://topostext.org/work/241#Ph666.16 Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §Ph666.16]</ref> It was called Philotera ({{langx|grc|Φιλωτέρα}}) in honor of the [[Philotera|deceased sister]] of the Pharaoh [[Ptolemy II Philadelphus]].<ref name=Strabo/> [[Stephanus of Byzantium]] write that it was also called Philoterida ({{langx|grc|Φιλωτερίδα}}).<ref name=Stephanus/>

Safaga City is considered one of the most important therapeutic tourist centres, as special medical researches have proved the potential of attracting international tourism to Safaga.

Safaga was a merchant port for many years. The town has a small tourism industry, specialising in [[scuba diving]]. It was the host of the 1993 [[Red Sea]] World [[Windsurfing]] Championships.

== Climate ==
[[Köppen-Geiger climate classification system]] classifies its climate as [[hot desert climate|hot desert]] (BWh),<ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{cite web |title=Climate: Port Safaga - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table |url=http://en.climate-data.org/location/8597/ |publisher=Climate-Data.org |access-date=13 August 2013 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105172128/http://en.climate-data.org/location/8597/ |archive-date=5 November 2013 }}</ref> as the rest of [[climate of Egypt|Egypt]].

The highest record temperature was {{convert|46|C}} on July 30, 2002, while the lowest record temperature was {{convert|0|C}} on February 2, 1993.<ref name="Voodoo Skies">{{cite web |title=Safaga, Egypt |url=http://voodooskies.com/weather/egypt/safaga |publisher=Voodoo Skies |access-date=2014-01-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116091520/http://voodooskies.com/weather/egypt/safaga |archive-date=2014-01-16 }}</ref>

{{Weather box
|metric first=yes
|single line=yes
|location= Safaga
|Jan record high C=33
|Feb record high C=34
|Mar record high C=38
|Apr record high C=42
|May record high C=43
|Jun record high C=46
|Jul record high C=46
|Aug record high C=44
|Sep record high C=43
|Oct record high C=43
|Nov record high C=35
|Dec record high C=34

|Jan high C=21.9
|Feb high C=22.7
|Mar high C=26.1
|Apr high C=28.1
|May high C=31.7
|Jun high C=33.8
|Jul high C=34
|Aug high C=34.4
|Sep high C=32.3
|Oct high C=30.2
|Nov high C=27
|Dec high C=23.4

|Jan mean C=16.3
|Feb mean C=16.8
|Mar mean C=20.4
|Apr mean C=22.5
|May mean C=26.2
|Jun mean C=28.6
|Jul mean C=29
|Aug mean C=29.6
|Sep mean C=27.6
|Oct mean C=25.2
|Nov mean C=21.6
|Dec mean C=17.9

|Jan low C=10.7
|Feb low C=11
|Mar low C=14.8
|Apr low C=16.9
|May low C=20.7
|Jun low C=23.5
|Jul low C=24.1
|Aug low C=24.9
|Sep low C=22.9
|Oct low C=20.3
|Nov low C=16.3
|Dec low C=12.4

|Jan record low C=1
|Feb record low C=0
|Mar record low C=1
|Apr record low C=8
|May record low C=10
|Jun record low C=12
|Jul record low C=15
|Aug record low C=13
|Sep record low C=12
|Oct record low C=11
|Nov record low C=6
|Dec record low C=3

|precipitation colour=green
|Jan precipitation mm=0
|Feb precipitation mm=0
|Mar precipitation mm=0
|Apr precipitation mm=0
|May precipitation mm=0
|Jun precipitation mm=0
|Jul precipitation mm=0
|Aug precipitation mm=0
|Sep precipitation mm=0
|Oct precipitation mm=1
|Nov precipitation mm=1
|Dec precipitation mm=0

|Jan rain days=0
|Feb rain days=0
|Mar rain days=0
|Apr rain days=0
|May rain days=1
|Jun rain days=0
|Jul rain days=0
|Aug rain days=0
|Sep rain days=0
|Oct rain days=0
|Nov rain days=0
|Dec rain days=0

|Jand sun=9
|Febd sun=10
|Mard sun=10
|Aprd sun=10
|Mayd sun=11
|Jund sun=12
|Juld sun=13
|Augd sun=12
|Sepd sun=11
|Octd sun=10
|Novd sun=10
|Decd sun=9

|source 1= ''Climate-Data.org'' (altitude: 18m),<ref name="Climate-Data.org"/> ''Weather2Travel'' for rainy days and sunshine<ref name="Weather2Travel">{{cite web |title=Safaga Climate and Weather Averages, Egypt |url=http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/safaga.php |publisher=Weather2Travel |access-date=2014-01-15 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141007112909/http://www.weather2travel.com/climate-guides/egypt/safaga.php |archive-date=2014-10-07 }}</ref>

|source 2= ''Voodoo Skies'' for record temperatures<ref name="Voodoo Skies"/>

}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+Safaga mean sea temperature<ref name="Weather2Travel"/>
|-
!Jan
!Feb
!Mar
!Apr
!May
!Jun
!Jul
!Aug
!Sep
!Oct
!Nov
!Dec
|-
|{{convert|23|°C}}
|{{convert|22|°C}}
|{{convert|22|°C}}
|{{convert|23|°C}}
|{{convert|25|°C}}
|{{convert|26|°C}}
|{{convert|28|°C}}
|{{convert|29|°C}}
|{{convert|28|°C}}
|{{convert|27|°C}}
|{{convert|26|°C}}
|{{convert|24|°C}}
|}

== Port ==
Safaga port is also a gateway for [[Duba, Saudi Arabia|Duba]] port to some [[hajj|hajj pilgrims]] or travelers to [[Mecca]], by [[ferries]].

==See also==
{{portal|Egypt}}
* [[List of cities and towns in Egypt]]
*[[Gamul Kebir]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Sa'id / Upper Egypt Main Cities}}
{{Egyptian Cities}}
{{Red Sea Riviera}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Red Sea Governorate]]
[[Category:Populated coastal places in Egypt]]
[[Category:Underwater diving sites in Egypt]]
[[Category:Tourism in Egypt]]
[[Category:Ancient Greeks in Egypt]]