North Sinai Governorate

Lore & Background

North Sinai has a rich history dating back to ancient times and is home to several ancient settlements of historical and Biblical importance, including Ostrakine and Kasion, both border cities between Egypt and Syria and important bishoprics in the Byzantine era, and Kadesh Barnea, tied to events described in the Bible. In August 2024, archaeologists excavating the ancient settlement of Asila uncovered the remains of a roadside caravanserai believed to have served commercial caravans, Egyptian pilgrims, and other travelers using the Sultan’s Road. The structure contained mudbrick and red-brick walls with limestone foundations, several rooms, possible shops, and artifacts including large pottery vessels, olive-green glazed pottery, red-and-white pottery, and lamp fragments, suggesting a Mamluk-period date.

Reader's Guide

North Sinai Governorate is significant for its strategic location bridging Africa and Asia, its ancient historical sites, and its role in modern Egyptian security. The governorate was especially affected by the Sinai insurgency and government countermeasures, resulting in many casualties. Notable attacks include the October 14, 2016 killing of twelve Egyptian troops at a checkpoint near El Arish, and the November 27, 2017 attack on a mosque in the village of Al-Rawda by roughly 40 gunmen, killing at least 305 and injuring up to 128, making it the deadliest terror attack in Egyptian history. The 2026 archaeological discovery at Asila adds evidence for the network of stations supporting pilgrimage, trade, and travel between Egypt, the Levant, and the Arabian Peninsula. The governorate's population is predominantly Bedouin, and its administrative divisions include six markaz with eponymous cities.

Did You Know?

• North Sinai's population in 2015 was 434,781, predominantly Bedouin tribesmen.
• The governorate covers 27,574 square kilometers with a population density of 15 inhabitants per square kilometer.
• In August 2024, archaeologists uncovered a Mamluk-period caravanserai at the ancient settlement of Asila.
• The 2017 Al-Rawda mosque attack killed at least 305 people, the deadliest terror attack in Egyptian history.