Sharqia Governorate
Third most populous Egyptian governorate, often linked to the Land of Goshen.
Sharqia Governorate is one of Egypt’s 27 governorates and ranks as the third most populous. It lies in Lower Egypt, on the eastern side of the Nile Delta, with Zagazig as its capital. The governorate, together with the rest of the eastern Nile Delta, is frequently linked to the Biblical Land of Goshen.
The capital, Zagazig, anchors a governorate with both strong industrial and agricultural sectors. Sharqia is also known as the birthplace of many of Egypt’s historical leaders and notable figures.
For administrative purposes, the governorate is split into several municipal divisions. As of January 2023, the total estimated population across these divisions was 7,021,046. In some cases, a markaz and a kism share the same name.
Population estimates from 2015 show that most residents lived in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of 25%. Of the estimated 6,485,412 people in the governorate that year, 4,987,707 were in rural areas and 1,497,705 in urban ones.
According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), several industrial zones are located in Sharqia. The governorate also contains a number of cities and towns.
Notable people from Sharqia include Pharaoh Ramses II; sociolinguist El-Said Badawi; former President Mohamed Morsi; former Prime Minister and presidential candidate Ahmed Shafik; the Abaza Family, Egypt’s largest aristocratic family of Circassian Abazin origin; army general Mohammed Ahmed Sadek; Quranist movement founder Ahmed Subhy Mansour; engineer and politician Sayed Marei; singer and actor Abdel Halim Hafez; award-winning Bedouin novelist Miral al-Tahawy; award-winning novelist Yusuf Abu Rayya; political historian and Islamic scholar Husayn Fawzi Al Najjar; cardiothoracic surgeon Magdi Yacoub; vernacular poet Ahmed Fouad Negm; actor Rushdy Abaza; journalist and activist Fekry Pasha Abaza; nationalist leader Ahmed ‘Urabi; singer Hamada Helal; singer and actress Mounira El Mahdeya; footballer Emad Moteab; officer Ahmed el-Mansy, killed in clashes with terrorists in North Sinai; and cardiology professor Aly Saad.
Quick Facts
- Settlement Type
- Governorate
- Blank Emblem Type
- Seal
- Seat
- Zagazig (capital)
- Leader Title
- Governor
- Leader Name
- Shazem El-Ashmouni
- Population Total
- 7859068
- Population As Of
- January 2023
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Sharqia Governorate is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt and the third most populous. It is located in Lower Egypt on the eastern side of the Nile Delta, with its capital at Zagazig. The governorate has a strong industrial and agricultural sector. Along with the rest of the eastern portion of the Nile Delta, it is often identified with the Biblical Land of Goshen.
Reader's Guide
Sharqia Governorate holds significance as the third most populous governorate in Egypt and a key agricultural and industrial region in the Nile Delta. Its identification with the Biblical Land of Goshen gives it historical and religious importance. The governorate is noted as the birthplace of many historical leaders and figures, including Pharaoh Ramses II, former President Mohamed Morsi, and former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik. Its population in 2015 was estimated at 6,485,412, with a majority living in rural areas (75%). The governorate contains multiple industrial zones and is divided into municipal divisions for administration. Notable residents span fields from politics and military to music, literature, and medicine, reflecting its broad cultural and historical impact within Egypt.
Did You Know?
- Its capital is the city of Zagazig.
- In 2015, 75% of its population lived in rural areas.
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