Sharqia Governorate ( ar, محافظة الشرقية ', , rural: ) is the 3rd most populous of the

governorates of Egypt Egypt has a centralised system of local government officially called local administration as it is a branch of the Executive. The country is divided into twenty-seven governorates ( '; ; genitive case: ; plural: '), the top tier of local a ...

. Located in the northern part of the country, its capital is the city of

Zagazig Zagazig ( ar, الزقازيق ' , rural: ) is a city in Lower Egypt. Situated in the eastern part of the Nile delta, it is the capital of the governorate of Sharqia. It is located on the Muweis Canal and is a hub of the corn and cotton ...

Overview

Bilbeis is the former capital of Sharqia. A section of the governorate once was part of the Qalyubia Governorate. There is a strong agriculture industry, poultry and fish farming in Sharqia. The rate of poverty is more than 60% in this governorate but recently some social safety networks have been provided in the form of financial assistance and job opportunities. The funding has been coordinated by the country's Ministry of Finance and with assistance from international organizations.

Municipal divisions

The governorate is divided into the following municipal divisions for administrative purposes, with a total estimated population as of July 2017 of 7,192,355. In some instances there is a markaz and a kism with the same name.

Population

According to population estimates, in 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate lived in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 23.1%. Out of an estimated 6,485,412 people residing in the governorate in 2015, 4,987,707 people lived in rural areas and 1,497,705 lived in urban areas.

Industrial zones

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) the governorate is home to two industrial zones. They are located in New Salhia, and in 10th of Ramadan.

Cities and towns

The following cities and towns are located in Sharqia Governorate.

Notable people

El-Said Badawi El-Said Badawi (El-Saʿīd Muḥammad Badawī) () was a scholar and linguist and author of many works, both in English and in Arabic, dealing with various aspects of the Arabic language. Having learned the Qur'an by the age of ten in his village, ...

, sociolinguist *

Mohamed Morsi Mohamed Mohamed Morsi Eissa al-AyyatThe spellings of his first and last names vary. survey of 14 news organizations plus Wikipedia in July 2012 Ahmed Shafik Ahmed Mohamed Shafik ZakiAlso spelled: ''Shafiq''. ( ar, أحمد محمد شفيق زكى, ; born 25 November 1941) is an Egyptian politician and former presidential candidate. He was a senior commander in the Egyptian Air Force and later ser ...

, former Prime Minister of Egypt and Presidential Candidate for

Egyptian presidential election, 2012 Presidential elections were held in Egypt in 2012, with the first round on 23 and 24 May 2012 and the second on 16 and 17 June. The 2012 Egyptian Presidential election was the first democratic presidential election of Egypt’s history. The Musl ...

Abaza family The Abaza family ( ar, الأسرة الأباظية) is an Egyptian family of maternal Circassians, Circassian origin. They have had an influence in the late 18th century to modern times. They are believed to have a net worth of over US$800 mi ...

, the largest family in Sharqia and Egypt's largest family of Circassian origin. *

Ahmed Subhy Mansour Ahmed Subhy Mansour ( ar, أحمد صبحي منصور; born March 1, 1949) is an Egyptian American activist, Islamic Quranist scholar dealing with Islamic history, culture, theology, and politics. He founded a small Egyptian ''Quranist'' group ...

, founder of the Quranist movement *

Abdel Halim Hafez Abdel Halim Ali Shabana ( ar, عبد الحليم علي شبانة), commonly known as Abdel Halim Hafez ( ar, عبد الحليم حافظ,) (June 21, 1929 – March 30, 1977), was an Egyptian singer, actor, conductor, businessman, music teach ...

, popular singer and actor *

Miral al-Tahawy Miral al-Tahawy (Arabic: ميرال الطحاوي), also known as Miral Mahgoub, is an Egyptian novelist and short story writer. She comes from a conservative Bedouin background and is regarded as a pioneering literary figure. The '' Washington Pos ...

, award-winning Bedouin novelist *

Yusuf Abu Rayya Yusuf Abu Rayya (1955 – 12 January 2009) was an Egyptian author. Early life He was born in 1955 in Hihya in the Sharqiya Governorate, and studied journalism at Cairo University. His first published book was a collection of short stories in 1985 ...

, award-winning novelist * Husayn Fawzi Al Najjar, political historian and Islamic scholar * Magdi Yacoub, professor of cardiothoracic surgery at the National Heart and Lung Institute *

Sama El Masry Samia Ahmed Attia Abdel Rahman Hadaka, ( ar, سامية أحمد عطية عبد الرحمن حداقه) known as Sama Elmasry, is an Egyptian actress, singer and belly dancer. Career She began to work at Mehwar TV Channel following her gradua ...

, actress, belly dancer, and activist *

Ahmed Fouad Negm Ahmed Fouad Negm ( ar, أحمد فؤاد نجم, ; 22 May 1929 – 3 December 2013), popularly known as el-Fagommi الفاجومي (), was an Egyptian vernacular poet. Negm is well known for his work with Egyptian composer Sheikh Imam, as well a ...

, Egyptian vernacular poet *

Rushdy Abaza Rushdy Saiid El Bughdady Abaza ( arz, رشدي سعيد البوغدادي أباظة) (3 August 1926 – 27 July 1980) was an Egyptian film and television actor. He was considered one of the most charming actors in the Egyptian film industry. He ...

, actor * Fekry Pasha Abaza, journalist and political activist *

Ahmed 'Urabi Ahmad ( ar, أحمد, ʾAḥmad) is an Arabic male given name common in most parts of the Muslim world. Other spellings of the name include Ahmed and Ahmet. Etymology The word derives from the root (ḥ-m-d), from the Arabic (), from the v ...

, the leader of the 1881 nationalist uprising against the British *

Hamada Helal Mohamed Abdel-Fatah Mohamed Abdulaziz Helal ( ar, محمد عبد الفتاح محمد عبد العزيز هلال; born March 20, 1980), better known as Hamada Helal ( ar, حمادة هلال), is an Egyptian singer, actor, and composer who w ...

, Egyptian singer * Emad Moteab, Egyptian footballer *

Ahmed el-Mansy Colonel Ahmed Mansy ( ar, أحمد منسي, 1978–2017) was the commander of Egypt's Sa'ka Forces (Special Forces) Thunderbolt Battalion 103, who was killed in action with several other members of his battalion on Friday, July 7, 2017, in a vio ...

, an Egyptian officer who was killed in clashes with terrorists in North Sinai

References

External links

El Watan News of Sharqia Governorate
{{Authority control Governorates of Egypt