Dakahlia ( ', ) is an Egyptian

governorate A governorate or governate is an administrative division headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states or provinces, the term ''governorate'' is typically used to calque divisions ...

lying northeast of

Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...

, Egypt. Its area is approximately 3,500 km². Although the capital of the governorate is

Mansoura Mansoura (; ', , rural: ) is a city in Egypt located on the eastern bank of the Damietta branch of the Nile river. The city is the capital of the Dakahlia Governorate and has a population of 621,953 as of 2021. Etymology ''Mansoura'' in Arabic ...

, it got its name from the ancient town of Daqahlah (, from ) which is located in the modern

Damietta Governorate Damietta ( ' ) is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. It is located in the northeastern part of the country, and has a population of over 1.3 million. The capital is the city of Damietta. Damietta (city) is famous for its guava farms, as well a ...

History

Archaeology

According to Egypt's

Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities () is the Egyptian government organization which serves to protect and preserve the heritage and ancient history of Egypt. In December 2019 it was merged into the Ministry of Tourism with Khaled al-Anani ...

, in February, 2020, Egyptian archaeologists have uncovered 83 tombs dating back to 4,000 B.C, known as the

Naqada III Naqada III is the last phase of the Naqada culture of ancient Prehistoric Egypt, Egyptian prehistory, dating from approximately 3200 to 3000 BC. It is the period during which the process of state formation, which began in Naqada II, became ...

period. Various small pottery pots in different shapes, as well as some sea shells, makeup tools, eyeliner pots and jewels, were also revealed in the burial. In April 2021, Egyptian archeologists announced the discovery of 110 burial tombs at the Koum el-Khulgan archeological site. Of these, 68 oval-shaped tombs date back to the Predynastic Period, while 37 rectangular-shaped tombs were from

Second Intermediate Period The Second Intermediate Period dates from 1700 to 1550 BC. It marks a period when ancient Egypt was divided into smaller dynasties for a second time, between the end of the Middle Kingdom and the start of the New Kingdom. The concept of a Secon ...

. The rest of the tombs date back to the

period. The tombs also contained the remains of adults and a baby (buried in a jar), a group of ovens, stoves, remnants of mud-brick foundations, funerary equipment, cylindrical, pear-shaped vessels and a bowl with geometric designs.

Municipal divisions

The governorate is divided into municipal divisions and in January 2023 had an estimated population of 818,012. At times, there is a kism and a markaz 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 28.2%. Out of an estimated 5,949,001 people residing in the governorate, 4,271,428 people lived in rural areas as opposed to 1,677,573 in urban areas. By 2018, the population had increased to an estimated 6,577,000.

Overview

The

Urology Urology (from Ancient Greek, Greek wikt:οὖρον, οὖρον ''ouron'' "urine" and ''wiktionary:-logia, -logia'' "study of"), also known as genitourinary surgery, is the branch of medicine that focuses on surgical and medical diseases of t ...

and

Nephrology Nephrology is a specialty for both adult internal medicine and pediatric medicine that concerns the study of the kidneys, specifically normal kidney function (renal physiology) and kidney disease (renal pathophysiology), the preservation of kid ...

Center of

Mansoura University Mansoura University was founded in 1972 in Mansoura city, Egypt. It is in the middle of the Nile Delta. It is one of the biggest Egyptian universities and has contributed much to the cultural and scientific life in Mansoura and Egypt. History ...

Faculty of Medicine also features a renowned kidney center. Founded in 1983. Under the management of Dr. Mohamed A. Ghoneim.

Cities and towns

* Aga * Bilqas * Damas * Dikirnis *El Gamaliya * El Kurdi *

El Matareya El Matareya (also spelled al-Matariyya, al-Matariyyah or Mataria) may refer to: *El Matareya, Cairo El Matareya ( ) is a district in the Eastern Area of Cairo, Egypt. The district is unrelated to the coastal town in the Dakahlia Governorate, th ...

El Senbellawein El Senbellawein ( ) is a city in the Dakahlia Governorate of Egypt. Located about south of Mansoura, it has a population of approximately 435,000 inhabitants. Famous residents include political activist Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed, singer Umm Kulthum ...

*Gamasa *

Gogar Gogar is a predominantly rural area of Edinburgh, Scotland, located to the west of the city. It is not far from Gogarloch, Edinburgh Park and Maybury. The Fife Circle Line is to the north. Etymology The name of Gogar first appears in a cle ...

* Manzala *Mit Elkorama *

Mit Ghamr Mit Ghamr (, ) is a city in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt and located on the banks of the Damietta branch. It is a major center producing aluminium accounting for more than 70% of Egypt's total production, especially aluminium utensils. Mit Ghamr ...

*Mit Salsil *Nabaroh * Sherbin *

Temay El Amdeed Timay al-Imdid ( ', ' ''pčhimentēti''), the ancient Thmuis and Mendes, is a city and markaz in Dakahlia Governorate of Egypt. The estimated population of the markaz in 2019 was 201,956, with 19,366 living in urban areas and 182,590 in rural ...

Talkha Talkha ( ) is a city in Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. The city is located on the west bank of the Damietta, a distributary of the Nile in the Delta region. Is about 120 km northeast of Cairo. Talkha is situated opposite the city of Mans ...

Industrial zones

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Dakahlia:

Notable people

Arts

* Ahmad Hasan al-Zayyat, writer and intellectual *

Anis Mansour Anis Mansour, also transliterated as Anīs Manṣūr (, ) (18 August 1924 – 21 October 2011) was an Egyptian writer. Biography Mansour was born in Al-Mansoura on 18 August 1924. He obtained his BA in philosophy at Cairo University in 1947 and ...

, writer * Ali Mahmoud Taha, romantic poet *

Adel Emam Adel Mohammed Emam (; born on 17 May 1940), is an Egyptians, Egyptian Cinema of Egypt, film, Television in Egypt, television, and Egyptian Theatre, stage actor, known for his extensive career with over 150 artistic works, including films, plays, a ...

, movie and stage actor *

Faten Hamama Faten Ahmed Hamama (, ; 27 May 1931 – 17 January 2015) was an Egyptian film and television actress and film producer. She made her screen debut in 1939, when she was only seven years old. Her earliest roles were minor, but her activity an ...

, actress and producer *

Hassan el-Imam Hassan el-Imam ( , ; March 6, 1919, in Mansoura, Egypt – January 29, 1988) was a prominent Egyptian film director. He was nicknamed the Box-office King. Early life Hassan El-Imam was born on March 6, 1919, in the city of Mansoura, his father E ...

, film director * Iman Mersal, poet * Khaled El Nabawy, actor * Mohamed Abla, artist *

Mahmoud Mokhtar Mahmoud Mukhtar (Arabic: محمود مختار) (May 10, 1891 – March 28, 1934) was an Egyptian sculptor. He attended the College of Fine Arts in Cairo upon its opening in 1908 by Prince Yusuf Kamal, and was part of the original "Pioneers" of the ...

, sculptor *

Naguib Surur Naguib Surur (; born 1 June 1932 - 24 October 1978) was an Egyptian poet, playwright, actor and critic.
Accessed 23 March ...

, poet and playwright * No'man Ashour, poet and playwright *

Ramy Essam Ramy Essam (, ; born 1987 in Mansoura) is an Egyptian musician. He is best known for his appearances in Tahrir Square in Cairo during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, and has been called the voice of the Egyptian revolution. Essam stands for ge ...

, musician *

Sherif Mounir Sherif Mounir (sometimes credited as Sherif Moneer), (), born May 14, 1959, in El Mansoura (المنصورة) in Dakahlia Governorate (محافظة الدقهلية) as Sherif Ahmed Mounir (), is an Egyptian movie and stage actor An acto ...

, movie and stage actor *

Umm Kulthum Umm Kulthum (; 31 December 1898 – 3 February 1975) was an Egyptians, Egyptian singer and film actress active from the 1920s to the 1970s. She was given the honorific title (). Immensely popular throughout the Middle East and beyond, Umm Kul ...

, renowned singer and songwriter

Journalists

* Ahmed Mansour (journalist) * Mohamed Makhzangi, journalist and writer *

Mohammed Hussein Heikal Mohammed Hussein Heikal ( ; August 20, 1888 – December 8, 1956) was an Egyptian writer, journalist, politician. He held several cabinet posts, including minister of education. Life Haekal was born in Kafr Ghannam, Mansoura, Ad Daqahliyah in ...

, journalist, writer and politician *

Magdi Mehanna Magdi Mehanna (born Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt, 1956-2008) was an Egyptian journalist and the founding editor of '' Al-Masry Al-Youm'' newspaper, where he authored a column entitled "In the Forbidden Zone." He also presented a talk show with t ...

Politics

Ali Pasha Mubarak Ali Pasha Mubarak (, born 1823 or 1824- died on 14 November 1893) was an Egyptian public works and education minister during the second half of the nineteenth century. He is often considered one of the most influential and talented of Egypt's 19th ...

, one of the most influential and talented of Egypt's 19th century reformers *

Ayman Nour Ayman Abd El Aziz Nour (, ; born 5 December 1964) is an Egyptian politician, a former member of the Egyptian Parliament, founder and chairman of the El Ghad party. Nour was the first person to compete against President Hosni Mubarak in the 20 ...

, politician * Ahmed Gamal El-Din Moussa, former minister *

Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed or Aḥmad Luṭfī Sayyid Pasha () (15 January 1872 – 5 March 1963) was a prominent Egyptian nationalist, intellectual, anti-colonial activist and the first president of Cairo University. He was an influential person i ...

, intellectual, secularist and nationalist * Abdel Latif Boghdadi, politician *

Khaled Ali Khaled Ali (also spelled Khaled Aly; , ; born 26 February 1972) is an Egyptian lawyer and activist. He is known for his advocacy for reform of government and private sector corruption and for promoting social justice and labor rights. He is th ...

, lawyer and Acitvist *

Khairat el-Shater Mohammed Khairat Saad el-Shater (, ; born 4 May 1950) is an Egyptian engineer, businessman and Islamist political activist. A leading member of the Muslim Brotherhood, as the Deputy Supreme Guide, el-Shater was the initial candidate of the move ...

, Islamic political activist * Mahmoud Sabry El Shabrawy, professor, parliamentarian, intellectual and speaker *

Mohammed Mahdi Akef Mohammed Mahdi Akef (; July 12, 1928 – September 22, 2017) was the head of the Muslim Brotherhood, an Egypt-based Islamic political movement, from 2004 until 2010. He assumed the post, that of "general guide" () (frequently translated as "chai ...

, former head of

Muslim Brotherhood The Society of the Muslim Brothers ('' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar, Imam and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna in 1928. Al-Banna's teachings s ...

Mohamed Abdul Salam Mahgoub Colonel Mohamed Abdul Salam Mahgoub (, ''Muḥammad `Abdul-Salām al-Maḥgūb'') (1935 – 31 January 2022) was an Egyptian politician. Through 2006 to his death, he was the Minister of Local Development in the Cabinet of Egypt. He was previou ...

, politician *

Omar Abdel-Rahman Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman (), (ʾUmar ʾAbd ar-Raḥmān; 3 May 1938 – 18 February 2017), commonly known in the United States as "The Blind Sheikh", was a blind Egyptians, Egyptian Islamist militant who served a Life imprisonment, life senten ...

, Muslim leader and activist *

Sami Hafez Anan Lieutenant General Sami Hafez Anan (, ; born 27 February 1948) is a retired Egyptian military officer. He was the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces from 2005 until August 2012 when his retirement was announced by President Mohamed ...

, military officer *

Salah Nasr Salah Nasr (, ) (8 October 1920 – 5 March 1982) served as head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate from 1957 to 1967. He retired citing health reasons following Egypt's defeat in the 1967 Six-Day War. He was succeeded by Amin ...

, former intelligence agency directory

Religion

* Gad el-Haq, former

Grand Imam of Al-Azhar The Grand Imam of al-Azhar (), also known as Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar (), is a prestigious and a prominent official title in Egypt and the Islamic world. The current Grand Imam is Ahmed el-Tayeb, who assumed the role on 10 March 2010. The Grand ...

* George El Mozahem,

Coptic Orthodox The Coptic Orthodox Church (), also known as the Coptic Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria, is an Oriental Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Christian church based in Egypt. The head of the church and the Apostolic see, See of Alexandria i ...

martyr and saint * Mohamed Metwally Al-Shaarawy, Islamic scholar * Mahmoud Zakzouk, academic and politician

Science

Farouk El-Baz Farouk El-Baz (, ''Pronunciation'': ) (born January 2, 1938) is an Egyptian American space scientist and geologist, who worked with NASA in the scientific exploration of the Moon and the planning of the Apollo program. He was a leading geologist ...

, space scientist *

Mohamed Ghoneim Mohamed Ahmed Ghoneim is an Egyptian urologist. Career Ghoneim is a graduate of the University of Cairo. He is one of the founders of the Ghoneim Urology and Nephrology Center for Management of Renal and Urological Disorders (a World Health O ...

, urologist *

Saad Eddin Ibrahim Saad Eddin Ibrahim (, ) (31 December 1938 – 29 September 2023) was an Egyptian sociologist and author. He was one of Egypt's leading human rights and democracy activists and a strong critic of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Biograp ...

, academic and sociologist *

Selim Hassan Selim Hassan (; born on 15 April 1886 – 1961) was an Egyptian Egyptologist. He was the first native Egyptian to be appointed Professor of Egyptology at the University of Cairo, a post he held from 1936 to 1939. He was then made Deputy-Director ...

, Egyptologist

Sports

Ōsunaarashi Kintarō (born February 10, 1992, as Abdelrahman Shalan, ) is a retired sumo wrestler from Egypt. He was the first pro sumo wrestler from the African continent. Ōsunaarashi, whose chosen ring name translates into English as "great sandstorm", rose quickl ...

(Abdelrahman Shalan) sumo wrestler * Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa, footballer * Amr Marey, footballer * Hussam El-Badrawi, sports shooter *

Mahmoud Fathalla Mahmoud Fathalla Abdou Ibrahim El Henawy (; born 13 February 1982) is an Egyptian manager and former professional footballer who played as a centre-back and is the head coach of club Nejmeh. International career Fathalla represented the Egyp ...

, footballer *

Mahmoud El Khatib Mahmoud Ibrahim Ibrahim El Khatib (; born 30 October 1954), popularly nicknamed Bibo (), is an Egyptian retired footballer and current President of Al Ahly. He is considered as one of the best forwards in the history of African football. Early ...

, footballer * Mahmoud Abou El-Saoud, footballer * Mohamed El Shamy (footballer, born 1996) *

Mimi El-Sherbini Mohamed Abdel-Latif "Mimi" El-Sherbini (; 26 July 1938 – 20 January 2025) was an Egyptian footballer who played as a defender for Al-Ahly and the Egyptian national team. He took part in the 1959 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring in Egypt's 4� ...

, footballer *

Salah Soliman Salah Mohamed Soliman Ibrahim Elfass () (born 20 January 1990 in Mit Ghamr, Dakahlia, Egypt) is an Egyptian retired professional footballer who played as a centre-back or defensive midfielder. Honours ;Zamalek * Egypt Cup: 2013, 2014 T ...

, footballer

References

External links

Dakahliya Governorate
Official website

El Wattan News of Dakahlia Governorate
{{Coord, 31, 03, N, 31, 23, E, type:adm1st_region:EG_source:nlwiki, display=title Governorates of Egypt Medieval cities of Egypt Metropolitan areas of Egypt