Northern coast of Egypt
The northern coast of Egypt (Egyptian Arabic: الساحل الشمالى El Sāḥel El Šamāli, north coast, commonly shortened to الساحل El Sāḥel, "the coast") extends for about 1,050 km (650 mi) along the Mediterranean Sea from the eastern side of the Sinai Peninsula at the Egypt-Gaza border to the western village of Sallum at Egypt's border with Libya. It is one of the longest Mediterranean coastlines in North Africa.
The city of Alexandria lies at the center of Egypt's Mediterranean coastline in Lower Egypt (northern Egypt), as chosen by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BCE. The north coast has been the hub of sea travel between the Mediterranean Sea and the Nile Delta for over 2,300 years.
Geography and nature
On contrast to Egypt's Red Sea Riviera, its Mediterranean coastline is totally plain with low altitude shrublands along the region, except for the westernmost portion which is formed by the 400m-high Marmarika Plateau. It is also characterised by the occurrence of Egypt's five northernmost lakes.
The region has typical Mediterranean flora and fauna on land and in marine life with the weather being between pleasant and hot during summer and mild in winter. The region receives the most rain in Egypt, hail and sleet fall rarely in winter. Snowfalls occur in some inland towns and locations.
Climate
Even though most of Egypt lies within the hot desert climate (BWh) according to Köppen climate classification with little precipitation, prevailing winds from the Mediterranean sea greatly moderate the temperatures of the northern coastal line, making the summers moderately hot and humid, while the winters moderately wet and mild, when sleet and hail are also common, in and around the wettest places, as Alexandria.
Temperatures range between a minimum monthly average of 9.5 °C (49.1 °F) in winter and 23 °C (73 °F) in summer, while a maximum monthly average of 17 °C (63 °F) in winter and 31 °C (88 °F) in summer.
Cities, towns and villages
Egypt's Mediterranean coast can be differentiated into 4 subregions:
- Western North Coast: Which has higher rain precipitation. Higher altitude witnesses higher snowfalls and it is colder than the other 3 portions. It also has more shrubed and forested terrain, Yet with no lakes. This subregion faces Greece and Crete. It has cities, towns and villages like:
- Sallum a border town at Libyan borders.
- Baqiqi a fishing local village.
- Sidi Barrani a snowy town, and Egypt's closest inhabited settlement towards Europe and Greece.
- Shammas a fishing local village.
- Zawyet Umm El Rakham a village with archeological sites.
- Marsa Matruh the main seaport on Egypt's Western Mediterranean coast.
- Fuka a village famous for excellent Mediterranean fruits and touristic beaches.
- El Dabaa a main town.
- Sidi Abdel Rahman a new touristic seaport town with a number of leading resorts like Hacienda bay and white, Marassi (made by Emaar), Lazorde and Diplo.
- Central North Coast: The southernmost Mediterranean shoreline in Egypt, forming a big gulf. It has no lakes as well. This subregion faces the West of Turkey. It has cities, towns and villages like:
- El Alamein the southernmost Mediterranean coastal city
- Marina, Egypt a leading Egyptian major resorts town, and host site of Ancient Egyptian and Roman monuments.
- Sidi Kreir a major town and municipality
- Borg El Arab a major city
- Alexandria the main Mediterranean city and seaport. At the center of the entire Medi coastline and the second largest city in Egypt.
- Delta's North Coast: Which is settled by larger populations and hosts larger cities -With exception of Alexandria-. It has Nile Delta which features hail and sleet in winters. Sometime frost and frozen ground during winter nights destroy the crops and agriculture plants. 3 of Egypt's Northern Lakes are located there: Lake Mariout, Edko Lake and Lake Burullus. This subregion faces Central Turkey. Its cities, towns and villages are like:
- Rosetta a historic western Nile delta city where Rashid's Nile branch and Mediterranean meet (aka Rashid)
- Baltim at the northern tip of the Nile Delta. One of North Africa's northern towns
- Gamasa a local touristic city
- Ras El Bar a touristic city for locals where Damietta's Nile branch and Mediterranean meet
- Ezbet El Borg is a fishing city at the other bank of the Damietta River
- Damietta a major eastern Nile Delta city and seaport in Egypt
- Eastern North Coast: It has the least precipitation, yet its cities and towns are of great geopolitical and economic importance. It is colder on its eastern part than its other part. 2 Northern lakes of Egypt are found in this subregion as well: Lake Manzala and Lake Bardawil. This subregion faces Cyprus and Turkey. It has cities, towns and villages like:
- Port Said a European styled-city, entrance to Suez Canal and Egypt's major eastern seaport
- Arish major east seaport on Arish river and Arish valley
- Rafah Egypt's last eastern Mediterranean city on the borders with Gaza Strip.
