North Sinai Governorate

North Sinai Governorate
Governorate

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North Sinai Governorate on the map of Egypt
Coordinates: 30°30′N 33°36′E / 30.5°N 33.6°E / 30.5; 33.6Coordinates: 30°30′N 33°36′E / 30.5°N 33.6°E / 30.5; 33.6
Country  Egypt
Seat Arish (capital)
Government
 • Governor Mohamed Abdel-Fadil Shousha [1]
Area
 • Total 27,574 km2 (10,646 sq mi)
Population (January 2018)
 • Total 457,000[2]
Time zone UTC+2 (EET)
Website North Sinai

North Sinai Governorate (Egyptian Arabic: محافظة شمال سيناء‎ Muḥāfẓet Shamāl Sīnāʾ) is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the north-eastern part of the country, and encompasses the northern half of the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered in the north by the Mediterranean Sea, in the south by South Sinai Governorate, in the west by Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez Governorates,[3] and in the east by the Gaza Strip and Israel. Its capital is the city of El Arish. A governorate is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Egypt and serves at the president's discretion.

The population of the North Sinai Governorate as at 2015 was 434,781 people, comprising predominantly Bedouin tribesmen. The Governorate covers an area of 27,574 square kilometers. The population density is 15 inhabitants per square kilometer.

A significant economic activity of the Bedouin tribes has been smuggling. They have been active smuggling into the Gaza Strip supplies and weapons using cross-border tunnels as well as assisting illegal migrants into Israel. These activities have been curtailed by the Egyptian government crackdown of smuggling into the Gaza Strip and by the building of the Israel-Egypt barrier.

North Sinai has since 2011 been especially affected by the Sinai insurgency and measures by government forces to combat it,[4] which has resulted in many casualties. On October 14, 2016 twelve Egyptian troops were killed at a checkpoint near El Arish. [5] [6]

Population

According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 60.2%. An estimated total of 434,781 people live in the governorate, of which 261,686 people live in urban areas and 173,095 live in rural areas.[7]

Cities

Towns

Industrial zones

According to the Egyptian Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), in affiliation with the Ministry of Investment (MOI), the following industrial zones are located in the governorate:[8]

  • Bir Al Abd
  • Al Masa’eed Artisans
  • Heavy industrial zone - Arish

References

  1. ↑ "رسمياً.. المحافظون الجدد ونوابهم يؤدون اليمين الدستورية أمام الرئيس". Almasry Alyoum (in Arabic). 30 August 2018.
  2. ↑ "الجهاز المركزي للتعبئة العامة والإحصاء". www.capmas.gov.eg. Retrieved 10 October 2018.
  3. ↑ State Information Service
  4. ↑ IRIN: Economic life slows to a crawl amid crackdown in North Sinai
  5. ↑ Hughes, Clyde (October 14, 2016). "Sinai Checkpoint Attack Kills 12 Egyptian Troops". Newsmax. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  6. ↑ SWEILAM,, Ashraf (October 14, 2016). "Militant attack kills 12 Egyptian soldiers in Sinai". AP. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Population Estimates By Sex & Governorate 1/1/2015" (PDF). CAPMAS. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Investment Regimes, Industrial Zones of Governorate". Ministry of Investment Egypt. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
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