Shubra El Kheima

Shubra El Kheima, (Arabic: شبرا الخيمة‎, IPA: [ˈʃobɾɑ lˈxeːmæ]) is the fourth-largest city in Egypt. It is located in the Qalyubia Governorate along the northern edge of the Cairo Governorate. It forms part of the Greater Cairo agglomeration.

Not to be confused with the district of Shubra.
Shubra El Kheima

شبرا الخيمة
City
Clockwise from top:
Shubrah Palace, Shubrah Palace Facade, Pigeon towers, Al-Qanatir
Shubra El Kheima
Location of Cairo within Egypt
Coordinates: 30°7′43″N 31°14′32″E
Country Egypt
GovernorateQalyubia
Area
 • Total270.68 km2 (104.51 sq mi)
 • Land270.68 km2 (104.51 sq mi)
Elevation
16 m (52 ft)
Population
 (2012)
 • Total1,099,354
 • Density4,100/km2 (11,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EST)

Demographics

Shubra El Kheima was primarily inhabited by workers (and their families), who have worked in surrounding factories since the 1940s. However, recently it contains the great expansion of Greater Cairo towards the north as a consequence of migration from rural areas. Its population was 1,016,722 at the 2006 Census. It is administered as two kism (wards):[1]

  • Shubra El Kheima 1 10.41 km2, 461,689 people, borders Nile River, with city railway station
  • Shubrā El Kheima 2 17.27 km2, 563,880 people, inland, includes Bahtim

Since the national 2017 census, there is a 3rd kism (Al Khusus) within the governorate. It is unknown if this will be rolled into Shubra El Kheima or be considered a separate city, as municipal designations appears informal in Egypt. Using 2018 data (based on revised 2017 CAPMAS data projection), population of the two is 1,187,747 and 42,910 people per km2. The 3 kisms combined have 1,655,941 people with 46,764 people per km2.

Transportation

Shubra El Kheima is an important link point to many of other Governorates like the capital Cairo, Giza, Sharqyia, and Manofia. For instance it's a link to the Egyptian capital Cairo through many roads e.g. Cornish El-Nile road if someone wants to go to downtown, Ahmed Helmi street if someone wants to go to Ramses area and also another way to downtown, as well as Shubra El Kheima has the northern terminus of Line 2 of the Cairo Metro.

Landmarks

Mohamed Ali Palace

Shubra El Kheima hosts the Palace of Mohamed Ali Pasha, the founder of modern Egypt. He chose an isolated palace or an official residence away from the Citadel in the district called Shubra, the construction of the palace began in 1808 and it was completed in 1821. The Palace of Mohammad Ali or Shubra Palace is distinguished by its style of decoration that mixes between the Islamic style of decoration and the European one.

Mohammed Ali's Palace is the first flourishing structures in Shubra. This palace was once involving about 13 building but the only remaining parts of it are the reception area, the fountain kios, the basin area and the garden that was provided with a collection of rare plants and some of them still exist and it is now a museum.

The palace finally came under the authority of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in 1978. The most remarkable one is the drawing room which was used a dining room, a small garden was planted in each step of this scalar hill which was irrigated the waterwheel tower that was constructed to provide the gardens and the villa with fresh water.

  • Nightview from the train station
  • Shubra el-Kheima train station
  • Saint Theresa Church
  • Protesters during 2011 Arab Spring
  • Panoramic view of Shubra on the Nile

References and Notes
  1. Population data taken from the City Population website Archived 2018-09-02 at the Wayback Machine.

Media related to Shubra El-Kheima at Wikimedia Commons

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