Suez Governorate
SeatSuez (capital)
GovernorHany Rashad [1]
Area total9,002 km²
Population total843,385
Population as ofNovember 2023 estimate
TotalEGP 119 billion
(US$ 7.6 billion)
Time zoneEGY (UTC+2)
Time zone (DST)EEST (UTC+3)
HDI (2021)0.783[2]
high · 2nd
Websitewww.suez.gov.eg
Iso codeEG-SUZ

Suez (Arabic: محافظة السويس Muḥāfāzah as-Suways) is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the north-eastern part of the country and is coterminous with the city of Suez. It is situated north of the Gulf of Suez.

The Suez Governorate is one of the most urbanized regions in Egypt, alongside Cairo and Port Said. The governorate hosts several industrial zones, including zones for light and heavy industries, as well as new urban community industrial zones. A notable development is the agreement between Russia and Egypt in mid-2018 for the establishment of a Russian Industrial Zone within the governorate.

Suez is also home to five significant ports: Ain Sokhna port, Suez port, Adabeya port, petrol basin port, and El-Atka fishing port. These ports play a role in the governorate's economy, which is bolstered by natural resources such as limestone, clay, coal, petroleum, marble, and lime. The region's chief export is papayas.

Tourism is an important sector in Suez Governorate, with attractions like Ain Sokhna, known for its recreational and medical facilities, Moses' springs, and Judaic Hill at El-Khoor. Additionally, the Suez Public Free Zone, established in 1975, further enhances the economic landscape, being divided between Suez Port and Adabeya.

Municipal divisions

The governorate is divided into the following municipal divisions for administrative purposes, with a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 788,421.[3]

Municipal Divisions
Anglicized nameNative nameArabic transliterationPopulation
(July 2017 Est.)
Type
Arbaeenقسم الأربعينAl-Arba'īn287,620Kism (fully urban)
Ganayenقسم الجناينAl-Janāyin142,504Kism (fully urban)
Suezقسم السويسAs-Suways88,356Kism (fully urban)
Attakaقسم عتاقةAtāqah75,698Kism (fully urban)
Faisalقسم فيصلFayṣal194,243Kism (fully urban)
Port Suez Police Departmentإدارة شرطة ميناء السويسIdārah Shurṭah Mīnā' as-SuwaysPolice-administrated Area

Population

According to population estimates, in 2015 all 622,859 residents of the governorate lived in urban areas. With an urbanization rate of 100% the Suez Governorate is one of the most urbanized in the country, along with Cairo and Port Said.[4]

Industrial zones

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Suez:[5]

Zone name
North Ataka Suez Gulf Industrial Zone
North Ataka Industrial Zone
Petrochemicals Zone (North Sumed Pipeline)
West Ataka Industrial Zone

In mid-2018 an agreement was made between Russia and Egypt for the development of a Russian Industrial Zone.[6][7][8]

Ports

There are five ports in the Suez Governorate; namely Ain Sokhna port, Suez port, Adabeya port, petrol basin port, and El-Atka fishing port.

Natural resources

Natural resources in the Suez Governorate include limestone, clay, coal, petroleum, marble, and lime.

Exports

The chief exports of Suez are papayas.

Tourist attractions

  • Ain Sokhna, a well known recreational and medical destination.
  • Moses' springs
  • Judaic Hill at El-Khoor

Public Free Zone

In 1975, the Suez Public Free Zone was established. It is divided between two main locations: Suez Port and Adabeya.

See also

References

  1. ^ Samir, Farah (4 July 2024). "Egypt Announces New Governors for Cairo, Alexandria and Other Cities | Egyptian Streets"
  2. ^ "Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI - Table - Global Data Lab". globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  3. ^ "ﻋـــﺩﺩ ﺍﻟﺳﻛــﺎﻥ ﺍﻟﺗﻘﺩﻳﺭﻯ ﻟﻸﻗﺳــﺎﻡ" (in Arabic). www.capmas.gov.eg. 1 Jan 2023. Archived Mar 18, 2023 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Egypt in Figures 2015". CAPMAS. Archived 2015-10-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 23 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Industrial Zones of Governorate". Ministry of Investment Egypt. Retrieved 18 March 2025.
  6. ^ Wahish, Niveen (3 June 2018). "Russia gets the go ahead: New industrial zone to bring investment, jobs and technology to Egypt". Ahram Online. Archived 2018-11-24 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-11-24.
  7. ^ "Egypt and Russia sign the largest contract in the history of Egyptian railways". Al Masry Al Youm. 18 October 2018. Archived 2018-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2018-10-18.
  8. ^ "Egypt, Russia to sign MoU to establish industrial zone in Suez Gulf area". Ahram Online. 25 January 2016. Archived 2018-10-18 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 18 October 2018.