List of cities and towns in Egypt

General map of Egypt, with main cities

The cities and towns of Egypt are the urban administrative units of the Republic of Egypt. Egypt comprises 249 populated cities within the country's 27 governorates.[1][2] Some of these cities fall directly under the authority of the governorate in which they are located, while others are managed by the New Urban Communities Authority, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities. The New Urban Communities Authority was established to create new urban centers to attract residents away from the Nile Valley and Delta.[3]

Besides being one the first states in the history of the world, and one of the oldest cradles of human civilization, Egypt is also one of the oldest in terms of urban development.[4][5] Urban formation in the country began in prehistoric times, starting with the formation of villages consisting of groups of Egyptian families living together in one place, on or near the banks of the Nile River.[6][7] Each village had its own deity. The Egyptians then began to utilize the Nile River, digging canals and waterways to facilitate agriculture. Cities began to emerge through the merging of groups of villages, each with its own ruler and deity. Temples were built, markets arose, and trade and industry flourished alongside agriculture throughout ancient Egyptian history. Some ancient cities have survived to the present day for thousands of years.[8] The establishment of cities has continued throughout history as needed, whether to attract populations and reduce overcrowding in certain areas, or for specific purposes such as industry and trade, or as garrisons and border posts to protect the country along its land or sea borders. The Egyptian Constitution guarantees the possibility of establishing new administrative units, such as cities, and modifying or abolishing their administrative boundaries, taking into account economic and social conditions as regulated by Egyptian law.[9]

0-9

A

B

C

D

E

F

  • Faqous
  • Faraskur
  • Farshut
  • Fayed
  • Faiyum
  • Fuka

G

H

I

  • Ibsheway
  • Ihnasya
  • Ismailia
  • Itay El Barud
  • Itsa

J

  • Jahina

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

W

Z

cities and towns that need to be added

A

  • Al-Qinayat

B

  • Borg El Burullus
  • Bayadiya

Largest cities

Name Arabic Governorate Area code Population (2023 estimate)[12] Photo
Cairo* القاهرة Cairo (+20) 2 10,000,000
Alexandria الاسكندرية Alexandria (+20) 3 5,362,517
Giza* الجيزة Giza (+20) 2 4,458,135
Shubra El Kheima* شبرا الخيمة Qalyubia (+20) 2 1,275,700
Port Said بور سعيد Port Said (+20) 60 791,749
Suez السويس Suez (+20) 60 716,458
Mansoura المنصورة Dakahlia (+20) 50 632,330
El Mahalla El Kubra المحلة الكبرى Gharbia (+20) 40 614,202
Tanta طنطا Gharbia (+20) 40 597,694
Asyut اسيوط Asyut (+20) 88 562,061
Faiyum الفيوم Faiyum (+20) 84 531,861
Khusus* الخصوص Qalyubiyya 502,864
Zagazig الزقازيق Sharqia +(20) 55 460,501
Ismailia الاسماعيلية Ismailia (+20) 69

(+20) 64

450,388
Aswan اسوان Aswan (+20) 97 401,890
6th of October (city)* السادس من أكتوبر Giza 376,302
Damanhur دمنهور Beheira (+20) 45 329,572
New Cairo* القاهرة الجديدة Cairo (+20) 2 319,488
Damietta دمياط Damietta (+20) 57 312,863
Minya المنيا Minya (+20) 86 298,021
Beni Suef بنى سويف Beni Suef (+20) 82 294,125
Luxor الاقصر Luxor (+20) 95 284,952
Sohag سوهاج Sohag (+20) 93 278,425
Shibin El Kom شبين الكوم Monufia (+20) 48 277,991
Qena قنا Qena (+20) 96 264,498
10th of Ramadan العاشر من رمضان Sharqia 263,321
Mallawi ملوي Minya (+20) 86 223,435
Hurghada الغردقة Red Sea (+20) 65 214,247
Arish العريش North Sinai (+20) 68 204,391
Kafr El Sheikh كَفرُ الشَّيْخ Kafr El Sheikh (+20) 47 198,197
Bilbeis بلبيس Sharqia 198,167
Marsa Matrouh مرسى مطروح Matrouh (+20) 46 193,293
Banha بنها Qalyubia (+20) 13 187,469

* Cities that are part of Greater Cairo metropolitan area.

See also

Further reading

  • Chaichian, Mohammad A. (2009). Town and Country in the Middle East: Iran and Egypt in the Transition to Globalization. New York: Lexington Books. ISBN 9780739126776.

References

  1. ^ "Egypt Cities Database | Simplemaps.com". simplemaps.com. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  2. ^ "Egypt Cities by Population 2026". World Population Review. 9 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  3. ^ "List of cities and towns in Egypt | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  4. ^ Livesay, Jacob. "What is the oldest country in the world? Why historians debate which came first". USA TODAY. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Timeline of ancient Egypt". The British Museum. Archived from the original on 7 September 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  6. ^ "Major Cities in Egypt: A Guide for Travelers". egyptunitedtours.com. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Ancient Egypt | History, Government, Culture, Map, Gods, Religion, Rulers, Art, Writing, & Facts | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on 15 January 2026. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Egypt: Governorates, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". citypopulation.de. Archived from the original on 10 December 2025. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  9. ^ "Ancient Egypt: Civilization, Empire & Culture". HISTORY. 14 October 2009. Retrieved 15 January 2026.
  10. ^ Elsirgany, Soha (15 October 2016). "Artists bring colour and hope to Egypt's El-Borollos as part of a two week symposium". Ahram Online.
  11. ^ "About Sars El Lyan". monofeya.gov.
  12. ^ "Egypt: Governorates, Major Cities & Towns - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 9 August 2025.
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