Alexandria Governorate (Arabic: الإسكندرية) is Egypt’s second city and its main seaport, set on 70 km of Mediterranean coast north-west of the Nile Delta. The capital is Alexandria, and CAPMAS put the governorate’s population at 5,523,511 in January 2023 across an area of 2,818 km².
| Capital | Alexandria |
|---|---|
| Population | 5,523,511 (January 2023 estimate) |
| 2017 census | 5,163,750 |
| Area | 2,818 km² |
| Density | 1,960 per km² |
| Divisions | 16 kisms, 1 markaz, 1 new city |
| Coordinates | 31°12′N 29°55′E |
| Postal code | 21500 series |
| Phone code | 03 |
Towns and Villages in Alexandria Governorate
Alexandria is the most urban governorate in Egypt outside Cairo. Its administrative units are kisms, or urban districts, rather than the markaz-and-village structure used inland. There are two exceptions. Borg El Arab is a markaz with real farming villages, and the reclaimed land south of Lake Mariout holds numbered qarya units and izbas.
Municipal divisions
| Division | Population (Jan 2023) | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Montaza 1 | 1,109,010 | Kism |
| El Raml 2 | 669,233 | Kism |
| Montaza 2 | 575,067 | Kism |
| Amreya 1 | 504,562 | Kism |
| Dekheila | 502,094 | Kism |
| Moharam Bek | 297,318 | Kism |
| Amreya 2 | 295,528 | Kism |
| El Raml 1 | 294,477 | Kism |
| Port al-Basal | 268,252 | Kism |
| Sidi Gaber | 267,152 | Kism |
| Bab Sharqi | 240,760 | Kism |
| Karmouz | 110,533 | Kism |
| Gomrok | 98,055 | Kism |
| Borg El Arab | 92,175 | Markaz |
| Labban | 43,578 | Kism |
| New Borg El Arab | 43,921 | New city |
| Ataren | 39,159 | Kism |
| Mansheya | 24,903 | Kism |
| North Coast | 2,963 | Area |
Gazetteers record 254 named settlements, quarters and izbas inside the governorate boundary. All 254 are listed below, grouped by the part of the governorate they sit in.
Alexandria city, Abis and Abu Qir
The kisms of the city proper run along the corniche from Ras El Tin in the west to Montaza and Abu Qir in the east. Abis and the numbered reclamation villages south of Lake Mariout are the rural fringe.
- Abis
- Abu ad Dirda
- Abu Qir
- Ad Duraysah
- Al Anfushi
- Al Attarin
- Al Gabbari
- Al Hadrah
- Al Ibrahimia
- Al Izbah al Jadidah
- Al Jumruk
- Al Laban
- Al Madinah al Jamiiyah
- Al Mahrusah
- Al Mamurah
- Al Mandarah
- Al Manshiyah
- Al Misalla
- Al Muntazah
- Al Qabbari
- Al Qaryah al Ashirah Abis
- Al Qaryah as Sabiah
- Alexandria
- Ambruzu
- Ar Raml
- As Subhiyah
- Ash Shatibi
- Asid
- Az Zahiriyah
- Azarita District
- Bab Sidrah
- Bakus
- Bulkili
- Camp Cesar District
- Cleopatra
- Ezbet Umm Sin el- Fuqaniya
- Ezbet Yusef-el-Abd
- Flaminj
- Ghayt al Adhb
- Ghayt as Saidi
- Ghurbal
- Green Plaza
- Izbat Abd al Munim Riyad
- Izbat ad Dirbalah
- Izbat al Abid
- Izbat al Amrawi al Kubra
- Izbat al Arab
- Izbat al Bahr
- Izbat al Birins al Bahriyah
- Izbat al Falaki
- Izbat al Hajj Abu Zayd Khalifah
- Izbat al Islah az Zirai
- Izbat al Jami
- Izbat al Kubaniyah
- Izbat al Makanah
- Izbat al Maraghi
- Izbat al Matar
- Izbat al Qalah
- Izbat al Warshah
- Izbat Ali Abu Sulayman
- Izbat Ali Husayn
- Izbat an Nasiriyah
- Izbat as Subhiyah
- Izbat ash Shami
- Izbat at Tawfiqiyah
- Izbat at Tiru
- Izbat Badwani
- Izbat Dibbanah
- Izbat Farawn
- Izbat Farhad
- Izbat Hajar an Nawatiyah
- Izbat Halash
- Izbat Hawd Ahad Ashar
- Izbat Hawd Asharah
- Izbat Hawd Ithna Ashar
- Izbat Hijazi
- Izbat Janayuti
- Izbat Karamillah
- Izbat Kardun
- Izbat Khurshid al Qibliyah
- Izbat Mansi
- Izbat Maqnas
- Izbat Mirzah
- Izbat Muhsin Basha
- Izbat Nadi as Sayd
- Izbat Sad Ghanim
- Izbat Sakinah
- Izbat Salam
- Izbat Shamma al Wastaniyah
- Izbat Tantawi
- Izbat Yusuf Dana
- Izbat Zaqzuq
- Kabu
- Kafr Ushri
- Kawm ad Dikkah
- Kawm ash Shaqafah
- Latin Quarter
- Mahattat Misr
- Manshiyat al Awqaf
- Masakin at Tubjiyah
- Masakin Suq al Jumah
- Miami
- Mina al Basal
- Muharram Bak
- Mustafa Basha
- Qaryah al Hadiyah Ashar/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Arbaah/Sabah
- Qaryah Arbaah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Asharah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Ithnan/Sabah
- Qaryah Ithnayn/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Khamsah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Sabah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Sittah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Thalathah/Sabah
- Qaryah Thalathah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Thamaniyah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Tisah/Thamaniyah
- Qaryah Wahid/Sabah
- Qaryah Wahid/Thamaniyah
- Qaryat ath Thaniyat Ashar/Thamaniyah
- Qaryat Khamsah/Sabah
- Ras at Tin
- Rushdi
- Saba Basha
- Sakan as Salihiyah al Jadidah
- Sammuhah
- San Istifanu
- Shari ash Shahid Ahmad Ismail
- Sharikat an Nil lil Kibrit
- Sidi Bishr
- Sidi Jabir
- Smouha
- Sporting District
- Stanli
- Wabur al Miyah
Amreya and Dekheila
Amreya covers the industrial and farming belt inland from Dekheila port. Most settlements here are izbas and bedouin camps around the Cairo desert road.
- Abd al Hamid Ayyash
- Abu Bakr
- Abu Masud
- Abu Sinbil
- Abu Talat
- Ad Dayr
- Ad Dukhaylah
- Ahmad Urabi
- Al Amiriyah
- Al Basrah
- Al Hanufil
- Al Hurriyah
- Al Iraq
- Al Izzah
- Al Jala
- Al Jazair
- Al Karnak
- Al Maks
- Al Noubareya
- Al Qarrin
- Al Wadi
- Al Wafa
- Al Wardiyan
- Al Yaman
- An Nasiriyah
- As Saidah
- Ash Shaykh Mabruk
- Ash Shaykh Ruhayyim
- Ash Shaykhah Marzuqah
- Baghdad
- Bitash
- Dawwar Abu Basil
- Dawwar Abu Basisah
- Dawwar Abu Shaul
- Dawwar al Hajj Khalil
- El-Shaikh Mabrouk
- Faraj Madi
- Filastin
- Halab
- Ikinj Maryut
- Ilwat Abd an Nabi
- Ilwat al Hajj Hamad
- Ilwat al Hajj Umar
- Ilwat ash Shaykh Said
- Izab ash Shaykh Fadil
- Izbat Abu Bakr
- Izbat al Baydah
- Izbat al Mitras
- Izbat al Mustamarah
- Izbat al Ula al Gharbiyah
- Izbat al Ula ash Sharqiyah
- Izbat Ali al Minyawi
- Izbat Khamis
- Izbat Muhammad Rashid
- Izbat Murghib al Mustajiddah
- Izbat Sidi Ali Murghib
- Izbat Umar Abu Hafizah
- Izbat Wadi al Qamar
- Khalid Ibn al Walid
- Madinat an Nasiriyah
- Madinat Mubarak
- Masakin al Yusra
- Masakin Shamal al Mitras
- Minshat al Ulama
- Mustafa Kamil
- Naj Abu Bisisah
- Naj al Ahwal
- Naj al Arab
- Naj al Hawis
- Naj al Qutan
- Naj Habun
- Naj Ruhayyim
- Naj Salamah
- Qaryah Raqam Khamsah wa Arbaun
- Qaryah Raqam Sabaah
- Qaryat al Bayda
- Qaryat al Waqqad
- Qaryat Ruhayyim
- Sakan Mahattat as Salam
- Zawiyat Abd al Qadir
Borg El Arab and New Borg El Arab
Borg El Arab is the one markaz in the governorate. Its villages sit on the desert plateau west of Lake Mariout, alongside the planned New Borg El Arab industrial city.
- Abu Zeira
- Al Hawwariyah
- Al Jamiah
- Al Qasimiyah
- Al Qasr
- Burj al Arab
- Burj al Arab al Jadidah
- Dawwar Abu al Asi
- Dawwar Misri
- Izbah Raqam ar Rabiat Ashar
- Izbah Raqam ath Thalithat Ashar
- Izbah Raqam Khamsat Ashar
- Izbat al Aqqadi
- Izbat as Sarahnah
- Izbat ash Shaykh Abd ar Rasul
- Izbat Muhammad Farid
- Jaryat al Ajram
- Kafrat Sidi Juwayd
- Kafrat Tail Musa
- Mustafa Ismail
- Naj Abu Habarah
- Naj al Jur
- Naj Azzam
- Qaryah Raqam Arbaah
- Qaryah Raqam as Sadisat Ashar
- Qaryah Raqam Ithnan
- Qaryah Raqam Khamsah
- Qaryah Raqam Sittah
- Qaryah Raqam Thalathah
- Qaryah Raqam Wahid
- Qaryah Siyahiyah
- Qaryat al Mithaq
- Qaryat at Tanmiyah
- Qaryat Bahij
- Qaryat Shakush
- Qaryat Shuruq
- Razjalah
- Sidi Kurayr
Geography
Alexandria runs as a narrow strip along the Mediterranean, roughly 70 km long and rarely more than 20 km deep. Lake Mariout lies immediately south of the city and separates the built-up coast from the reclaimed farmland beyond. Abu Qir Bay closes the eastern end, where the Rosetta branch of the Nile reaches the sea.
The land rises gently onto a limestone ridge west of Dekheila, which is where Borg El Arab and the desert road corridor sit. Beheira borders the governorate to the south and east, and Matrouh continues the coast to the west.
Demographics
The 2017 census counted 5,163,750 residents. CAPMAS estimated 5,523,511 in January 2023 and 5,599,387 a year later, a growth rate of roughly 1.4% a year. Nearly all of that population is urban: Montaza, El Raml and Amreya alone hold more than half the total. Density averages about 1,960 people per km². Inner districts such as Ataren and Mansheya are many times denser, and Borg El Arab markaz is nearly empty by comparison.
Economy and Local Life
The twin ports of Alexandria and Dekheila handle the largest share of Egypt’s seaborne trade. Petrochemicals, cement, fertiliser and steel plants line the western shore, and New Borg El Arab was built to take heavy industry out of the city. Cotton ginning and textiles remain important, as does fishing out of Abu Qir and Lake Mariout.
Summer tourism fills the eastern beaches from June to September, when Cairo families move to Montaza and Mandara for the season. Inland, Amreya and Borg El Arab grow olives, figs and vegetables on reclaimed land. The weekly markets at Amreya and Abis serve the surrounding izbas.
History
Alexander the Great founded the city in 331 BC on the site of the fishing village of Rhakotis. It was the capital of Ptolemaic and Roman Egypt for almost a thousand years. Its Lighthouse and Library made it the leading Greek city of the Mediterranean. The Arab conquest of 641 moved the capital inland to Fustat, and the city shrank steadily afterwards.
Its revival dates to 1820, when Muhammad Ali dug the Mahmoudiyah Canal and reconnected the harbour to the Nile. The cotton boom of the nineteenth century made Alexandria Egypt’s commercial centre, and the modern governorate was formalised in the twentieth century.
Getting There
Two roads link Alexandria to Cairo: the desert road, about 220 km, and the older agricultural road through Damanhur and Tanta. Trains run from Cairo’s Ramses station every hour and take two and a half to three hours to Misr station in Sidi Gaber. Borg El Arab International Airport lies 40 km south-west of the centre and handles most scheduled flights. The International Coastal Road continues west from Amreya towards Alamein and Marsa Matruh.
FAQ
What is the capital of Alexandria Governorate?
Alexandria city is the capital. It is also Egypt’s second largest city after Cairo.
How many districts does Alexandria have?
Nineteen municipal divisions: 16 kisms, the Borg El Arab markaz, the New Borg El Arab new city and a North Coast area.
What is the population of Alexandria Governorate?
CAPMAS estimated 5,523,511 people in January 2023, up from 5,163,750 at the 2017 census.
What is the postal code for Alexandria?
Alexandria uses codes in the 21500 series, and the telephone area code is 03.
Is Borg El Arab part of Alexandria Governorate?
Yes. Borg El Arab is the governorate’s only markaz, and New Borg El Arab is a separate planned city within it.
How many villages are there in Alexandria Governorate?
Gazetteers record 254 named settlements, quarters and izbas, most of them urban quarters rather than farming villages.