Matrouh Governorate

Matrouh (Arabic: محافظة مطروح, romanized: Muḥāfaẓat Maṭrūḥ) is a governorate in north-western Egypt. It borders Libya, and its capital is Marsa Matrouh.

Matruh Governorate

Matrouh Governorate
Governorate
Flag
Matrouh Governorate on the map of Egypt
Coordinates: 29.66°N 27.51°E / 29.66; 27.51
Country	Egypt
Seat	Mersa Matruh (capital)
Government
• Governor	Khaled Shuaib Hussein[1]
Area
• Total	212,112 km2 (81,897 sq mi)
Population  (January 2023)[2]
• Total	538,546
• Density	2.5/km2 (6.6/sq mi)
GDP [3]
• Total	EGP 116 billion (US$ 7.4 billion)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EGY)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
HDI (2021)	0.738[4] high · 10th
Website	Matrouh

Municipal divisions

The governorate is divided into municipal divisions with a total estimated population as of January 2023 of 538,546.^[2]

Municipal Divisions

Anglicized name	Native name	Arabic transliteration	Population (January 2023 Est.)	Type
El Dabaa	قسم الضبعة	Aḍ-Ḍab'ah	61,363	Kism (urban and rural parts)
El Alamein	قسم العلمين	Al-'Alamayn	12,398	Kism (fully rural)
El Hamam	قسم الحمام	Al-Ḥammām	65,780	Kism (urban and rural parts)
El Negaila	قسم النجيله	An-Najīlah	34,593	Kism (urban and rural parts)
North Coast	قسم الساحل الشمالى-جزء	As-Sāḥal ash-Shamāli	88	Kism (fully urban)
Sallum	قسم السلوم	As-Sallūm	20,479	Kism (urban and rural parts)
Mersa Matruh	قسم مرسى مطروح	Marsá Maṭrūḥ	241,625	Kism (urban and rural parts)
Sidi Barrani	قسم سيدى برانى	Sīdī Barrānī	66,319	Kism (urban and rural parts)
Siwa Oasis	قسم سيوة	Sīwa	35,901	Kism (urban and rural parts)

Overview

The interior of the Matrouh Governorate is part of Egypt's Western Desert, including the Siwa Oasis, in antiquity known for its shrine to Amun. In the center of the Governorate is the Qattara Depression, descending to 133 metres below sea level.

Marsa Matrouh is the ancient Koine Greek: Παραιτόνιον Paraitónion, Latin Paraetonium. It was the westernmost city of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in the Hellenistic period. The city of Apis, some 18 km to the west of Paraetonium, marked the boundary to Libycus nome, and the Halfaya Pass (at Sallum) marked the boundary to Marmarica proper.

Matrouh Governorate contains many historical sites related to World War II. The latter include el Alamein, which comprises cemeteries of fallen soldiers from Axis and Allied forces. An estimated 16 million mines,^[5] planted by the Europeans during the world wars and called "devil's gardens", still hinder the development of most of the governorate, and are constantly being removed.

Population

According to population estimates, in 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate lived in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 70.6%. Out of an estimated 447,846 people residing in the governorate, 316,005 people lived in urban areas as opposed to only 131,841 in rural areas.^[6]

Industrial zone

According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Matrouh:^[7]

Zone name
26 Kilo Industrial Zone, South-East Matrouh Road