About the governorate
Information and history of the governorate
Brief Profile of Damietta
History attests that Damietta was Egypt’s initial gateway on the Mediterranean coast, making it a perennial target for foreign invasions intent on its occupation, and it boasts a long record of battles and significant events.
God has blessed Damietta with a unique location, enchanting nature, and a mild, pleasant climate throughout the year, which has significantly shaped the Damietta personality, which is inclined towards work, movement, and activity. Damietta Governorate enjoys a range of comparative advantages and competitive capabilities that differentiate it from other governorates in the republic. The economic activity in Damietta is considered one of the best economic models for development, as it achieves rapid economic growth based on key pillars, which are:
The availability of skilled labor is necessary to establish many industries, especially furniture manufacturing, dairy products, confectionery, ships, yachts, and fishing.
The governorate is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Manzala, and the Damietta branch of the Nile passes through it, giving it a special advantage in fish production.
The availability of natural gas fields there provides clean future fuel.
Availability of agricultural production
The governorate’s strategic position on the Mediterranean coast offers a vast stretch of accessible sandy shoreline, granting it a unique geographic advantage and enhancing its competitiveness in tourism investment.
The governorate is served by a modern land road network that spans its entire area, connecting it to other governorates. Furthermore, the International Coastal Highway passes through the governorate, linking the Eastern Mediterranean region to the Western Mediterranean.
The presence of the new Damietta Port, with its large capacity, enables the establishment of export-oriented industries. Its connection to a navigational channel linked to the Damietta branch of the Nile provides the most cost-effective means for transporting goods and products.
The presence of a new urban community, namely New Damietta, as a coastal city, is traversed by the International Coastal Road.
The availability of vacant land suitable for the establishment of industrial projects along the Damietta–Port Said Road, within New Damietta City and its industrial zone, as well as within the premises of Damietta Port.
Location
Damietta enjoys a uniquely distinguished geographical location, rarely found elsewhere in the world, as it overlooks the sea, the river, and the lake. Situated in the northern part of the Nile Delta, Damietta Governorate lies approximately 15 kilometers from the river’s estuary into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River (Damietta Branch) divides the governorate into two parts. It is bordered to the north by the Mediterranean Sea, to the east by Lake Manzala, while to the south and west stretch the fertile farmlands and plains of the Delta.
Total Area
Total Area
The total area of Damietta Governorate is 910 km2
Population
A population of 1,654,604 inhabitants
May 8 of each year
The National Day of Damietta Governorate is on May 8th:
The 8th of May each year is celebrated as the National Day of Damietta Governorate, commemorating the victory of the people of Damietta over the Crusader campaign led by Louis IX, who assembled a massive army of 80,000 soldiers and nearly 1,800 ships that reached the shores of Damietta in June 1249 AD.
The people of Damietta set exemplary standards of heroism and resilience. As soon as the enemy set foot on Damietta's land, its residents burned shops, goods, and anything of value that could benefit the invaders. They then retreated to the forests surrounding Damietta, where the epic struggle of popular resistance began. The French armies suffered successive defeats in the Battle of Fariskour, and Louis IX, King of France, was captured in the village of Mit Kholey Abd Allah. He was then transferred to his imprisonment at the house of Ibn Luqman in Mansoura. After the defeat and surrender of the Crusader campaign, they were driven out of Damietta on May 8, 1250 AD. This day has since been celebrated annually as a National Day, honoring the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in defense of Arabism and Islam.