Thecities and towns of Egypt are the urban administrative units of theRepublic of Egypt. Egypt comprises 249 populated cities within the country's27 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 theMinistry of Housing, Utilities, and Urban Communities. TheNew Urban Communities Authority was established to create new urban centers to attract residents away from theNile Valley andDelta.[3]
Besides being one the first states in the history of the world, and one of the oldest cradles ofhuman civilization, Egypt is also one of the oldest in terms ofurban 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 theNile River.[6][7] Each village had its own deity. TheEgyptians 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 throughoutancient 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. TheEgyptian 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 byEgyptian law.[9]
* Cities that are part ofGreater Cairo metropolitan area.
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