Qalyub (Egyptian Arabic:قليوبpronounced[ʔælˈjuːb];Coptic:ⲕⲁⲗⲓⲱⲡⲉ[2]) is a city containing a ruralmarkaz, and an urban one.[3] It is located in theQalyubia Governorate ofEgypt, in the northern part of theCairo metropolitan area, at the start of theNile Delta. In 1986, it had a population of 84,413 inhabitants, which grew to 106,804 residents by 2006, a more than average growth.[4]
The name of the city comes from a Greek personal nameCalliope (Ancient Greek:Καλλιόπη).[2][5] Calliope is an ancient Greek goddess, the Muse of epic poetry.[5]
Qalyub is the commercial center for a significant agricultural region, and some records indicate that Qalyub has had a farmer's market, regularly, for close to one thousand years.[6]
The people of Qalyub have often proven to be self-reliant like in 1905 when they built their own 500-bed hospital with no help from the state.[7] Years later, the community received money fromUSAID for the hospital and the school, however, as in many rural villages, the Ministry of Social Affairs angered residents for not doing enough for them.[7] In 1982, the Basic Village Service Program (BVS), under the auspices of USAID, had twenty-five water projects slated for Qalyub.[8]
On February 13, 2005, Qalyub was the location of a politically significantstrike over the benefits and theprivatization of the Qalyub Spinning Company.[9]
Tuk-tuks, small cars, with government-issued license plates, can be seen in modern-day Qalyub as the district has seen amore than average increase in population growth.[4]
Egypt