The Ismailia Governorate consists of an area of approximately 4482.8 km2 or 0.46% of Egypt's area, along the west bank of the Suez Canal. It has 70 km along the east coast. The Ismailia Governorate is the capital of the Canal region where the Suez Canal Authority has its headquarters, and where the Suez Canal University is established.
Ismailia is located on Lake Timsah along the coast of the Canal, half-way between Port Said and Suez. The Governorate consists of five cities; Ismailia, Fayed, Al-Tal Al-Kabeer, Qantara west and east.
In the early days, Ismailia was called Timsah Village, but it was subsequently named after Khedive Ismail of Egypt. According to the census conducted in 1996, the estimated figure of the population was 715,000 inhabitants (58% urban 42% rural), or 1.21% of Egypt's.
Ismailia City is approximately 120 km from Cairo by the direct route "desert highway" or 135 km by the countryside road. All parts of the Governorate are joined with an integrated network of roads. This enables traffic to join the city of Ismailia with its suburbs.
|
The Ismailia Governorate has several ancient and antiquity areas:
Tal Al-Maskhota: It is in Abu Seir village, and was called so when workers found statues there in 1886. But in fact this place was "Baraton Ai" town. There is god Aton temple made from basalt, a Ptolemies alabaster coffin from the Ptolemi age, which is moved now to Ismailia Museum. It is one of the most important tourism places.
|