Laval University
From the SelectedWorks of Fathi Habashi
October, 2019
Cairo - - The Expanding City Fathi Habashi
Available at: https://works.bepress.com/fathi_habashi/516/ Cairo - - The Expanding City Greater Cairo, New Cairo, New Capital
Introduction Cairo is an old city more than one thousand years old. It has increased greatly becoming about 20 million in population. As a result, many new residential areas have been created. This was not enough, and a New Cairo and a New Capital have been designed and in the process of building.
Cairo on the Nile, Greater Cairo, New Cairo, and the New Capital
Cairo on the Nile Cairo on the Nile comprises Giza Pyramids, Old Cairo, Shubra, Abbasia, Masr Al Gadida, Zamalek, etc.
Cairo on the Nile
Cairo on the Nile
Greater Cairo Greater Cairo comprises the newly added Medinet Nasr, Muqattam, Al Tagamus Al Khamis, Al Obour, 10th of Ramadan City, 6th October City, Sheikh Zayed City, etc. It is characterized by the many bridges. This was not enough and a New Cairo has to be built.
Greater Cairo
Traffic bridges in Cairo
New Cairo As a result of increased population, a New Cairo is being built. It is one of the new cities which have been built in and around Cairo to alleviate the congestion in downtown Cairo. It was established in the year 2000 by a presidential decree. Located in what was formerly Helwan Governorate, and located to the east of Maadi and Heliopolis. The city could eventually host a population of 5 million. It is built with the hopes of alleviating the strain on Cairo.
Housing in New Cairo New Capital The concept of creating a new capital is not new. Brazil moved its capital from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia and West Germany moved from Bonn to Berlin after the unification. More recently, Kazakhstan created its new capital Astana instead of Almaty after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Cairo is now building a new capital, half way between Cairo and Suez at a distance of 60 km from Cairo. This cost billions of dollars but the investors are mainly from the Gulf States. There is no doubt that these Emirates have experience in building new cities and workers for these projects are Egyptians. Unemployment in Egypt decreased as a result, but not much.
The new capital is half way between Cairo and Suez
Announcement of the New Administrative Center of Cairo
Investors
Investors The proposed new capital of Egypt is a large-scale project under construction since 2015 and was announced by then Egyptian housing minister Mostafa Madbouly at the Egypt Economic Development Conference. According to the plans, the city would become the new administrative and financial capital of Egypt, housing the main government departments and ministries, as well as foreign embassies. It would have a population of 6.5 to 7 million people. A major reason for the undertaking of the project was to relieve congestion in Cairo, which is already one of the world's most crowded cities, with the population of greater Cairo expected to double in the next few decades. Cairo has a population of nearly 20 million.
Buildings on the way
Mosque
Cathedral
Al Masa
Al Masa is an Armed Forces Hotel. It has a large convention center, has 14 presidential villas, 60 apartments, and 90 private suites, 270 rooms, fully equipped to accommodate people with special needs.
Shopping Centers in Cairo Shopping centers in Cairo are called Malls and are relatively new. They are scattered in the new districts and contain the most elegant shops.
Cairo Festival City Mall
City Stars Mall
City Center Mall
Epilogue While the Arab countries Syria and Yemen are collapsing due to civil war, Libya has already deterioated, and other Arab countries have great problems, Egypt is expanding - - thanks to its Armed Forces which saved the country.
See also - Cairo Slums: Problems and Solutions https://works.bepress.com/fathi_habashi/514/ - Egypt: Country of Contrasts https://works.bepress.com/fathi_habashi/440/ - Rule of Military in Egypt https://works.bepress.com/fathi_habashi/281/