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السويس (Arabic)
Suez is located in Egypt
Location in Egypt
Country  Egypt
Governorate Suez
Founded 1859
 • Governor Samir Aglan
 • Total 25.4 km2 (9.8 sq mi)
Elevation 5 m (16 ft)
Population (2012)
 • Total 565,716
 • Density 22,000/km2 (58,000/sq mi)
Time zone EST (UTC+2)



Painting of Suez, 1841

Early Islamic era[edit]

In the 7th century AD a town named "Kolzum" stood just north of the site of present-day Suez and served as eastern terminus of a canal built by Amr ibn al-'As linking the Nile River and the Red Sea. Kolzum's trade fell following the closure of the canal in 770 by the second Abbasid caliph al-Mansur to prevent his enemies in Arabia from accessing supplies from Egypt and the lands north of it. Nonetheless, the town benefited from the trade that remained between Egypt and Arabia.[1] By 780 al-Mansur's successor al-Mahdi restored part of the canal.[2] The Qarmatians led by Hasan ibn Ahmad defeated a Fatimid army headed by Gawhar al-Siqilli at Kolzum in 971 and thereby captured the town. Following his defeat in Cairo by al-Siqilli at the end of that year, Hasan and his forces retreated to Arabia via Kolzum.[3] Suez was situated nearby and served as a source of drinking water for Kolzum according to Arab traveler al-Muqaddasi who visited in 986.[4]

The Ayyubid sultan of Egypt, Saladin, fortified both Kolzum and Suez in to defend Egypt's eastern frontier from Crusader raids by Raynald of Chatillon.[5] Between 1183-84, Raynald had ships stationed in the Red Sea to prevent the Ayyubid garrison at Kolzum from accessing water. In response, Saladin's brother al-Adil had Husam ad-Din Lu'lu build a naval fleet which sailed to the southern port of Aidab to end Raynald's venture.[3] By the 13th century it was recorded that Kolzum was in ruins as was Suez which had gradually replaced the former as a population center.[1] According to Muslim historians al-Maqrizi and al-Idrisi, Kolzum had once been a prosperous town, until it was occupied and plundered by Bedouins. Arab geographer al-Dimashqi noted that Kolzum belonged to the Mamluk province of al-Karak at the time.[3]

Ottoman and Egyptian rule[edit]

To prevent Portuguese attacks against Egyptian coastal towns and the Red Sea port of Jeddah, Qansuh al-Ghawri the last Mamluk sultan ordered a 6,000-man force headed by Selman Reis to defend Suez in 1507, which in turn limited the Mamluk military's capabilities against the Ottomans in the Mediterranean sea.[6] Following the Ottoman's conquest of Egypt at the beginning of the 16th century, Suez became both a major naval and trading station. The Ottoman fleets at Suez were instrumental in disputing control with the Portuguese over Indian Ocean trade.[1]

German explorer Carsten Niebuhr noted that in the 18th century a 20-vessel fleet sailed annually from Suez to Jeddah—which served as the Islamic holy city of Mecca's port and Egypt's gateway for trade with India. However, by 1798, during Napoleonic invasion, Suez had devolved into an unimportant town. Fighting between the French and the British in 1800 left most of the town in ruins.[1] Its importance as a port increased after the Suez Canal opened in 1869.

Modern era[edit]


Suez was the first city to hold major protests against the government of Hosni Mubarak during the 2011 Egyptian revolution and was the scene of the first fatality of that uprising.[7] On account of this, it has been called the Sidi Bouzid of Egypt, recalling that small town's role in the 2010–2011 Tunisian revolution.[8]

View of Suez from the canal in 1982

City Districts[edit]

The city is divided into five main districts:

Arbaeen District[edit]

It is most populous district of the city. It has most of the government buildings and public institutions. It also has the city's main fruit and vegetable markets in addition to other markets and stores selling various commodities.

Suez District[edit]

It is more modern than Arbaeen district in terms of how the buildings look. The real estate there is significantly more expensive than any other district in the city. Suez district is considered the most affluent area in the city. It includes the affluent neighborhood of Port Tawfik, which directly overlooks the Suez Canal. Port Tawfik includes some old-style houses that date back to the English colonization era. The district also includes two of Egypt's most important oil refineries; El-Nasr Petroleum Company and Suez Petroleum Company. Also, Suez Port, one of Egypt's main ports, lies within the perimeter of Suez District.

Ganayen District[edit]

That district stretches all the way to the border with Ismailia Governorate. It has all the rural areas of the city and can be thought of as the city's "countryside".

Faisal District[edit]


Attaka District[edit]

It is characterized by the existence of many industrial areas. Plants and factories working in various fields are located in that District. There are factories specialized in fertilizers, cement, steel, cooking oil, flour products, oil rigs, ceramic tiles, sugar, and many other products. There is also Attaka Power Plant. The district also includes Ain Sokhna, one of Egypt's most important sea resorts, overlooking the Gulf of Suez. Ain Sokhna has got numerous high-class sea resorts and is frequented by many tourists, Egyptians and foreigners, all over the year due to its warm weather. The district is also home to Ain Sokhna Sea Port, one of Egypt's main sea ports. The port is operated by the Dubai-based DP World Company. Also, the district includes Al-Ataka Fishing Port, which is the city's main fish production port.

Suez Canal[edit]

Main article: Suez Canal
Northernmost part of Gulf of Suez with town Suez on map of 1856





Today, the Canal is a vital link in world trade, and contributes significantly to the Egyptian economy; in 2009 the income generated from the canal accounted for 3.7% of Egypt's GDP.[9]




Climate data for Suez
Record high °C (°F) 28
Average high °C (°F) 19.4
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.8
Average low °C (°F) 10.5
Record low °C (°F) 1
Precipitation mm (inches) 5
 % humidity 58 56 53 45 44 47 52 54 55 57 58 60 53.25
Source #1: Climate Charts[11]
Source #2: Voodoo Skies[10] for record temperatures

International relations[edit]

Twin towns — Sister cities[edit]

Suez is twinned with:

See also[edit]


  1. ^ a b c d Chisholm, p.22.
  2. ^ Houtsma, p.498.
  3. ^ a b c Houtsma, p.1115.
  4. ^ Forgotten Books, p.61. Quotes al-Muqaddasi.
  5. ^ Houtsma, 1993, p.341.
  6. ^ Brummett, p.85 and p.115.
  7. ^ Suez: Cradle of Revolt. Al Jazeera English. 2012-01-17. Retrieved on 2012-03-10.
  8. ^ Could Suez be Egypt's Sidi Bouzid?. Reuters. 2011-01-27. Retrieved on 2012-03-10.
  9. ^ The Economist, July 17–23, 2010, A Favored Spot: Egypt is making the most of its natural advantages.
  10. ^ a b "Ismailia (Port Taufiq), Egypt". Voodoo Skies. Retrieved 5 July 2013. 
  11. ^ "El Suez, Egypt: Climate, Global Warming, and Daylight Charts and Data". Climate Charts. Retrieved June 20, 2013. 


External links[edit]

Media related to Suez at Wikimedia Commons
