Kafr El Dawwar (Arabic: كفر الدوار, lit. 'town of the farm' Egyptian Arabic pronunciation:[kɑfɾeddɑwˈwɑːɾ]) is a major industrial city and municipality on the Nile Delta in the Beheira Governorate of northern Egypt. Located approximately 30 km from Alexandria, the municipality has a population of about 265,300 inhabitants[2] and comprises a number of smaller towns and villages.
Kafr El Dawwar was the location of the famous Battle of Kafr El Dawwar between the Egyptian army, headed by Ahmed Orabi, and the British army, during the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882. For five weeks, Orabi was able to stop British forces from advancing toward the Egyptian capital of Cairo. Egyptian victory in the battle compelled the British to change their strategy, with British forces shifting to the Suez Canal to reach Cairo through Tel El Kebir.
In the early months of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, Kafr El Dawwar was the scene of industrial action that resulted in death sentences for two leaders of the strike.[3]
In September 1984, protests broke out in Kafr El Dawwar over efforts by Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's President, to raise food prices during a period of wage decreases. Thousands of demonstrators threw rocks, and occupied markets and roads. In response, security forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas, killing three persons at a milling plant, and injuring dozens more.[4] Rioting spread to other centres, including the Misr Spinning and Weaving Company in El-Mahalla.[4]
In the vicinity of the Kafr El Dawwar are a great number of ancient cemeteries (including Kom Ishu, Kom El Farag, Sidi Ghazi, Kom Defshu, Kom El Terfayeh, and Tell El Kanaies), where remains of pottery, and other items from Egypt's Ptolemaic era can be found.
Industry
The city is renowned for electricity generation as well as textile and fruit packing industries. Misr for Weaving and Spinning is the largest company in Kafr El Dawwar. Other industrial activities include paint, silk fibers and chemicals.
Agriculture is a major activity for the countryside that surrounds the industrial area.
Geography
The Mahmudiyya Canal (Arabic: ترعة المحمودية) goes through Kafr El Dawwar north to Alexandria. It branches west from the Nile, and is the main source of drinking water and irrigation.
Its highest record temperature, 45 °C (113 °F), was recorded on 30 May 1961, while its lowest record temperature, 0 °C (32 °F), was recorded on 31 January 31, 1994. Kafr El Dawwar has, on average, 38 rainy days annually.[5]
