New Cairo

This article is about the satellite city of Cairo planned and built in the 2000s. For the planned new capital of Egypt, see New Administrative Capital.

New Cairo القاهرة الجديدة
City
New Cairo Location in Egypt
Coordinates: 30.03°N 31.47°E / 30.03; 31.47
Country	Egypt
Governorate	Cairo
Metropolitan area	Greater Cairo
Government
• Type	Development Agency
• Chairman	Amin Ghoneim
Area
• Total	343 km^2 (132 sq mi)
Elevation	271 m (889 ft)
Population  (2023)[1]
• Total	318,092
• Density	930/km^2 (2,400/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (EST)
Area code	(+20) 2

New Cairo (Arabic: القاهرة الجديدة el-Qāhera el-Gedīda) is a satellite city within the metropolitan area of Cairo, Egypt. Administratively, it is part of the Eastern Area of Cairo,^[2] administered by the New Urban Communities Authority.^[3] The city was established in 2000 by merging three 'new' towns (The First, Third and Fifth Settlements, translit. Al-Tagammu' al-awwal, al-thalith, al-khames, Arabic:التجمع الأول والثالث والخامس),^[4] originally on an area of about 67,000 acres which had grown to 85,000 acres by 2016.^[3]

According to the 2017 census, New Cairo's three qisms (Qahira al-Gadida Awwal, Thani, Thalith) had a combined population of 297,387 residents (also see population section below).^[5][6] This is in stark contrast to the New Urban Communities Authority's (NUCA) undated population estimate of 1.5 million inhabitants and a target population of 4 million inhabitants.^[7] However, the same source contradicts this claim where it states 70,000 homes as built,^[7] leading to an impossibly high average of 21 people per home. The lower population figure translates into a more realistic 4 people per home.

New Cairo is built in the Eastern Desert to the east of the Cairo Ring Road and the modern 1950s extension of Nasr City, on a plateau that ranges in elevation between 250 and 307 metres (820 and 1,007 ft) above sea level.^[8]

The city could eventually host a population of 5 million.^[9] When compared to 6th of October, also built with the hopes of alleviating the strain on Cairo, more homes are being rented out in New Cairo.^[10]

History

On 27 April 2016, President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi inaugurated the new headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior in New Cairo. The complex covers about 52,000 square metres (560,000 sq ft).^[11]

Administrative subdivisions and population

New Cairo, like most new cities in Egypt, is not administratively a city under Local Administration Law, rather a group of three qisms (police wards) attached to the Eastern Area of Cairo proper: Al-Qahira al-Gadida Awwal, Thani, and Thalith (New Cairo 1st, 2nd, and 3rd).^[2] New Cairo is jointly administered by the Ministry of Housing's New Urban Communities Authority through a subsidiary agency (gehaz al-Qahira al-Gadida), and the Cairo Governorate.

Map of Eastern Area of Cairo showing New Cairo (al-Qahira al-Gadida) as three qisms. Note Shorouk and Badr new cities are one qism each.

According to the 2017 census New Cairo's three qisms had a combined population of 297,387 residents:^[5][6]

Qism	Code 2017	Population
Qâhira al-Gadîda 1, al-	014200	135,834
Qâhira al-Gadîda 2, al-	014300	90,668
Qâhira al-Gadîda 3, al-	014400	70,885

Al-Qahira al-Gadida Awwal had 135,834 residents across its four shiakhas (quarters):^[5]

Shiakha	Code 2017	Population
Jâmi`a al-Amrîkiyya, and al-Rawḍa, al-	014204	451
Narjis, and al-Mustathmirîn al-janûbiyya, al-	014202	15,175
Tajammu` 5, al-	014201	36,830
Yâsamîn et al-Banafsij, and al-Mustathmirîn al-shamâliyya, al-	014203	83,378

Al-Qahira al-Gadida Thani had 90,668 residents across its three shiakhas:^[5][6]

Shiakha	Code 2017	Population
Akâdimiyyat al-Shurṭa, and al-Mîrâj	014303	2,928
Firdaws, and al-Kawthar, al-	014302	24,010
Riḥâb, and al-Mustathmirûn, al-	014301	63,730

Al-Qahira al-Gadida Thalith had 70,885 residents across its five shiakhas:^[5][6]

Shiakha	Code 2017	Population
Andalus, al-	014405	330
Anshiṭa, al-	014403	1
Iskân Mubarak li-l-Shabâb	014402	46,421
Manṭiqa al-Ṣinâ`iyya, al-	014404	59
Qaṭṭâmiyya, al-	014401	24,074

Geography

Of particular significance to geologists is the Petrified Forest Protected Area, located in the vicinity of New Cairo. It is a protected site.^[12]

Economy and utilities

There are dozens of factories in New Cairo.^[13][14] GE is working with the American University in New Cairo on energy initiatives.^[15] El Sewedy Electric has its headquarters in the Fifth Settlement of New Cairo.^[16]

The city is connected to other cities by a vast network of bus lines, and construction has begun for a monorail line that connects the city with the Cairo suburb of Nasr City to the west, and the New Administrative Capital to the east.^[17] The city gets its drinking water from a water plant in Obour City, nearby.^[18]

A branch of Al Ahly SC is currently under construction in the eastern part of the city.^[19] There is also a championship golf course with tennis facilities lies in the Kattameya section of New Cairo.^[20][21]

At the entrance of New Cairo is Cairo Festival City, a 285 hectare (700 acres) real estate development which has parks, games, pools, gardens, walkways, business office space, a large mall and a dancing fountain.^[22] In addition to that, there are many other malls in New Cairo including Point 90, Downtown Kattameya, Porto Cairo, Emerald Plaza and Park mall, in addition to numerous other, smaller malls.

Demand for real estate in New Cairo has been very high, with prices per meter for apartments averaging around E£10,000, and for villas E£19,000,^[23] and it has continued increasing, especially after the construction of the New Administrative Capital, to which New Cairo is close. The government has also moved many services and administrations to the city, the most notable of which were the Traffic Administration offices of Nasr City, Heliopolis and New Cairo (which was previously located in El Shorouk) in 2020, as they were all moved into one three-floor building in the southern part of the city.

Sports

The city is home to two professional football clubs who play their home matches in the city: ENPPI SC formed in 1985, and plays at Petrosport Stadium in New Cairo, and the other team is Pyramids FC which plays their home matches and have their training facilities in 30 June Stadium in New Cairo.

Although the previous teams are based in New Cairo, they don't really represent the city or carry its name. But recently two new semi professional teams that carry the names of neighbourhoods from the city have joined the Egyptian fourth division league. The two teams are 1st Settlement Youth and Katameya Petrosport Club.

Religion

There are several mosques in New Cairo, but currently only one church, the Virgin Mary and St. Bishoy Coptic Church in the Fifth Settlement.^[24] The city is also home to a Coptic monastery, the Patmos Monastery of St. John the Beloved.^[25] In September 2016, the president approved the construction of a new Coptic Orthodox church in the city.^[26]

Education

Administration building, Future University in Egypt

Schools

• Capital International Schools (CIS)
• British International College of Cairo
• The American International School in Egypt (AIS) East (Main) Campus^[27]
• New Cairo British International School (NCBIS)^[28]
• International School of Choueifat (ISC) – Cairo campus^[29][30]
• Modern Education Schools (MES).^[31]
• Salahaldin International School (SIS)^[32]
• Lycée Français du Caire New Cairo Primary Campus^[33]
• Korean School in Cairo [ko] (카이로한국학교), a South Korean international school^[34]
• Canadian International School of Egypt^[35]
• Malvern College Egypt^[36]
• Gateway International Montessori School^[37]
• Cairo English School^[38]
• Europa-Schule Kairo
• Europaschule Neu Kairo
• Repton School Cairo
• Nile International College
• Lycée Internationale Français en Égypte (Concordia)^[39]
• Egypt British International School^[40]
• Madinaty Language School

Universities

• American University in Cairo (AUC)
• German University in Cairo (GUC)
• Future University in Egypt (FUE)
• Canadian International College (CIC)
• New Cairo Academy

Gated Communities

• Mostakbal City, 11,000 acres
• Madinaty, 8000 acres
• Al-Rehab, 3000 acres
• Qattamia Heights
• Mivida New Cairo by Emaar Misr
• Hyde Park New Cairo, 1000 acres
• Mountain View Hyde Park, Mountain View 2 & Mountain View iCity
• Les Rois
• Taj City
• Eastown & Villette by SODIC
• Katameya Heights New Cairo & Katameya Dunes New Cairo
• The Square
• Stone Park & Stone Residence by Rooya
• Lake View & Lake View Residence
• Palm Hills Katameya & Palm Hills New Cairo
• Riviera
• Azad
• Regent's Park
• Village Gardens Katameya

Malls

• Cairo Festival City by Al-Futtaim Group
• Mirage Mall
• Point 90 Mall
• 5A, WaterWay and WaterWay 2
• Downtown Mall
• Garden 8
• Concorde Mall
• The Drive by The Waterway

See also

• New Administrative Capital

References

1. "Egypt's population by qism and markaz on 1 January, 2023" (PDF). Central Organisation for Public Mobilisation and Statistics. 1 January 2023.
2. "Eastern Area". www.cairo.gov.eg. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
3. "New Cairo". New Urban Communities Authority. Archived from the original on 12 March 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
4. "Presidential Decree 191/2000" (PDF). The Official Gazette. 2000.
5. Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) (2017). "2017 Census for Population and Housing Conditions". CEDEJ-CAPMAS. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
6. The interactive census site is the only available digital source (non-pdf) and must be queried as follows: Statistics and analysis > Population > 2017 Data > Gender >Statistical Tables >Total population and population by sex (Choose location).
7. "Home - New Cairo". www.newcities.gov.eg. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
8. "New Cairo City, Cairo Governorate, Egypt Lat Long Coordinates Info". Lat Long. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
9. Jack Schenker, 11 June 2011. "Desert storm". Guardian. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
10. Al-Aees, Shaimaa (25 July 2016). "Apartments, villas rented out at faster rate in New Cairo than 6th of October City: JLL". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
11. Youssef, Adham (27 April 2016). "Al-Sisi inaugurates new Ministry of Interior headquarters". Daily News Egypt. Archived from the original on 1 May 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
12. "Petrified Forest Protectorate". Ask-Aladdin. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
13. "New Cairo". New Urban Communities Authority Portal. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
14. "Browse a list of Google's Office Locations - Google". Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2017. Google. Retrieved on 25 May 2016. "Google Egypt LLC 47 Office Building Section 1 City Centre New Cairo Egypt"
15. "AUC Announces a Five-Year Partnership with GE to Sponsor the University's V-Lab Incubator". 10 April 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
16. "Elsewedy Electric T&D". Elsewedy Electric. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
17. "Cairo Monorail". Railway Technology. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
18. "New Urban Communities Authority Portal". New Cities Egypt. Archived from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
19. "The Fifth Settlement branch to receive members next June". Al Ahly SC. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
20. "Katameya Heights". Katameya Heights. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
21. "Katameya Dunes". Katameya Dunes. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
22. "Cairo Festival City Mall". Cairo Festival City. Archived from the original on 17 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
23. Estate, Aqarmap - Real Estate in Egypt, Properties in Egypt, Luxury Real. "New Cairo - Fifth Settlement - Tagamoa Prices Guide - Aqarmap". egypt.aqarmap.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
24. "كنيسة السيدة العذراء و القديس الأنبا بيشوي". Virgin Mary & St. Bishoy Coptic Church. Archived from the original on 18 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
25. "St John Monastery Patmos". Cybo. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
26. "Sisi ratifies Egypt's new church building law". Ahram Online. 28 September 2016. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
27. "American International School in Egypt Main Campus". The American International School. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
28. "New Cairo British International School". NCBIS. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
29. "About ISC Cairo". International School of Choueifat. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
30. "International School of Choueifat". Yellow Pages of Egypt. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
31. "Modern Education Schools". Modern Education Schools. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
32. "Salahadin International School". Salahadin International School. Archived from the original on 2 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
33. "Lycée Français du Caire - La France en Egypt". Lycée Français du Caire. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
34. "Korean School". Cairo School Korea.
35. "Canadian International School of Egypt". Ontario Ministry of Education. Archived from the original on 14 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
36. "Malvern College Egypt | British International School in Cairo". malverncollege.edu.eg.
37. "International Schools in New Cairo - Gateway Montessori School". www.gateway.education.
38. "Cairo English School - Cairo English School". www.cesegypt.com.
39. "Lycée Internationale Français en Égypte (Concordia)".
40. "Egypt British International School".

External links

• Official website (archived)
• New Cairo - New Urban Communities Authority (Archived)