Over the last 70 years, Alexandria has transformed into Egypt’s second-largest city, seeing its population quadruple to 5.6 million people, despite its challenging geography squeezed in a 40km stretch along the Mediterranean Sea, hemmed in by Abu Kir Bay to its east, Idko Lagoon partially covering its south, and the Maryout Lagoon limiting it from the west. But what do we know about Egypt’s second most important city? This study aims to shed some light on its urban and demographic transformations between 1947 and today, while first putting them into context through a brief history of the city during the first half of the 20th Century.

Recommended citation: Dina ElMazzahi. Mapping Alexandria: The Urban Explosion of a Mediterranean Metropolis 1947 – 2024. The Built Environment Observatory. October, 2025.

All maps produced by the Built Environment Observatory are downloadable and reusable under the Creative Commons License 4.0 from this article in PNG format, and the BEO’s Archive in GIS format.

Figure 0: The urban extent of Alexandria in 1915 (Ministry of Finance)

Alexandria’s Modern History of Urban and Demographic Growth Until 1947

Alexandria is the oldest continuously settled metropolis in Egypt, founded by Alexander the Great on the Mediterranean coast in 332 BCE, 12 centuries before Cairo. Alexandria served as the capital for nearly 1000 years. Its exceptional location made it “the marketplace of the world,” especially during the Roman period. ¹ It was home to the Great Library of Alexandrina, one of the most significant libraries in the ancient world, and the Pharos Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It remained a trade centre throughout the Middle Ages, experiencing a significant decline in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, which was followed by the French army expedition and concluded with Muhammad Ali’s reform of Egypt. The early 19^th Century saw Alexandria’s renaissance, as it led the way in urban evolution in modern Egypt by becoming the first city to adopt preliminary municipal regulations and planning through the Conseil de l’Ornato.² In 1890, became the first city in Egypt to establish a locally elected and financially self-directed, municipality (Baladiyya) playing a key role in planning the modern developments of Alexandria throughout most of the 20^th Century.³

Urban Growth: The Modern City (1807 – 1947)

Until the early 19^th Century, Alexandria was limited to a narrow strip of land between its two harbours. From 1807 to 1957, the city expanded significantly in three phases (Fig. 1). The first phase in the early 19^th century saw its growth to include the old Turkish settlement, divided into Al-Gumruk and Al-Manshiyya. By the mid-1800s, Alexandria expanded northward to include parts of Pharos Island and south eastward towards Rosetta Street, characterised by European-style buildings of linear building blocks divided into large land plots and foreign-owned establishments, in contrast to the Turkish town defined by an organic fabric of small building lots overlooking irregular narrow streets. The city’s growth during this stage was driven by the digging of the Mahmudiya Canal, which provided fresh water and improved transportation between Alexandria and the rest of Egypt. Less than a quarter of a century after the French army expedition, Muhammad Ali had developed the city’s water infrastructure and turned the old western port into the central commercial hub, leading to the formation of the Ornato committee to manage the city’s development.⁴

Figure 1: Alexandria urban expansion between 1805 – 1955. In Alexandria City, by Mohamed Sobhy Abdelhakim, 139. Misr Bookshop, 1958.

The growth of Alexandria in the late 19^th century is evident when comparing Müller’s 1855 map with the Alexandria Municipality’s 1902 map. ⁵ The city expanded south, east, and west, with significant development particularly around Kom Al-Shoqafa. By 1855, Alexandria had already occupied Pharos Island to the north, but urban expansion southward did not reach the Mahmudiyya Canal’s southern edge. In the east, urbanisation towards Muharam Bek was less intense, with Al-Farkha Canal marking its eastern boundary. The western extension was limited, not continuing beyond Gabbari and Al-Mafrouza, and did not reach Wardian. The 1897 census recorded few inhabitants in Wardian, Al-Mex, and Al-Dikhila, primarily consisting of nomadic travellers. In the east, Al-Raml’s urbanisation was characterised by rural settlements, and these areas remained separate from the main city until later considered suburbs of Alexandria.⁶ In 1854, the construction of a railway line connecting Alexandria to Cairo, and later to Suez, is regarded as the real beginning of the second phase of Alexandria’s expansion in the modern era.⁷ By 1860, Al-Raml’s population remained under 500, but the railway line spurred growth and integration with Alexandria and subsequently transformed into a tram line.⁸ This urban development led to the establishment of essential public utilities such as electricity (1869), modern water supply (1879) and sewage systems (1878) and a municipal council in 1890.⁹

The third phase of urbanisation in Alexandria, during the early 20^th century, saw the city expand to the south, east, and west. In the south, vacant land north of the Mahmudiyya canal became populated, particularly in Muharam Bek and Karmuz. Gheit Al-Anab emerged as Karmuz and Kom El Shoqafa grew crowded. Western development included Wardian, Al-Mex, and Dikhila, with a tourist area in Al-Agami struggling to attract residents despite transport improvements. Urban growth was notably rapid to the east (Al-Raml) compared to the slow progress to the west. This occurred due to the presence of oil depots, warehouses, and factories along the waterfront, which limited housing development in the narrow strip of land from Gabbari to Al-Mex and complicated access to fresh water, given the distance from the Mahmudiyya canal.¹⁰ Eastern expansion occurred in three stages: by 1917, it reached Saray Al-Raml; by 1925, it extended to Sidi Bishr after the real estate developer Youssef Smouha drained the Hadara Lake. The Smouha area was prepared for construction, with building plots divided, wide streets planned, and gardens established. Despite initial planning and infrastructure improvements, the slowdown in construction pace was attributed to limited public services and distance from the seashore, with only a fifth of the 600-acre area developed. At the same time, some land was used for agriculture.

The third stage of Alexandria’s eastern growth began around 1937, expanding from Sidi Bishr and merging with Abu Qir city, incorporating nearby villages that had previously been part of the Beheira directorate. Urbanisation also spread southeast in the Al-Soyouf area due to factories, attracting residents. As Al-Raml and Sidi Bishr areas became congested, expansion moved southward. At that time, Al-Raml qism did not include its entire suburb; the western parts were part of the Muharam Bek section. This situation continued until 1953, when the Bab Sharq qism was established, consolidating the western parts of Al-Raml. In 1955, Al-Muntazah qism was created,¹¹ covering the southeastern Al-Raml section. Consequently, urban areas developed into three sections: Bab Sharq, Al-Raml, and Al-Muntazah. ¹²

Demographic Growth (1897-1947)

The population of Alexandria has increased steadily, with the highest growth rate observed between the 1937 and 1947 censuses. There are two main groups based on administrative qisms: the first includes Muharam Bek, Al-Raml, and Karmuz, which saw significant growth, with Muharam Bek’s population rising eightfold in 50 years and Karmuz more than quadrupling. Karmuz’s growth preceded Al-Raml’s. In contrast, the second group, including Al-Gumruk and Al-Attarin, experienced lower growth rates, with some areas not even doubling their populations. Al-Gumruk saw a decline due to limited urban expansion, while sections like Al-Attarin and Al-Labban showed slower growth. Mina Al-Basal nearly doubled its population but remained underdeveloped.

The population distributions in Alexandria varied over 50 years, based on six censuses from 1897 to 1947 (Fig.2). In 1897, the city had 315,844 inhabitants, with Al-Gumruk comprising 27% of the population and central areas accounting for 72%. By 1907, the population grew to 353,807, but Al-Gumruk’s share declined, while Muharam Bek’s increased from 7% to 12%. In 1917, the population reached 444,617, with decreases in Al-Gumruk and Al-Attarin, contrasted by Karmuz’s rise from 15% to 21%. By 1927, it was 573,063, and by 1937, it increased to 685,736, with Muharam Bek rising to 19%. The 1947 census showed the population at 919,024, exceeding one million thereafter. Sections can be divided into those with increasing shares (Karmuz, Muharam Bek, Al-Raml) and those with decreasing shares (Al-Gumruk, Al-Attarin, Al-Labban, Al-Manshiyya, Mina Al-Basal). Karmuz’s growth stagnated, while Muharam Bek continued to rise. ¹³

Between 1897 and 1947, Al-Gumruk qism had a slow population growth of 39%, unlike the city’s overall growth of 191%, yet it maintained the highest density. Al-Raml section, previously the least densely populated, saw its density rise significantly from 719 to 4,852 people per Sq Km. Two groups of population density emerge: one, including Al-Gumruk, Karmuz, and others, is denser than the city average, while the other, like Muharam Bek and Al-Raml, is less dense. Notably, Karmuz grew rapidly despite being newer. The 1947 census showed the highest density in the Tamrazia shiyakha of Al-Gumruk, while Al-Agami shiyakha had the lowest at just 30 people per Sq Km (Appendix 2). ¹⁴

Figure 2: ِAnimated map of Alexandria’s population growth between 1897 – 1947 (See Appendix 1. In: Alexandria City, by Mohamed Sobhy Abdelhakim, 235-237. Misr Bookshop, 1958.)

What is Alexandria? Current Administrative Extent

Alexandria has been Egypt’s second largest city, after the capital Cairo, for some time, seeing significant spatial expansion in a very challenging geography. Since the start of the second half of the 20^th century, the city’s urban area increased an incredible 32 times. Today, Alexandria governorate is a quasi-city-state sprawled over 2,745 km², with almost 100% of it designated as ‘urban’. Representing Alexandria city proper – semi-formally as no administrative designation exists, are nine districts (Hayy) comprising 17 urban qisms (similar to police wards), though incorporating many villages and hamlets that are now an almost contiguous urban agglomeration with the originally urban sectors (Fig. 3, Appendix 5). One of the qisms to the north west, termed North Coast- Part, is made of summer resorts so its population is seasonal. The small county (Markaz) of Borg Al-Arab to the governorate’s west was split from neighbouring Matruh governorate and added to it in 1990,¹⁵ comprising the eponymous town and seven villages, which are the only places still administratively designated as rural in Alexandria. The New Borg Al-‘Arab City was established by the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA) in 1979, and is Alexandria’s only proper new urban community (NUC) or satellite city, that has a separate administrative structure under NUCA, though is considered a qism within Alexandria governorate (For more on NUCs see Mapping Egypt’s New Cities). Another NUC, New Alexandria, is more of a real estate development financed by NUCA, though located within the Al-‘Amriyya 1 qism.

Figure 3: Area of each Qism in Alexandria 2024 (Sq. Km.)

Mapping Population Growth: 1947-2024

Alexandria’s population has consistently increased over the last 74 years, with a notable surge occurring in the early 21^st century (Fig. 4, Appendix 3). By 2024, the population reached 5.6 million, nearly double the figure at the end of the 20^th century. A 65% population rise was recorded after the establishment of new qisms—Al-Muntazah, Bab Sharq, and Al-Dikhila—in late 1950s. In 1976, changes to the borders of administrative districts led to the creation of new qisms, Sidi Gabir and Al-‘Amriyya, which revealed a 53% increase in the city’s population. The 1996 census, which included the newly added qisms of Borg Al-‘Arab and New Borg Al-‘Arab, indicated that the population had more than doubled since the 1960 census. In three-quarters of a century, Al-Raml’s population increased sixfold, Al-Muntazah tenfold, while, and Al-‘Amriyya grew an incredible seventeen times. The rate of population increase in Al-Muntazah and Al-Raml was most significant between 1976 and 1996, probably due to expansion of Alexandria’s built-up area eastward. Conversely, the old qisms of Al-Manshiyya, Karmuz, and Al-Labban experienced significant depopulation between 1986 and 2006, by a massive 40%, probably due to the matter of decay in historical inner-cities. Inner urban decay often happens alongside transformations like mass unemployment and declining urban services.¹⁶

The population distributions in Alexandria have varied since the second half of the 20^th century, based on eight censuses from 1947 to 2024. By 1960 and 1966, Alexandria had nearly 1.5 million inhabitants, disaggregated into 35% in the old areas of al-Manshiyaa, al-Attarin, Karmuz, Labban, and al-Gumruk, 55% in the eastern qisms of Al-Muntazah, Al-Raml, Bab Sharq, and Muharam Bek. Between 1976 and 1996, the proportion of residents in the old core of the city decreased significantly from 23% to 10%. The western qisms maintained a steady share of about 17%, with noticeable growth in Al-‘Amriyya and Al-Dikhila sections by 1996. In contrast, the eastern qisms increased their share to 65% of the population by the end of this period, boosted by a remarkable rise in Al-Muntazah qism from 13% to 26% because it still had large strips of agricultural and undeveloped land and was attracting permanent residents and seasonal tourists, alongside a decline in Muharam Bek from 15% to only 9% of the population. The first quarter of the 21^st century has seen Alexandria’s inexorable growth continue, with 1.6 million people added between 2006 and 2024, and the central core retaining only 7% of the city’s inhabitants.

Figure 4: ِAnimated map of Alexandria’s population growth by qism 1947 – 2024 (See Appendix 2)

Taking a snapshot today reveals that the qism of Al-Muntazah 1 has the highest population, with approximately 1.1 million residents as of 2024, or one fifth of the city’s entire population. The eastern qisms together make up two thirds of Alexandria’s population, while the western qisms account for 28%. According to the latest population estimates, the least populated permanently inhabited qisms were Borg Al-‘Arab, with 135,000 inhabitants, and New Borg Al-‘Arab City, with only 47,000 residents, together representing just 3% of the overall population (Fig. 5). The North Coast qism with holiday homes had only 3000 residents.

At the sub-qism level, the shiyakha, the 2017 census shows Al-Agami in the western qism of Al-Dikhila, as having the highest population amongst the shiyakhas, with 362,000 residents, or three quarters of the entire qism. Notably, Al-Agami’s population increased 134 times over the fifty years leading up to 2017; this growth could be attributed to its transformation from a summer vacation area into a neighborhood with permanent residents. Al-Agami was followed by the shiyakha of Al-Mandara Qibli in Al-Muntazah 2, which had 247,000 inhabitants, and Sidi Bishr Qbli in qism Al-Muntazah 1, with a population of 252,000.

Figure 5: Alexandria population by qism 2024 (Appendix 3)

Mapping Population Density Shifts: 1947-2024

Analysing the population density of Alexandria’s administrative divisions over three-quarters of a century reveals notable trends. Karmuz was the densest qism, with 93,000 people per Sq Km in the 1960-1966 phase. Likewise, Karmuz and Al-Gumruk qisms had a high population densities average of 62,000 persons per Sq Km, followed by Muharam Bek in the 1976-1996 phase. It can be observed that the population densities of Al-Muntazah and Al-Dikhila have increased by a factor of nineteen and twelve, respectively, while those of Al-Gumruk and Muharam Bek have declined by more than six times since 1976 (Fig. 6, Appendix 4).

Figure 6: ِAnimated map of Alexandria’s population density development by qism 1947 – 2024 (Person/ Sq. Km. See Appendix 2)

By the early quarter of the 21^st century, Al-Raml 1 exhibit the highest population density at 67,000 inhabitants per Sq Km, while Bab Sharq followed with a density of 45,000 inhabitants per Sq Km. Borg Al-‘Arab, New Borg Al-‘Arab, and Al-‘Amriyya 2 have the lowest population densities at 106, 323, and 434 inhabitants per Sq Km, respectively (Fig. 7).

Figure 7: Alexandria population density by qism 2024 (Appendix 4)

Housing Units & Vacancy 2017

As of the 2017 census, Alexandria had 2.6 million housing units. Of these, 32% were located in the two qisms of Al-Muntazah 1 and 2, while Al-Dikhila accounted for 13% (Appendix 5). Despite the Borg Al-‘Arab qism covering 46% of the city’s total area, it contained only 1.5% of the housing units, due to its agricultural and desert character.

Figure 8: Housing units distribution in Alexandria 2017 (See Appendix 5)

In terms of vacancy, exactly half (49.8%) of the residential units in Alexandria or 1.3 million units, were found to be vacant in 2017, which was considerably more than the national average vacancy of 38%, itself very high (Appendix 6). This is due in all probability to Alexandria being a popular summer resort for Egyptians, where many residential flats are rented out seasonally. This can be seen in how the census counted 39.5% of the total or one million units as vacant and useable (closed because owners are abroad, have another unit, or vacant and complete/non-permanently used). The remaining 14% (362,514 units) were found to be vacant and unusable, the majority (230,482) were new but still unfinished, while 1% (26,555) needed restoration, and 0.3% (7524) units were condemned to be demolished.

Geographically, vacancy across Alexandria varied considerably. The top three qisms in terms of vacancy rates were North Coast, New Borg Al-‘Arab, and in Al-Dikhila, at 97%, 81% and 66% vacancy respectively. The high vacancy was expected in North Coast and Dikhila qisms beacuse of their coastal summer resort nature. The New Borg Al-‘Arab however, seemed consisted with its nature as a new urban community (NUC), which are known for their high vacancy rates due to being newly founded, and various problems in seeing them populated,¹⁷ such as lacking key features such as high-capacity hospitals, social clubs, and shopping centres that are readily available in Alexandria proper.

Figure 9: Housing vacancy rates in Alexandria 2017 (See Appendix 5)

Conclusion

In conclusion, Alexandria has undergone significant demographic changes over the past 74 years, increasing an incredible 5.5 times to 5.6 million people today. This can be seen in how new qisms continued to be established to keep up with the city’s growth, especially in areas like Al-Muntazah and Al-‘Amriyya. However, some older neighbourhoods have experienced a depopulation, reflecting the decay of the historic urban core.

Despite the increase in housing units, a considerable number stand vacant, due to the competition between the need for permanent housing and Alexandria’s touristic nature. Land use in Alexandria is also unequal, where despite large land area expansion over the last three quarters of a century, 82% of its residents only occupy 10% of the city-state, the city of Alexandria proper. Overall, Alexandria’s exploding population landscape highlights the challenges and opportunities that come with rapid urbanisation, underscoring the need for careful planning and development to address the needs of its residents.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Population of Alexandria by qism between 1897 – 1947 (Person)

Qism/ Census	1897	1907	1917	1927	1937	1947
Total Alexandria	315,844	353,807	444,617	573,063	685,736	919,024
Al-Raml	18,739	21,561	31,436	51,736	77,959	126,440
Muharam Bek	21,616	40,582	47,992	82,305	129,163	197,334
Al-Attarin	43,666	46,847	54,335	57,853	58,380	75,647
Al-Manshiyya	21,263	24,993	28,095	29,037	26,973	35,474
Karmuz	39,820	52,200	92,305	128,868	157,641	213,201
Al-Labban	36,674	42,465	47,823	55,834	52,282	60,525
Al-Gumruk	86,186	71,545	82,769	92,161	96,827	119,741
Mina Al-Basal	45,069	51,453	57,423	72,522	85,209	89,640
Mina Al-Iskandariyya	2,811	2,161	2,439	2,747	1,302	1,022

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Population Censuses”, 1897-1947. CAPMAS/CEDEJ Cartographic Portal.

Appendix 2: Population density of Alexandria by qism between 1897 – 1947 (Person/ Sq. Km)

Qism/ Census	1897	1907	1917	1927	1937	1947
Average Alexandria	4,432	4,965	6,238	8,041	9,622	12,910
Al-Raml	719	828	1,207	1,986	2,993	4,852
Muharam Bek	1,160	2,178	2,576	4,418	6,932	10,591
Al-Attarin	21,584	23,157	26,858	38,597	28,858	37,393
Al-Manshiyya	37,304	43,847	49,289	50,942	47,321	62,235
Karmuz	12,077	15,832	27,997	39,086	47,813	64,665
Al-Labban	21,137	24,475	27,564	32,181	30,134	34,884
Al-Gumruk	80,849	67,115	77,644	86,455	90,832	112,327
Mina Al-Basal	2,687	3,068	3,424	4,324	5,081	5,344

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Population Censuses”, 1897-1947. CAPMAS/CEDEJ Cartographic Portal.

Appendix 3: Population size of Alexandria by qism between 1947 – 2024 (Person)

Qism/ Census	1947	1960	1966	1976	1986	1996	2006	2017	2024
Total Alexandria	919,024	1,516,234	1,800,951	2,318,655	2,926,859	3,339,076	4,123,869	5,163,750	5,593,569
Al-Muntazah		178,015	161,433	310,054	610,091	871,896	1,173,803
Al-Muntazah 1								1044142	1,123,258
Al-Muntazah 2								541430	582,456
Al-Raml	126,440	157,818	294,096	446,155	611,628	674,394	752,371
Al-Raml 1							380219	277234	298,265
Al-Raml 2							372152	630062	677837
Sidi Gabir				134,516	159,422	189,824	226,304	251,526	270,584
Bab Sharq		239,410	280,340	215,639	204,157	172,633	179,729	226,644	243,862
Muharam Bek	197,334	261,955	299,775	336,228	343,696	302,608	299,401	279,899	301,145
Al-Attarin	75,647	71,148	74,810	75,062	65,854	49,165	40,605	36,862	39,664
Al-Manshiyya	35,474	42,494	44,714	44,843	37,919	26,768	23,616	23,442	25,224
Karmuz	213,201	192,911	206,407	213,737	198,206	147,277	120,062	104,064	111,954
Al-Labban	60,525	77,698	80,879	78,496	63,857	47,744	36,750	41,022	44,139
Al-Gumruk	119,741	140,960	152,171	142,806	122,724	98,477	85,192	92,316	99,316
Mina Al-Basal	89,640	131,034	169,729	227,725	299,344	292,722	254,986	252,549	271,702
Al-Dikhila		22,791	36,597	45,868	97,000	195,087	343,836	472,721	508,547
Al-‘Amriyya				47,025	111,641	228,540	491,373
Al-‘Amriyya 1								475071	511039
Al-‘Amriyya 2								278266	299319
New Borg Al-‘Arab						7,051	41,661	43,811	47,126
Borg Al-‘Arab						34,066	51,626	89,732	134,951
Mina Al-Iskandariyya (Alexandria Port)	1,022			501	1,320	824
Sahil Al-Shamali (North Coast-Part)							2,554	2,957	3,181

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Population Censuses”, 1947-2017. CAPMAS/CEDEJ Cartographic Portal, and: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Estimated population”, July 2024

Appendix 4: Population density of Alexandria qisms between 1947 – 2024 (Person/ Sq. Km)

	1947	1960	1966	1976	1986	1996	2006	2017	2024
Average Alexandria	10,784	9,222	10,953	1,813	2,288	1,238	1,511	1,891	2,040
Al-Muntazah		2,015	1,827	3,691	7,262	10,378	13,972
Al-Muntazah 1								26,006	27,977
Al-Muntazah 2								12,172	10,955
Al-Raml	3,809	15,352	28,609	11,295	15,484	17,073
Al-Raml 1							86,217	62,865	67,634
Al-Raml 2							11,186	18,938	20,374
Sidi Gabir				10,237	12,133	14,446	17,223	19,142	20,592
Bab Sharq		16,580	19,414	39,065	36,985	31,274	32,560	41,059	44,178
Muharam Bek	10,640	27,089	31,001	61,132	62,490	55,020	10,967	10,253	11,031
Al-Attarin	44,603	39,747	41,793	41,934	36,790	27,466	22,684	20,593	22,159
Al-Manshiyya	75,157	67,451	70,975	71,179	60,189	42,489	37,486	37,210	40,038
Karmuz	84,907	90,145	96,452	71,246	66,069	49,092	40,021	34,688	37,318
Al-Labban	49,979	67,563	70,330	72,015	58,584	43,802	33,716	37,635	40,494
Al-Gumruk	46,161	57,770	62,365	73,611	63,260	50,761	9,703	10,514	9,037
Mina Al-Basal	3,586	15,113	19,577	23,697	31,149	30,460	26,533	26,280	28,273
Al-Dikhila		916	1,472	923	1,953	3,928	7,575	10,415	11,204
Al-‘Amriyya				44	105	215	468
Al-‘Amriyya 1								1,320	1,420
Al-‘Amriyya 2								403	434
New Borg Al-‘Arab						48	286	300	323
Borg Al-‘Arab						27	41	71	106
Mina Al-Iskandariyya (Alexandria Port)				501	1,320	824
Sahil Al-Shamali (North Coast-Part)							103	119	128

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Population Censuses”, 1947-2017. CAPMAS/CEDEJ Cartographic Portal, and: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Estimated population”, July 2024.

Appendix 5: Housing units, households and vacancy rates by administrative division in Alexandria

District (Hayy)	Qism	Households (2017)	Housing Units (2017)	Units: Households Ratio	Housing Unit Vacancy
Al-Muntazah 1	Al-Muntazah 1	267,792	516,961	1.9	48%
Al-Muntazah 2	Al-Muntazah 2	143,956	323,116	2.2	55%
Sharq (East)	Al-Raml 1	74,386	118,990	1.6	37%
Sharq (East)	Al-Raml 2	160,944	247,850	1.5	35%
Sharq (East)	Sidi Gabir	75,285	132,629	1.8	43%
Wasat (Middle)	Al-Attarin	60,127	96,193	1.6	37%
Wasat (Middle)	Bab Sharq	78,282	117,632	1.5	33%
Wasat (Middle)	Muharam Bek	9,829	16,529	1.7	41%
Gharb (West)	Mina Al-Basal	6,308	9,318	1.5	32%
Gharb (West)	Karmuz	25,955	36,501	1.4	29%
Al-Gumruk	Al-Gumruk	11,147	15,404	1.4	28%
Al-Gumruk	Al-Manshiyya	26,279	38,191	1.5	31%
Al-Gumruk	Al-Labban	64,411	85,709	1.3	25%
Al-Agami	Al-Dikhila	119,420	342,356	2.9	65%
Al-‘Amriyya 1	Al-‘Amriyya 1	113,513	273,876	2.4	59%
Al-‘Amriyya 2	Al-‘Amriyya 2	63,992	88,932	1.4	28%
Borg Al-‘Arab	Borg Al-‘Arab	18,526	37,457	2.0	51%
Borg Al-‘Arab	New Borg Al-‘Arab	10,493	53,525	5.1	80%
Borg Al-‘Arab	North Coast- Part	726	27,219	37.5	97%
Total		1,331,371	2,578,388	1.9	48.4%

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Population Census” and “Building Census“, 2017

Appendix 6: Distribution of vacant residential units suitable and unsuitable for use at the national level and in Alexandria Governorate

	Egypt total	Egypt total	Alexandria	Alexandria
	Number	Percentage	Number	Percentage
Total residential units	36,230,155	100%	2,579,018	100%
For housing	22,305,598	61.6%	1,289,402	50.0%
For housing and work	182,144	0.5%	5,534	0.2%
Total closed and vacant (A + B)	13,742,413	37.9%	1,284,082	49.8%
A- Total Closed and usable (1, 2, 3)	8,718,251	24.1%	1,019,521	39.5%
B- Total closed and vacant (3, 4, 5)	5,024,162	13.9%	264,561	10.3%
1- Closed due to the family being abroad	1,159,229	3.2%	147,206	5.7%
2- Closed due to the existence of another residence for the family	2,892,478	8.0%	509,801	19.8%
3- Vacant finished housing unit	4,666,544	12.9%	362,514	14.1%
4- Vacant not finished residential unit	4,331,296	12.0%	230,482	8.9%
5- Unit needs renovation	615,454	1.7%	26,555	1.0%
6- Unit with demolition order	77,412	0.2%	7,524	0.3%

Sources: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, “Building Census“, 2017

Notes and References