Damanhur (Arabic: دمنهور Damanhūr, IPA: [dɑmɑnˈhuːɾ]; Egyptian: Dmỉ-n-Ḥr.w; Coptic: ⲡϯⲙⲓⲛ̀ϩⲱⲣ Ptīminhōr; pronounced [ptəmənhoːr]; Ancient Greek: Ἑρμοῦ πόλις μικρά Hermopolis Mikra) is a city in Lower Egypt, and the capital of the Beheira Governorate. It is located 160 km (99 mi) northwest of Cairo, and 70 km (43 mi) E.S.E. of Alexandria, in the middle of the western Nile Delta.
Damanhur
دمنهور | |
---|---|
City | |
Coordinates: 31°02′26″N 30°28′12″E | |
Country | Egypt |
Governorate | Beheira |
Elevation | 18 m (59 ft) |
Population (2011) | |
• Total | 242,700 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
Area code | (+20) 45 |
Țemāi en Ḥeru[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Egyptian hieroglyphs |
Damanhur was known in the ancient Egyptian language as The City of (the god) Horus,[2] on the grounds that it was a center for the worship of this god. It was also known by other names: in the Egyptian texts, "Behdet";[3] in the Greek texts "Hermou Polis Mikra" (the lesser city of Hermes), translated to Latin by the Romans as "Hermopolis Parva"; the name "Obollenoboles" (or Apollonopolis) associated it with the Greek god Apollo, and it was also called "Tel Ballamon". Now it is known by its oldest name, which was rendered in Bohairic Coptic: Ⲡⲓϯⲙⲓⲛ̀ϩⲱⲣ or Ⲡⲧⲓⲙⲉⲛϩⲱⲣ,[4] and thus rendered in Arabic as "Damanhur" following the Islamic conquest.
In ancient Egypt, the city was the capital of Lower Egypt's 7th Nome of A-ment. It stood on the banks of a canal which connected the lake Mareotis with the Canopic or most westerly arm of the Nile.[5] The city was dedicated to the Ancient Egyptian god Horus. In Greek and Roman times, it was called Hermopolis Mikra or Hermopolis Parva, which would also give it an association with Hermes, the Egyptian Thoth.[6] As Hermopolis, the city attracted the notice of numerous ancient geographers, including Stephanus of Byzantium s. v., Strabo (xvii. p. 802), Ptolemy (iv. 5. § 46), and the author of the Antonine Itinerary (p. 154). It is a Roman Catholic titular see.
It was first made a provincial capital under Fatimid rule in 11th century, and in the Middle Ages it prospered as a caravan town on the post road from Cairo to Alexandria. It was severely damaged in 1302 by an earthquake, but in the late 14th century the Mamluk caliph Barquq restored its fortifications to protect the city from Bedouins.
In 1799, the city revolted against the French, who cruelly crushed the rebels, killing 1,500.
In 1986, the population of Damanhur was 188,939. The richly cultivated Beheira province gives rise to mainly agricultural industries which include cotton ginning, potato processing, and date picking. It also has a market for cotton and rice.
Being located close to the Nile Delta and the northern coast of Egypt, that give Damanhur a hot desert climate (Köppen: BWh), moderated by blowing winds coming from the Mediterranean Sea, typical to the coast. The city gets average precipitation during winter, and rare rain during other seasons. Hail and frost are not unknown specifically during winter.
Climate data for Damanhur, Egypt | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Average high °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) |
19.1 (66.4) |
21.7 (71.1) |
25.6 (78.1) |
29.4 (84.9) |
31.2 (88.2) |
32.0 (89.6) |
32.3 (90.1) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.1 (84.4) |
24.8 (76.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
26.2 (79.2) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.0 (55.4) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.8 (60.4) |
19.0 (66.2) |
22.7 (72.9) |
25.0 (77.0) |
26.2 (79.2) |
26.4 (79.5) |
25.1 (77.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
19.4 (66.9) |
15.0 (59.0) |
20.4 (68.7) |
Average low °C (°F) | 7.8 (46.0) |
8.2 (46.8) |
9.9 (49.8) |
12.4 (54.3) |
16.0 (60.8) |
18.9 (66.0) |
20.5 (68.9) |
20.6 (69.1) |
19.4 (66.9) |
17.3 (63.1) |
14.0 (57.2) |
9.7 (49.5) |
14.6 (58.2) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 25 (1.0) |
21 (0.8) |
9 (0.4) |
4 (0.2) |
3 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
5 (0.2) |
13 (0.5) |
22 (0.9) |
102 (4.1) |
Source: Climate-Data.org[7] |
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Cities and towns of Egypt | |
---|---|
Cairo Governorate | Cairo |
Giza Governorate | Giza, 6th of October City, Sheikh Zayed City, El Hawamdeya, El Badrashein, El Saff, Atfih, El Ayyat, Bawiti, Manshiyat al Qanater, Awsim, Kerdasa, Abu El Namras |
Qalyubia Governorate | Benha, Qalyub, Shubra El Kheima, El Qanater El Khayreya, Khanka, Kafr Shukr, Toukh, Qaha, Obour City, Khusus, Shibin El Qanater, Saryaqos, Egypt, El Kulzom |
Alexandria Governorate | Alexandria, Borg El Arab, New Borg El Arab |
Beheira Governorate | Damanhur, Kafr El Dawwar, Rosetta, Edku, Abu El Matamir, Abu Hummus, El Delengat, El Mahmoudiyah, El Rahmaniya, Itay El Barud, Hosh Issa, Shubra Khit, Koum Hamada, Badr, Wadi El Natrun, New Nubariya |
Matrouh Governorate | |
Damietta Governorate | Damietta, New Damietta, Ras El Bar, Faraskur, Kafr Saad, El Zarqa, Assarw, Arrawda, Kafr El Battikh, Ezbet El Borg, Mit Abu Ghaleb |
Dakahlia Governorate | Mansoura, Talkha, Mit Ghamr, Dekernes, Aga, Minyat An-Nasr, El Senbellawein, El Kurdi, Bani Ebaid, El Manzala, Temay El Amdeed, El Gammalia, Sherbin, El Matareya, Belqas, Mit Salsil, Gamasa, Mahallat Damana, Nabaruh |
Kafr El Sheikh Governorate | |
Gharbia Governorate | |
Monufia Governorate | |
Sharqia Governorate | Zagazig, 10th of Ramadan (city), Minya El Qamh, Bilbeis, Mashtool El Souk, Al-Qinayat, Abu Hammad, El Qurein, Hihya, Abu Kebir, Faqous, El Salheya El Gedida, El Ibrahimiya, Diyarb Negm, Kafr Saqr, Awlad Saqr, El Husseiniya, Tanis, Minshat Abu Omar, Qantir |
Port Said Governorate | Port Said, Port Fuad |
Ismailia Governorate | |
Suez Governorate | Suez |
North Sinai Governorate | |
South Sinai Governorate | |
Beni Suef Governorate | |
Faiyum Governorate | |
Minya Governorate | Minya, New Minya, El Idwa, Maghagha, Beni Mazar, Matai, Samalut, Mallawi, Dir Mawas, Aba al-Waqf, Dir Mawas, Dalga, Bahnasa, Idmo, Tuna el-Gebel, Al Madinah Al Fikriyyah |
Asyut Governorate | Asyut, New Asyut, Dairut, Dayrut al-Sharif, Manfalut, El Quseyya, Abnub, Abu Tig, El Ghanayem, Sahel Selim, El Badari, Sidfa, Manqabad, Musha |
New Valley Governorate | |
Red Sea Governorate | |
Sohag Governorate | Sohag, New Sohag, Akhmim, New Akhmim, El Balyana, El Maragha, Ptolemais Hermiou, Dar El Salam, Girga, West Juhayna, Saqultah, Tima, Tahta |
Qena Governorate | |
Luxor Governorate | |
Aswan Governorate | |
Capital cities are in bold font. |
Governorates capitals of Egypt | |
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Governorate (capital) |
|
Egyptian cities and towns by population | |
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1,000,000 and more |
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300,000–999,999 | |
100,000–299,999 |
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<99,999 |
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