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Sohag Governorate

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Sohag is a large area in the country of Egypt. It sits in the southern part of the land. This region is known as Upper Egypt. The area covers a long stretch of the Nile Valley.

Al Hager Bawlad Yehya, Markaz Dar El-Salam, Sohag Governorate, Egypt - panoramio
Al Hager Bawlad Yehya, Markaz Dar El-Salam, Sohag Governorate, Egypt - panoramio

The capital city is called Sohag. This has been the capital since 1960. Before that time, the capital was the city of Girga. The whole area was once called Girga Governorate.

Many people live in this part of Egypt. In 2024, about 5,853,394 people lived there. Most of these people live in rural areas. Only about 21.4% of the people live in cities. This means about 4,600,768 people live in the countryside. The rest, about 1,252,626 people, live in urban areas. The area is divided into many smaller parts. There are twelve markaz and five agsam. There are also two new cities.

Workers find many old things while digging in the soil. In April 2019, a team led by Mostafa Waziri found a tomb. This tomb was at the al-Dayabat site. It belonged to a nobleman named Toutou and his wife. The tomb had two tiny rooms made of limestone. Inside, they found a well-preserved mummy. They also found mummified animals like cats, dogs, and eagles. In 2026, workers found a different site at Al-Qarya bi-Al-Duweir. This was a place where monks lived during the Byzantine period. It had mudbrick buildings and a central church.

Life in Sohag can be hard for some families. More than 60% of people live in poverty. To help, the government and groups from other countries provide aid. They offer money and new jobs to people. In early 2019, residents of poor villages moved into new homes. These houses were built with help from the National Bank of Kuwait. There was a big celebration for the 115 new homes. People even received gifts like cattle to help them.

Sohag has many different places to visit and work. There are special industrial zones for making goods. These include the El Ahaywa Industrial Zone and the El Kawthar Industrial Zone. You can also find the Industrial Zone West of Tahta. Many famous people come from this area too. For example, Imad Hamdi and Hamdy Ahmed are actors. The Sawiris family is also well known for their business. There are many important sites like the White Monastery and the Red Monastery.

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File:Al Hager Bawlad Yehya, Markaz Dar El-Salam, Sohag Governorate, Egypt - panoramio.jpg
Al Hager Bawlad Yehya, Markaz Dar...
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