Cairo (Arabic: محافظة القاهرة) is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. It consists of the city of Cairo, both the capital city of Egypt and the governorate capital, in addition to six satellite cities: The New Capital, which became the official seat of national government in April 2024, New Cairo, a suburban satellite city built in the 2000s, El Shorouk, Badr, Capital Gardens, and 15th of May. These cities form almost half of the Greater Cairo metropolitan area by population.
Cairo is one of four city governorates in Egypt, and the governor of Cairo is also the head of the city. Nonetheless, the governate of Cairo and the city of Cairo are two semi-distinct levels of local government, and as with other governorates, the governor is appointed by the president.
Contents
Overview
Parts of the governorate, the Helwan district and the satellite cities, were spun off in April 2008 to form the Helwan Governorate, only to be reincorporated into the Cairo Governorate in April 2011.
Municipal divisions
The governorate is divided into the city of Cairo, and the unallocated desert hinter land (al-zahir al-sahrawi).
Cairo city is subdivided into four Areas (manatiq) headed by a deputy governor each, and 38 Districts (ahya, sing. Hayy) with their own governor appointed heads.
The Northern Area divided into 9 Districts:
Shubra, Al-Zawiya al-Hamra, Hadayek al-Kobba, Rod al-Farg, al-Sharabiya, al-Sahel, al-Zaytoun, Al-Amiriya, and al-Waili
The Eastern Area divided into 9 Districts:
Misr al-Gadidah (Heliopolis), Al-Nozha, Nasr City East (Sharq Madinet Nasr), Nasr City West (Gharb Madinet Nasr), al-Salam Awwal, al-Salam Thani, al-Matariya, and al-Marg. In addition to New Cairo, Al-Shorouk, Badr, and The New Capital.
The Western Area divided into 9 Districts:
Manshiyat Nasser, Al-Wayli, Wasat al-Qahira: Al-Darb al-Ahmar, al-Gamaliyya, al-Hussein), Boulaq, Gharb El-Qahira (Zamalek, Garden City, Down Town), Abdeen, Azbakeya, al-Muski, and Bab El-Shaaria.
The Southern Area divided into 12 Districts:
Masr El-Qadima (Old Cairo), al-Khalifa, al-Moqattam, al-Basatin, Dar El-Salam, El-Sayeda Zeinab, al-Tebbin, Helwan, al-Ma'sara, al-Maadi, Tora, and 15th may City.
In addition to Cairo City, there are six satellite cities that are under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities who chairs the New Urban Communities Authority that directly controls them (planning, land sales, zoning), while the governorate departments (muduriyat) control police and select public services (education, health, subsidised food). The more populated ones are subdivided into hayy, while the ones still under construction are yet to have governorate representation. These cities are:
New Cairo
El Shorouk
Badr
15th of May
The New Capital
Capital Gardens
As of January 2023, the municipal divisions had a total estimated population as of 10,203,693.
Governors
As of 4 April 2025, Ibrahim Saber is the governor of Cairo Governorate.
Former
Source:
Atef Abdelhamid, 7 September 2016 - 12 August 2018
Galal Mostafa Saeed, 13 August 2013 - 23 March 2016
Osama Kamal, 29 January 2013 - 12 August 2013
Abdel Kawi Khalifa, 14 April 2011 - 12 August 2012
Abdel Azim Wazir, 9 July 2004 - 14 April 2011
Abdel Rehim Shehata, 8 July 1997 - 14 July 2004
Mohammed Omar Abdel Akhar, 2 May 1991 - 7 July 1997
Mahmoud Sherif, 18 April 1989 - 19 May 1991
Yousef Sabri Abu Taleb, 13 March 1983 - 14 April 1989
Mohammed Saad El-Din Maamoun, 15 May 1977 - 12 March 1983
Industrial zones
According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Cairo: