City Africa
Alexandria
Alexandria is a big city in Egypt, beside the Mediterranean Sea. It has a very long history.
Alexandria is Egypt's second-largest city, a port on the Mediterranean Sea west of the Nile delta. Alexander the Great founded it in 331 BC; a fort now stands on the ruins of its ancient lighthouse, and a new library on the site of its ancient one. About 5.36 million people lived there in 2023.
Founded by Alexander in 331 BC on a strip of land between the Mediterranean and Lake Mariout, Alexandria became the capital of the Ptolemies and, after the Suez Canal opened in 1869, Egypt's main port. Egypt's statistics agency estimated 5,362,517 people in the city on 1 July 2023, second only to Cairo.
Photo: ASaber91, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Discover Alexandria
Alexandria is a big city in Egypt. It is next to the Mediterranean Sea.
More people live in Alexandria than in any other city in Egypt except Cairo.
Alexandria is a port city in northern Egypt, west of the delta where the Nile River reaches the sea. Universalis says it is built on a long strip of land between the Mediterranean Sea and a lake, Lake Mariout.
Egypt's statistics agency estimated that 5,362,517 people lived in the city in July 2023. Only Cairo, the capital, had more.
City Population's table of figures from Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) gives Alexandria city 5,362,517 people in the estimate of 1 July 2023, up from 5,107,530 in the census of 28 March 2017; Cairo had 9,801,536. Alexandria Governorate had 5,546,663.
Universalis places the city west of the Nile delta, sheltered from its floods, on a coastal strip separating the Mediterranean from Lake Mariout, the ancient Lake Mareotis.
- Country
- Egypt
- People in Alexandria (estimate, 1 July 2023)
- 5,362,517
- Sea
- Mediterranean Sea
- Founded
- 331 BC, by Alexander
A fort on the lighthouse's ruins and a new library
A big stone fort stands at the edge of the sea. It was built where a very old lighthouse once stood.
Alexandria also has a huge new library.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says the Citadel of Qaitbay was built from 1477 to 1479 on the ruins of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse, to defend the city from the sea. It is made of limestone and covers about 17,550 square meters. In the water next to it, more than 3,000 pieces of old buildings, such as columns, have been found, along with debris from the lighthouse.
In 2002 a new library, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, opened in the city. Universalis says it was built on the site of the ancient Library of Alexandria.
The ministry dates the citadel to 882–884 AH (1477–1479 AD), built by the Mamluk sultan Qaitbay over the ruins of the lighthouse, with an outer wall with towers and an inner wall around a courtyard. Its 'sunken monuments' page describes a site 150 m long and 6 to 8 m deep beside the citadel, explored since 1994, where blocks weighing more than 20 tons lie in a line heading north, which the ministry says confirms they fell from a high or large structure.
Universalis says the Bibliotheca Alexandrina was built with UNESCO and the Egyptian state on the site of the ancient library, with museums and research centers, and designed to hold 8 million books; the library itself says it aims to recapture the spirit of the original ancient Library of Alexandria.
- Citadel of Qaitbay
- built 1477–1479
- Built on
- the ruins of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- opened 2002
From Alexander's city to Egypt's great port
Long, long ago, a king called Alexander started the city. It is named after him.
Ships have sailed in and out of its harbors for more than 2,000 years.
Alexander the Great founded the city in 331 BC. A causeway about 1,300 meters long joined it to the island of Pharos, making two harbors, one on each side. In Roman times it became a huge city, perhaps with more than 500,000 people.
Later it shrank, and by 1798 it was a small town of 5,000 to 7,000 people. It grew again in the 1800s, and after the Suez Canal opened in 1869 it became Egypt's main trading place and leading port.
Universalis dates the founding by Alexander to 331 BC and says Ptolemy I Soter built a causeway of about 1,300 m, the Heptastadion, to the island of Pharos, creating an eastern harbor (Portus Magnus) and a western one (Eunostos, today's main port). It describes a city of perhaps more than 500,000 people in Roman times, a decline from the 3rd century continuing after the Arab conquest of 642, and a prosperous spell in the 14th and 15th centuries as a center of the spice trade to Europe.
After the opening of the sea route around Africa and the Ottoman takeover of 1517, the town shrank to 5,000 to 7,000 people by 1798. Muhammad Ali and his successors developed it, and after 1869 it became Egypt's main center of trade and its leading port.
- Founded by Alexander
- 331 BC
- Causeway to Pharos island
- about 1,300 m long
- Suez Canal opens
- 1869; Alexandria becomes Egypt's main port
Trams since 1863
Alexandria has trams that run on rails along the streets.
The trams started running more than 160 years ago!
Alexandria's tram system opened on 8 January 1863, and its trams have run on electricity since 1902. UrbanRail.Net lists 32 kilometers of track, 20 lines and 140 stops.
The suburban Ramla lines were closed for upgrading from April 2026. The port, too, links the city to the rest of Egypt and the world: Universalis says it is well connected to the country's interior.
UrbanRail.Net gives the Alexandria tram as opened on 8 January 1863 and electrified in 1902, with 32 km, 20 lines and 140 stops on 1,435 mm gauge track, in two parts: an urban system and the suburban Ramla lines, which closed for upgrading from April 2026. It also links to an Alexandria Metro project.
Universalis describes the port of Alexandria as well connected to the interior, handling almost all of Egypt's exports, such as cotton, and three-quarters of its imports, figures from an undated article that cites the 2006 census.
- Tram opened
- 8 January 1863 (electric since 1902)
- Tram network
- 32 km, 20 lines, 140 stops
- Ramla tram lines
- closed for upgrading from April 2026
Dry summers by the sea
Summers in Alexandria are warm and dry. On average, no rain falls in June, July and August.
Winters are mild, and that is when a little rain falls.
The World Meteorological Organization's averages for Alexandria (1981–2010) show daytime highs of about 30 °C in July and August and about 18 °C in January. Winter nights are mild, at about 9 °C.
Alexandria is dry: only about 193 millimeters of rain fall in an average year, almost all from October to March. In June, July and August the average is zero.
The WMO table for Alexandria, 1981–2010, gives average highs from 18.3 °C in January to 30.4 °C in August and average lows from 9.3 °C in January and February to 23.9 °C in August.
The monthly rainfall averages add up to about 192.6 mm on about 46.5 days. January is the wettest month (52.9 mm), followed by December (46.7 mm) and February (40.2 mm); June, July and August average 0.0 mm.
- August, average high (WMO, 1981–2010)
- 30.4 °C
- January and February, average low (same period)
- 9.3 °C
- Rain in a year (sum of the monthly averages)
- about 193 mm
Port, factories and summer visitors
Ships load and unload goods in Alexandria's big port.
In summer, many people come from Cairo to enjoy the seaside.
Universalis describes Alexandria as a city of factories, with refineries, cement works, shipyards, and textile, leather, paper and food industries. It says the port handled almost all of Egypt's exports, such as cotton.
It is also a holiday city: Universalis says its climate and beaches draw many people from Cairo in summer. The city has a large university, and the new library is joined by museums of science, antiquities and manuscripts.
Universalis (undated; it cites the 2006 census of 4,110,000) lists refineries, cement works, shipbuilding, textiles, leather, paper, and food, chemical and mechanical industries, and says the port had a near-monopoly on Egypt's exports (cotton). It describes Alexandria as a tourist city that draws many well-off people from Cairo in summer for its climate and seaside.
The same article notes a large university and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, completed by museums of science, antiquities and manuscripts and by research centers, meant as a window on the world and a cultural center for the Mediterranean.
- Industries (Universalis)
- refineries, cement, shipbuilding, textiles, food
- Summer visitors
- many from Cairo, for the beaches
- Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- designed to hold 8 million books
Alexandria on the map
Find Egypt on the globe. Look at the top, where the land meets the sea. Alexandria is there, on the coast!
Alexandria lies at about 31.2° north and 29.9° east, on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, west of the Nile delta.
Measured from the Citadel of Qaitbay, at the tip of the old Pharos peninsula, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is about 2.3 kilometers to the east-southeast, Wikidata's point for the city about 1.9 kilometers to the south-southeast, and Lake Mariout about 6.8 kilometers to the south.
Alexandria lies at about 31.2° N and 29.9° E. Measured from the Citadel of Qaitbay (Wikidata points): the Bibliotheca Alexandrina 2.32 km east-southeast, Wikidata's point for Alexandria 1.86 km south-southeast, and Lake Mariout 6.79 km south.
The hero photo was taken on 1 July 2017 from the Citadel of Qaitbay, looking across its forecourt to the harbor and the city (Commons file description); Commons records no camera position.
- Latitude
- about 31.2° north
- Longitude
- about 29.9° east
- Citadel of Qaitbay to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- about 2.3 km east-southeast
Amazing facts
-
Alexandria is named after the man who started it, Alexander!
Alexander the Great founded Alexandria in 331 BC, and the city still carries his name.
Universalis dates Alexander's founding of the city to 331 BC; it became the capital of the Ptolemies, the dynasty that ruled Egypt after him.
-
Pieces of the old lighthouse lie under the sea near the fort.
Next to the Citadel of Qaitbay, in water 6 to 8 meters deep, more than 3,000 pieces of old buildings have been found, along with debris from the ancient lighthouse.
Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says the underwater site beside the citadel, worked since 1994, holds debris from the Pharos lighthouse, with pieces of more than 20 tons lined up heading north.
-
Alexandria's trams are more than 160 years old!
Alexandria's tram system opened on 8 January 1863 and started using electricity in 1902.
UrbanRail.Net gives the Alexandria tram's opening as 8 January 1863 and its electrification as 1902; today it has 32 km, 20 lines and 140 stops.
-
In summer, it almost never rains in Alexandria.
In the WMO's averages, June, July and August in Alexandria each get 0.0 millimeters of rain.
Alexandria's WMO averages (1981–2010) give 0.0 mm for June, July and August and only 192.6 mm for the whole year.
Words to know
- port
- a place where ships load and unload goods and people
- delta
- flat land at the mouth of a river, where it splits into many branches before reaching the sea
- citadel
- a strong fort that protects a city
- causeway
- a raised road built across water or wet land
- lighthouse
- a tower with a bright light that guides ships at sea
- tram
- a passenger vehicle that runs on rails along city streets
Discovery challenge
-
Alexandria is in which country?
Alexandria is the second-largest city of which country?
Alexandria is second only to Cairo in population in which country?
- Greece
- Egypt
- Italy
Show the answer
Egypt
Egypt!
Egypt; only Cairo has more people.
Egypt: 5,362,517 people in Alexandria and 9,801,536 in Cairo (1 July 2023 estimates).
-
Who started the city of Alexandria?
Who founded Alexandria in 331 BC?
Alexandria takes its name from its founder. Who founded it in 331 BC?
- Alexander the Great
- Julius Caesar
- Napoleon
Show the answer
Alexander the Great
Alexander!
Alexander the Great, in 331 BC.
Alexander, in 331 BC; the city later became the capital of the Ptolemies.
-
Which sea is next to Alexandria?
Alexandria is a port on which sea?
Alexandria lies on a strip of land between Lake Mariout and which sea?
- The Red Sea
- The Mediterranean Sea
- The Black Sea
Show the answer
The Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea!
The Mediterranean Sea, on Egypt's northern coast.
The Mediterranean; Lake Mariout lies on the other side of the strip.
-
What was built where the old lighthouse stood?
What was built in 1477–1479 on the ruins of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse?
Which Mamluk-era building stands on the ruins of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse?
- A stone fort
- A train station
- A football stadium
Show the answer
A stone fort
A big stone fort!
The Citadel of Qaitbay, a limestone fort.
The Citadel of Qaitbay, built 1477–1479 to defend the city from the sea.
-
When does it rain most in Alexandria?
Which month has the most rain in Alexandria?
In the WMO's 1981–2010 averages, which month is Alexandria's wettest (52.9 mm)?
- January
- July
- August
Show the answer
January
In January, in winter!
January, with about 53 millimeters.
January (52.9 mm), ahead of December (46.7 mm); June to August average 0.0 mm.
Nearby places
-
Watch
Landmark
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Finished in about 280 BCE on the island of Pharos, it was said to be more than 110 meters tall. An earthquake in the 1300s brought it down, and in 1477 a fortress was built on its ruins.
-
Watch
Landmark
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza was built more than 4,500 years ago as the tomb of King Khufu of Egypt. About 2.3 million stone blocks were cut, moved and stacked to make it. Egypt's antiquities ministry calls it the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing.
-
Watch
Landmark
Giza pyramid complex
The Giza pyramid complex is a group of ancient tombs on a rocky plateau beside the Nile River in Egypt. Three kings from one family, Khufu, his son Khafre and his grandson Menkaure, built huge pyramids there about 4,500 years ago. Around them are temples, small pyramids for queens, rows of tombs for nobles, the Great Sphinx and even the town where the builders lived.
-
Watch
Landmark
Egyptian pyramids
Egypt's pyramids were giant stone tombs for kings. They did not start out pointed: the first, King Djoser's Step Pyramid, was a stack of six giant steps. King Snefru's builders tried again and again, making the Bent Pyramid and then the Red Pyramid, the first planned true pyramid. Soon after came the great pyramids of Giza.
-
Watch
Landmark
The Great Sphinx
The Great Sphinx at Giza, Egypt, is a lion with a human head, carved out of the solid rock about 4,500 years ago. It is about 73 meters long and 20 meters high, one of the largest sculptures in the world. Most experts think it shows the face of King Khafre.
-
Watch
City
Cairo
Cairo, the capital of Egypt, has stood on the banks of the Nile for more than 1,000 years, where the river spreads out into its delta. Founded in 969, it has a medieval old city full of historic mosques and markets, the Egyptian Museum and, at its edge, the Pyramids of Giza. It is one of the largest cities in Africa.
-
Watch
Landmark
Memphis
Memphis was the capital of Egypt in the time of the first great pyramids, more than 4,000 years ago. It stood on the west side of the Nile, about 24 kilometers south of modern Cairo. Kings, priests, craftworkers and traders lived there, and its rulers were buried in pyramids and tombs along the desert edge, from Giza to Dahshur.
-
Watch
Landmark
Red Pyramid
The Red Pyramid stands at Dahshur in Egypt. It was built for King Sneferu, who reigned about 2613 to 2589 BCE. Egypt's antiquities ministry says it was Egypt's first true pyramid to be completed, and it is the highest pyramid at Dahshur. Its name comes from the reddish color of its stones.
Explore next
-
Watch
Country
Egypt
Egypt is in the northeastern corner of Africa, and its Sinai Peninsula reaches into Asia. Almost all of it is desert, so most of its more than 100 million people live along the green banks of the Nile River, where one of the world's earliest civilizations grew.
-
Watch
City
Cairo
Cairo, the capital of Egypt, has stood on the banks of the Nile for more than 1,000 years, where the river spreads out into its delta. Founded in 969, it has a medieval old city full of historic mosques and markets, the Egyptian Museum and, at its edge, the Pyramids of Giza. It is one of the largest cities in Africa.
-
Watch
Natural wonder
Nile
The Nile flows north through northeastern Africa to the Mediterranean Sea, and its basin is shared by 11 countries. Its length is usually given as about 6,650 kilometers. Two great branches, the White Nile and the Blue Nile, meet at Khartoum in Sudan, and the green strip of farmland along its banks made it the lifeline of ancient Egypt.
-
Watch
Landmark
Lighthouse of Alexandria
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Finished in about 280 BCE on the island of Pharos, it was said to be more than 110 meters tall. An earthquake in the 1300s brought it down, and in 1477 a fortress was built on its ruins.
-
Watch
City
Aswan
Aswan is a city on the Nile River in the south of Egypt, in the region called Upper Egypt. Larousse describes its granite quarries and two dams on the Nile nearby. Egypt's statistics office estimated 401,890 people in the city in 2023.
-
Watch
City
Port Said
Port Said is a port city in northeastern Egypt, where the Suez Canal opens into the Mediterranean Sea. It was built while the canal was being dug, and ships passing through the canal stop there for supplies. Egypt's 2017 census counted 749,371 people in Port Said.
-
Watch
City
Abidjan
Abidjan is the largest city of Côte d'Ivoire, with 5,616,633 people at the 2021 census. Spread around the Ébrié Lagoon, it grew from a colonial port: a canal finished in 1950 opened the lagoon to ships, and its Plateau district is a cluster of office towers, banks and government buildings.
-
Watch
City
Abuja
Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, in the middle of the country. It was planned from the start: in 1976 the government decided to build a new capital on the savanna, and in 1991 it moved there from Lagos. Planners set aside land for parks and green spaces, and the huge Aso Rock rises at the city's edge.
For parents & teachers
What children will learn
- Locate Alexandria on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, west of the Nile delta.
- Describe how a city founded in 331 BC rose, shrank and grew again as a port.
- Explain how a fort, underwater remains and a new library connect the city to its ancient lighthouse and library.
- Read monthly temperature and rainfall averages for a city with rainless summers.
Recommended ages: 3 to 17 · About 15 minutes
Talk about it
- Alexandria shrank to a small town by 1798 and then grew into a city of millions. What can make a city grow or shrink?
- Why might people build a new fort on the ruins of an old lighthouse?
- The new library hopes to recapture the spirit of the ancient one. What do you think a library like that should do?
Try at home or in class
- Map trace: draw the coast, Lake Mariout and the island of Pharos, then add a causeway and mark the two harbors it makes.
- Rain bars: draw Alexandria's monthly rainfall as bars and color the three months with none.
- Time line: mark 331 BC, 1479, 1863, 1869 and 2002 on a strip and count how many years lie between the first and last.
Key vocabulary: port, delta, citadel, causeway, lighthouse, tram
Where these facts come from
- Wikidata , Wikimedia Foundation (CC0 1.0)
- Natural Earth vector data , Natural Earth (NACIS) (Public domain)
- Egypt: Governorates, Major Cities & Towns , City Population (Thomas Brinkhoff), from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS)
- Alexandrie , Encyclopaedia Universalis (André Bernand, Jean-Yves Empereur, Jean-Marc Prost-Tournier)
- Qaitbay Fort , Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egypt
- Qaitbay Fort site (sunken monuments) , Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Egypt
- About the Bibliotheca Alexandrina , Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- Alexandria Tramway , UrbanRail.Net (Robert Schwandl)
- World Weather Information Service: Alexandria climatological information , World Meteorological Organization
- File:AlexandriaSkyline.jpg (ASaber91, 1 July 2017) , Wikimedia Commons
- Wikimedia Commons , Wikimedia Foundation (Per file (public domain, CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA); see each media record)
Checked, not yet human-reviewed. Last updated November 1, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.