Kafr El Sheikh


Kafr El Sheikh is an Egyptian city and the capital of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, about 134 km north of Cairo, in the Nile Delta of lower Egypt. As of 2023, the city had a population of around 186,857.
Kafr El Sheikh was earlier known as Duminqun, but was officially named Fuadiyah or Fouadiyah in honour of King Fuad I of Egypt. After the 1952 Revolution and the subsequent abolition of the monarchy, the governorate took the name of its capital city Kafr El Sheikh. This name, adopted in 1955, means "the village of the chief". In 2006 the University of Kafr El Sheikh was established.

Etymology

The modern name of the city means "village of the sheikh", and refers to sheikh Talhha at-Tilmisānī, who died here in 1234. The older name of the city, Dumaynaqun, is reconstructed from Coptic by Engsheden as + a personal name. This pattern is widely represented in Egyptian toponymy, so the name is expected to be Egyptian, but he proposes Nikon, which is unattested in Coptic sources, unable to find a suitable Egyptian name. In fact, a personal name Akon is contained in place names like Pmounakon in the Hermopolite nome and Tmounakon near Oxyrhynchus, the latter of which could share its etymology with Dumaynaqun.

Education

The Governorate of Kafr el Sheikh is the holder of prestigious schools. It also has a university that has the following faculties:

Museum

The city museum showcases artifacts, mostly from Buto. Notable exhibits include artifacts depicting the conflict between Horus and his uncle Set, as well as a remarkable statue of Horus the Falcon. The museum also highlights the period when the city of Sakha hosted the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt. The city of Fuwwah, known for its Islamic heritage, is also featured. The Kafr El Sheikh Museum was inaugurated by President El-Sisi in 2020.

Mosques

Kafr El Sheikh is the home to various factories, including a rice mill, a poultry forage factory and a sugar beet factory.

Sport

Kafr El Sheikh owns Kafr El Sheikh SC which competes in the Egyptian second division league.

Climate

Kafr el-Sheikh is classified by Köppen-Geiger climate classification system as hot desert.

Notable people