Gharbiya
| Gharbia Governorate | ||
|---|---|---|
| Governorate | ||
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.svg) Gharbia Governorate on the map of Egypt |
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| Coordinates: 30°52′52″N 31°03′36″E / 30.881°N 31.06°ECoordinates: 30°52′52″N 31°03′36″E / 30.881°N 31.06°E | ||
| Country |
 Egypt
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| Seat | Tanta (capital) | |
| Government | ||
| • Governor | Ahmed Deif Sakr | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 1,942 km2 (750 sq mi) | |
| Population (2014) | ||
| • Total | 4,648,408 | |
| • Density | 2,400/km2 (6,200/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | EET (UTC+2) | |
Gharbia Governorate (Egyptian Arabic: محافظة الغربية Muḥāfẓet El Gharbeya, IPA: [elɣɑɾˈbejjɑ, -jæ]) is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the north of the country, south of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, and north of Monufia Governorate. Its capital is Tanta, which is 90 km north of Cairo, and 120 km south east of Alexandria. The largest city in Gharbia is El Mahalla El Kubra. The total area of Gharbia governorate is 25,400 km2, making it the tenth-largest governorate of Egypt.
The name of al-Gharbiyya ("the western one") has been used as a district name in Egypt since shortly after the Arab conquest of Egypt. In the 13th century it comprised 165 villages, while the 15th-century geographer al-Qalqashandi describes it as fertile and prosperous.
El Mahalla El Kubra was the provincial capital until 1836, when it was succeeded by Tanta.
In modern times, it is notable for the cultivation of cotton, and its textile industry.
In 1960, the governorate numbered 1,815,000 inhabitants. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 30.0%. Out of an estimated 4,751.865 people residing in the governorate, 3,324,630 people live in rural areas as opposed to only 1,427,235 in urban areas.
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