Asyut Governorate facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Asyut Governorate
Governorate
Nasser mosque
Flag
Asyut Governorate on the map of Egypt
Country	Egypt
Seat	Asyut (capital)
Population  (January 2023)
• Total	5,169,423
GDP
• Total	EGP 126 billion (US$ 8.0 billion)
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
HDI (2021)	0.676 medium · 22nd

Asyut Governorate (which is spelled محافظة أسيوط in Arabic) is one of the many important areas, called governorates, in Egypt. It is located along a part of the famous Nile River. The main city and capital of this governorate is Asyut.

The Name of Asyut

The name Asyut comes from very old Egyptian words. It started as Zawty in early Egyptian times. Later, it changed to Səyáwt in late Egyptian. Then, the Coptic people called it Syowt. An "A" was added to the beginning, and that is how it became Asyut.

Life in Asyut

Asyut is an area where many people face challenges with poverty. More than 60% of the people here have low incomes. To help with this, special programs have been started. These programs offer money and chances for people to find jobs. The money for these programs comes from Egypt's Ministry of Finance and other groups from around the world.

How Asyut is Divided

Asyut Governorate is split into smaller areas called municipal divisions. As of January 2024, about 5,169,423 people live in these areas.

The governorate has:

• One new city
• Three "aqsam" (which are like fully urban districts)
• Eleven "marakiz" (which are larger districts, often including rural areas)

Sometimes, a markaz and a qism might have the same name.

Here are some of the main divisions:

• Abnub
• Abu Tig (both a qism and a markaz)
• El Badari
• El Fateh
• El Ghanayem
• El Qusiya
• Asyut (both a markaz and two urban qisms: Asyut 1 and Asyut 2)
• Dairut
• New Asyut (a new city)
• Manfalut
• Sahel Selim
• Sidfa

Population Details

Most people in Asyut Governorate live in the countryside. About 26.5% of the population lives in cities. Out of an estimated 5,169,423 people in January 2024, about 3,799,525 live in rural areas. Only about 1,369,898 people live in urban areas.

People and Culture

Asyut is home to over 4 million people. Many different groups live here, including a large number of Coptic Christians. Both Muslims and Christians have lived together in Asyut for a long time. The society in Asyut is known for being quite traditional.

Cities in Asyut

Here is a list of important cities and towns in Asyut Governorate:

• Abnub
• Abu Tig
• Asyut
• Dairut
• El Badari
• El Ghanayem
• Manfalut
• El Quseyya
• Sahel Selim
• Sanabo
• Sodfa
• New Nasser City

Industrial Areas

The Egyptian government has set up special areas for factories and businesses in Asyut. These are called industrial zones. They help create jobs and boost the economy.

Some of these industrial zones are:

• Al Awamer Abnoub
• Al Zarabi in Abu Tig
• Al Safa (Beni Ghaleb)
• Sahel Selim
• Dairout
• Badari
• New Asyut

Environmental Projects

In 2016, Switzerland started helping Asyut with a big project to manage its waste better. This project works with the Egyptian Ministry of Environment. It aims to build new places for treating waste, landfills, and recycling centers. The goal is to improve how trash is handled by 2021.

Important Historical Sites

Asyut is famous for its ancient quarries. There are around 500 tombs carved into rocks and limestone quarries all over the area.

Some important historical and religious sites in Asyut Governorate include:

• The Ancient Egyptian tombs of Meir.
• The town of Durunka, which is a special place for many Copts. They visit a monastery there that is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.
• Deir El Gabrawi

Famous People from Asyut

Many well-known people have come from Asyut Governorate. Here are a few:

• Ahmed Lutfi el-Sayed, an important Egyptian nationalist.
• al-Suyuti, a famous Muslim scholar who lived a long time ago.
• Akhnoukh Fanous, a political activist.
• Coluthus, a Greek poet from the 5th century.
• Ester Fanous, a female activist.
• Farghali Abdel Hafiz
• Gamal Abdel Nasser, who became the Second President of Egypt.
• Hafez Ibrahim, a poet born in Dairut, Asyut.
• Ismail al-Qabbani
• Louis Gris
• Melitius of Lycopolis, who started a group called the Melitians.
• Mustafa Lutfi al-Manfaluti
• Mohamed Ahmed Farghali Pasha
• Mohamed Mustagab
• Pope Shenouda III of Alexandria, who was the leader of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
• Samir Ghanem, a popular comedian, singer, and entertainer.

See also

In Spanish: Gobernación de Asiut para niños