Ismailia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ismailia
الإسماعيلية
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 Ismailia
Location in Egypt
Ismailia
Location in Africa
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| Country | Egypt |
| Governorate | Ismailia |
| Area | |
| • Total | 68.8 km2 (26.6 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 14 m (46 ft) |
| Population
(2021)
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| • Total | 1,429,465 |
| • Density | 20,777/km2 (53,810/sq mi) |
| Demonym(s) | Ismailiata |
| Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
| Area code(s) | (+20) 69 or (+20) 64 |
Ismailia (Arabic: الإسماعيلية) is a city in north-eastern Egypt. It is located on the west bank of the Suez Canal. Ismailia is the capital of the Ismailia Governorate. In 2024, the city had about 1,430,000 people. It sits roughly halfway between Port Said in the north and Suez in the south. The Suez Canal gets wider here, forming Lake Timsah. This lake is one of the Bitter Lakes connected by the Canal.
Contents
History of Ismailia
Ismailia was started in 1863. This was during the building of the Suez Canal. Khedive Ismail founded the city and it was named after him. After the Battle of Kafr-el-Dawwar in 1882, the British set up a military base here.
The main office for the Suez Canal Authority is in Ismailia. It is right on the shore of Lake Timsah. Many old buildings from when the British and French helped build the Canal are still there. Today, these buildings are used by people who work for the Canal.
During World War I, the British had an air base in Ismailia. The Battle of Romani happened nearby. The Ismailia War Cemetery was designed in 1919. It remembers those who died in the battle.
In 1973, the Battle of Ismailia took place in the city. In October 2023, a large fire destroyed the city's security building. This event caused 38 injuries and one death.
Education in Ismailia
Ismailia has many schools, both public and private. It is also home to the Suez Canal University. This university was started in 1976. The Chinese government helped to establish it. It was created to serve the areas around the Suez Canal and Sinai. Suez Canal University is now one of Egypt's fastest-growing universities. Many of its students also study abroad.
Culture and Fun in Ismailia
Arts and Festivals
Ismailia hosts two important festivals every year. The first is the International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts. This festival happens in June. In June 2014, the 17th festival was held.
The second festival is the Ismailia International Folklore Arts Festival. This event takes place in September. During this festival, dance groups from all over the world come to Ismailia. They perform traditional dances that show their country's culture.
Tourism and Attractions
Ismailia is a popular spot for tourists from within Egypt. However, it is not a major place for international visitors. The city is about a 90-minute drive from Cairo. From Ismailia, it takes about four hours to drive to Sharm el-Sheikh in South Sinai. Driving to the Taba Border Crossing or the Rafah Border Crossing also takes about four hours.
A main attraction is the Ismailia Museum. It was built in 1932. Visitors can see many important old items there. These finds come from places in the Ismailia area, like Tell el-Maskhuta. They also come from North Sinai and Upper Egypt.
Sports in Ismailia
Ismailia is home to Ismaily SC, a very successful football club in Egypt. The team's performance is very important to the city's mood. The team sometimes competes for local and international titles. However, money problems often stop these good times from lasting long.
Ismaily SC has won the Egyptian League three times (1967, 1991, 2002). They have also won the Egyptian Cup twice (1997, 2000). In 1969, they won the African Cup of Champions Clubs. They were the first Egyptian and Arab club to win this league.
Climate
Ismailia has a hot desert climate. This means it is usually very hot and dry.
The hottest temperature ever recorded was 47°C on June 14, 1944. The coldest temperature recorded was 0.2°C in January.
| Climate data for Ismailia (Ismailia Air Base) 1961–1990 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 28.6 (83.5) |
33.6 (92.5) |
39.2 (102.6) |
41.4 (106.5) |
46.2 (115.2) |
46.0 (114.8) |
43.5 (110.3) |
42.0 (107.6) |
44.0 (111.2) |
39.4 (102.9) |
36.5 (97.7) |
32.0 (89.6) |
46.2 (115.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 19.2 (66.6) |
20.9 (69.6) |
23.3 (73.9) |
28.6 (83.5) |
31.8 (89.2) |
34.8 (94.6) |
35.7 (96.3) |
35.3 (95.5) |
33.1 (91.6) |
30 (86) |
25.4 (77.7) |
20.9 (69.6) |
28.2 (82.8) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 14.8 (58.6) |
16.1 (61.0) |
18.3 (64.9) |
22.9 (73.2) |
25.7 (78.3) |
28 (82) |
29.8 (85.6) |
29.6 (85.3) |
27.8 (82.0) |
24.8 (76.6) |
20.3 (68.5) |
15.9 (60.6) |
22.8 (73.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 7.6 (45.7) |
8.3 (46.9) |
10.3 (50.5) |
14.1 (57.4) |
16.4 (61.5) |
19.5 (67.1) |
21.3 (70.3) |
21.5 (70.7) |
19.7 (67.5) |
16.6 (61.9) |
12.7 (54.9) |
8.9 (48.0) |
14.7 (58.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 0.2 (32.4) |
2 (36) |
4.6 (40.3) |
6.8 (44.2) |
10.2 (50.4) |
15 (59) |
17 (63) |
18 (64) |
15.2 (59.4) |
9.7 (49.5) |
4.6 (40.3) |
4.8 (40.6) |
0.2 (32.4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 7 (0.3) |
6 (0.2) |
7 (0.3) |
2 (0.1) |
2 (0.1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
2 (0.1) |
6 (0.2) |
5 (0.2) |
37 (1.5) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 57 | 54 | 49 | 43 | 42 | 46 | 48 | 51 | 54 | 55 | 58 | 60 | 51.4 |
| Average dew point °C (°F) | 5.6 (42.1) |
5.9 (42.6) |
6.5 (43.7) |
7.8 (46.0) |
10.4 (50.7) |
14.0 (57.2) |
16.8 (62.2) |
17.5 (63.5) |
16.9 (62.4) |
14.7 (58.5) |
10.9 (51.6) |
7.7 (45.9) |
11.2 (52.2) |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
Notable People from Ismailia
Many famous people were born in or lived in Ismailia:
- Hassan al-Banna: He started the Muslim Brotherhood. He worked as a teacher in Ismailia.
- Louis Chedid: A French singer and songwriter. He was born in Ismailia on January 1, 1948.
- Claude François: A French pop singer and songwriter. He was born in Ismailia on February 1, 1939.
- Ali Gabr: A professional football player.
- Ragaa Al Geddawy: A film actress and model. She was born in 1934 and passed away in 2020.
- Ahmed Hegazy: A professional football player.
- Aura Herzog: The former First Lady of Israel. She was born in Ismailia on December 24, 1924.
- Taheyya Kariokka: A famous Egyptian belly dancer and film actress. She was born in Ismailia on February 22, 1919.
- Yasmine Khlat: A Lebanese actress.
- Fernand Legros: An art dealer.
- Osman Ahmed Osman: An important Egyptian engineer and politician. He was born in Ismailia on April 6, 1917.
See also
In Spanish: Ismailía para niños
