Gharbia Governorate

Gharbia (Arabic: محافظة الغربية Muḥāfaẓat al-Gharbiyya, IPA: [elɣɑɾˈbejjɑ, -jæ], "the western governorate") 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 1,942 km².

Gharbia's known history dates back to the Pharaonic era, during which its territory was part of three ancient administrative districts centered around Abu Sir, Samannoud, and Sa El Hagar. These cities held religious and political significance in ancient Egypt: Abu Sir was a pilgrimage site, Sa El Hagar was a religious and medical hub during the early dynastic period, and also the capital of Tefnakht, who unified the Delta and Middle Egypt under his rule. It later became the center of the Twenty-fourth Dynasty of Egypt, which played a role in reuniting Egypt following fragmentation under Nubian and Assyrian occupation, and was followed by the Twenty-sixth Dynasty of Egypt, whose king Amyrtaeus expelled the Persians from Egypt.

The name "Gharbia" (meaning "western") was adopted during the Islamic era, referring to its location west of the Damietta branch of the Nile. The governorate witnessed significant events in modern Egyptian history, including resistance to the French Campaign in 1798, particularly in Tanta, whose resistance day is now commemorated as the governorate’s national day. The region also played an active role in the Egyptian Revolution of 1919 against British occupation of Egypt, notably during the Republic of Zefta incident, where residents declared temporary independence from British control.

Today, Gharbia is an important economic center in Egypt. It is the country's largest producer of onions and the second-largest producer of grapes, in addition to producing key crops such as wheat, rice, and jasmine, the latter being a valuable cash crop. The governorate hosts several major industrial establishments, including Misr Spinning and Weaving Company in El Mahalla El Kubra, along with textile factories in Tanta, Samannoud, and Zefta, fertilizer and pesticide plants in Kafr El Zayat, food processing industries, perfume production, and pottery manufacturing in various towns across the region.