Jump to content

Safaga

Coordinates: 26°45′27″N 33°56′12″E / 26.75750°N 33.93667°E / 26.75750; 33.93667
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Safaga
سفاجا
Overview of Safaga
Safaga is located in Egypt
Safaga
Safaga
Location in Egypt
Coordinates: 26°45′27″N 33°56′12″E / 26.75750°N 33.93667°E / 26.75750; 33.93667
CountryEgypt
GovernorateRed Sea
Area
 • Total5,285 km2 (2,041 sq mi)
Elevation23 m (75 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total55,299
 • Density10/km2 (27/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+2 (EST)

Port Safaga, also known as Safaga (Arabic: سفاجا Safāja, IPA: [sæˈfæːɡæ]), is a town in Egypt, on the coast of the Red Sea, located 53 km (33 mi) south of Hurghada. This small port is also a tourist area that consists of several bungalows and rest houses.

Having numerous phosphate mines, it is regarded as the phosphates export center. A paved road of 164 km (102 mi) connects Safaga to Qena of Upper Egypt.

History

[edit]

The town was founded between 282 BC and 268 BC, by Satyrus (Ancient Greek: Σάτυρος).[2][3] It was called Philotera (Ancient Greek: Φιλωτέρα) in honor of the deceased sister of the Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphus.[2] Stephanus of Byzantium write that it was also called Philoterida (Ancient Greek: Φιλωτερίδα).[3]

Safaga City is considered one of the most important therapeutic tourist centres, as special medical researches have proved the potential of attracting international tourism to Safaga.

Safaga was a merchant port for many years. The town has a small tourism industry, specialising in scuba diving. It was the host of the 1993 Red Sea World Windsurfing Championships.

Climate

[edit]

Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert (BWh),[4] as the rest of Egypt.

The highest record temperature was 46 °C (115 °F) on July 30, 2002, while the lowest record temperature was 0 °C (32 °F) on February 2, 1993.[5]

Climate data for Safaga
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33
(91)
34
(93)
38
(100)
42
(108)
43
(109)
46
(115)
46
(115)
44
(111)
43
(109)
43
(109)
35
(95)
34
(93)
46
(115)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 21.9
(71.4)
22.7
(72.9)
26.1
(79.0)
28.1
(82.6)
31.7
(89.1)
33.8
(92.8)
34
(93)
34.4
(93.9)
32.3
(90.1)
30.2
(86.4)
27
(81)
23.4
(74.1)
28.8
(83.9)
Daily mean °C (°F) 16.3
(61.3)
16.8
(62.2)
20.4
(68.7)
22.5
(72.5)
26.2
(79.2)
28.6
(83.5)
29
(84)
29.6
(85.3)
27.6
(81.7)
25.2
(77.4)
21.6
(70.9)
17.9
(64.2)
23.5
(74.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 10.7
(51.3)
11
(52)
14.8
(58.6)
16.9
(62.4)
20.7
(69.3)
23.5
(74.3)
24.1
(75.4)
24.9
(76.8)
22.9
(73.2)
20.3
(68.5)
16.3
(61.3)
12.4
(54.3)
18.2
(64.8)
Record low °C (°F) 1
(34)
0
(32)
1
(34)
8
(46)
10
(50)
12
(54)
15
(59)
13
(55)
12
(54)
11
(52)
6
(43)
3
(37)
0
(32)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
1
(0.0)
1
(0.0)
0
(0)
2
(0)
Average rainy days 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Mean daily sunshine hours 9 10 10 10 11 12 13 12 11 10 10 9 11
Source 1: Climate-Data.org (altitude: 18m),[4] Weather2Travel for rainy days and sunshine[6]
Source 2: Voodoo Skies for record temperatures[5]
Safaga mean sea temperature[6]
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
23 °C (73 °F) 22 °C (72 °F) 22 °C (72 °F) 23 °C (73 °F) 25 °C (77 °F) 26 °C (79 °F) 28 °C (82 °F) 29 °C (84 °F) 28 °C (82 °F) 27 °C (81 °F) 26 °C (79 °F) 24 °C (75 °F)

Port

[edit]

Safaga port is also a gateway for Duba port to some hajj pilgrims or travelers to Mecca, by ferries.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Safājā (Kism (urban and rural parts), Egypt) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". City Population. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b Strabo, Geography, §16.4.5
  3. ^ a b Stephanus of Byzantium, Ethnica, §Ph666.16
  4. ^ a b "Climate: Port Safaga - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table". Climate-Data.org. Archived from the original on 5 November 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Safaga, Egypt". Voodoo Skies. Archived from the original on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2014-01-15.
  6. ^ a b "Safaga Climate and Weather Averages, Egypt". Weather2Travel. Archived from the original on 2014-10-07. Retrieved 2014-01-15.