Contemporary Cairo

Introduction

 

With more than 12 million inhabitants, the agglomeration of Cairo is Egypt's and the Arab world's largest city. Situated in the north of the country, on the southern point of the Nile delta, from its central hub it has spread in all directions on both banks of the river, on farming land as well as on the desert.
 
Cairo's history during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries is primarily one of changing administrative status. The Ottoman Empire's important provincial capital became the capital of a newly independent country: Egypt. During the early part of the two centuries under consideration, the city was suffering from a long period of stagnation. Then, in the early1870s, determined political will caused unprecedented development. New institutions, new districts and new architecture laid the groundwork for modern Cairo. A few years later, Egypt's financial situation prevented further urban growth, and the city entered a period of slow consolidation until the end of WWI. The years 1920-1950 were marked by a new start caused not by political events so much as migrating people. A surplus rural population, grown too big because of better health care, moved to the cities and especially to the capital. After independence and the departure of British troops – 1952 – until the late 1970s, Cairo became a city of superlatives, the council services were overstretched in every area and urban facilities lagged far behind. The slowdown of people moving to the city, whose effects were felt in the early 1980s, allowed councillors to get back control. Thus, the last 20 years of the century were about catching up with services and utilities.
 
The history of the city during these two centuries is also one of a gradual shift away from its centre. Today the city spills out about thirty kilometres from its historic core on to both desert and farmland. Key places are now spread over several zones, while the older centres, both the old city and the 19th century neighbourhoods, have not been abandoned.
 

Introduction

I- A difficult beginning, 1800-...

II- A spur to urbanisation, 186...

III- Slowing down and consolida...

IV- The time of growth, 1918-1950

V- The time of uprisings, 1950-...

VI- The time of catching up, 19...

Bibliography

Abstract

With more than 12 million inhabitants, the agglomeration of Cairo is Egypt's and the Arab world's largest city. Situated in the north of the country, on the southern point of the Nile delta, from its central hub it has spread in all directions on both banks of the river, on farming land as well as on the desert. ...

Author

ARNAUD Jean-Luc
Director of research, CNRS, TELEMME, MMSH.