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| Port Said in General |
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Port Said
City in Egypt with 560,000 inhabitants (2003 estimate), situated on the Mediterranean Sea, and at the northern end of the Suez Canal.
 The economical base of Port Said is fishing and industries like chemicals, processed food, and cigarettes. Port Said is also an important harbour both for exports of Egyptian products like cotton and rice, but also a fuelling station for ships that pass through the Suez Canal. Port Said also thrives on being a duty-free port, as well as a summer resort for Egyptians.
Port Said is in many ways Egypt's most beautiful city. There are numerous old houses with grand balconies on all floors, giving the city a distinct charm. Port Said's twin city is Port Fouad, which lies on the eastern side of the canal. The two cities coexist, to the extent that there hardly is any town centre in Port Fouad. The cities are connected by free ferries running all through the day.
Port Said is geographically isolated, situated on a low, sandy ground west of the Suez Canal and east of Lake Manzila. HISTORY
1859: Established, in conjunction with the start of the construction of the Suez Canal.
1869: Opening of the Suez Canal. This is the beginning of decades of prosperity for the city.
1956: Heavy damages from bombing during the Suez-Sinai War.
1967: New damages from the Six-Day War.
1973: Bombing destroys the centre of Port Said, during the Yom Kippur War.
1976: Declared duty-free zone.
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The light House
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General Info About Suez Canal
Artificial waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea to Gulf of Suez, and then to the Red Sea.
The canal is 163 km long, and has a width is a minimum of 60 metres. The canal is cutting through three lakes, the Lake Manzala, in the north from which it is protected with a bedding on the western side, the Lake Timsah in the middle, and the Bitter Lakes further south. The Bitter Lakes makes up almost 30 km of the total length. Along most of the length, there is only one lane for traffic available, though there are a handful of passing bays.
The canal is extensively used by modern ships, as it is the fastest crossing from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. Taxes paid by the vessels represent an important source of income for the Egyptian government. HISTORY
13th century BCE: A canal is constructed between the delta of the Nile and the Red Sea. For the following centuries, the canal was only partially maintained.
8th century CE: The canal is no longer maintained, and soon becomes unnavigable.
1854: By a French initiative, the viceroy of Egypt, Said Pasha, decides for the project of building a canal that would connect the Mediterranean Sea to the Red Sea.
1858: La Compagnie Universelle du Canal Maritime de Suez is formed to construct the canal. The company, which was owned by both French and Egyptian interests, should both build the canal, and administer it for the following 99 years. After this time, the ownership would pass over to the Egyptian government.
1859 April 25: Constructions begin.
1869 November 17: With great splendour, the canal is opened for navigation. Dimensions were 22 metre in bottom width, 58 metre in surface width, and a depth of 8 metres.
1875: The British government buys the Egyptian stocks.
1888: By an international convention, the canal is opened for ships of all nations.
1936: Through a treaty the British receives rights to keep military forces in the canal zone.
1948: Egyptian authorities introduce regulations against the use of the canal by vessels serving Israeli ports.
1954: Agreement between Egypt and Britain that provides for British withdrawal inside the following 7 years.
1956 June: As all British troops have left, Egyptian military moves into British installations.
July 26: Egypt nationalizes the Suez Canal.
October 31: France and Britain attacks Egypt, under the pretext that they want to open up the Canal for all vessels. Egypt answers with sinking the 40 ships that are inside the canal at the moment.
1957 March: Reopening of the canal, following UN actions to remove the sunk ships.
1962: All original shareholders are paid off.
1967 June 5: In conjunction with the Six-Day War, Egypt closes the canal.
1975 June 5: Reopening of the canal.
— Vessels carrying non-military goods to and from Israel are allowed to pass through the canal.
1979: Unrestricted use for Israel is secured with the peace agreement between the two countries.
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