Egypt is aiming to create the first fifth-generation citiغ with an artificial island and a smart city in the middle of the Mediterranean. The ‘New Abu Qir‘ city is the first Egyptian city to be entirely built on an artificial island in the Mediterranean.
The construction of the new city is happening at the same time as reports that the Nile Delta is sinking due to climate change-related sea level rise. The reports state that erosion or drowning are additional threats to the city of Alexandria.
Read more: Will the sea swallow Egypt’s Alexandria?
The new city is also being built with the intention of becoming a commercial and investment hub, as well as adding new urban space to the east of Alexandria, which includes the port of Abu Qir, the largest seaport on the northern coasts and the Mediterranean.
Additionally, the project is being built by a private Egyptian construction company, which kicked off the design process back in Feb. 2021 before the actual plan was outlined in 2022. Construction is expected to be finished by the end of 2024. The city has a total area of 1,400 acres and is encircled by breakwaters that measure 9,200 meters in length.
Many services and facilities are available in the new city:
• Shopping malls
• Upscale restaurants
• Hospitals and athletic clubs
• Tourist attractions and educational institutions
• High-end hotels and residential towers
