Name of City/municipality: Esna
Population: 449582 (2019)
Area: 400 km ²
Esna is located on the west bank of the Nile River, 55 km south of Luxor. The town was formerly part of the modern Qena Governorate, but in 2009 it was merged into the new Luxor Governorate. It consists of several villages most of them at the west of the Nile.
Name of Governor: H.E. Mr. Moustafa Mohammad El-Hamm Khaled
Contact: ramadan_sadek2003@yahoo.com
Website: http://luxor.gov.eg/default.aspx
Main features:
Esna is famous for its active tourist market, which consists of a couple of streets leading from the Corniche to the inside and the temple of Esna. This temple has been partially excavated. It exists about 200 meters from the river and 9 meters below street level.
Main economic activities:
Due to the geographical and climatic character of Esna, the main economic sector of activity is agriculture where tomato is the king of cultivation and is considered the largest center for producing, drying and exporting them to Europe. The commercial sector is important in the city, to the extent that it has attracted merchants from neighboring governorates to reside in the city. Moreover, tourism weights a lot in the local economy where 50% of the work force work in it. The commercial sectors play a significant role in the local economy. The agricultural sector in the village is of great significance where more than 30% of the population work in it. It is one of the most important sectors for the local economy growth. This city constitutes 5% of the tomato production in Egypt and is exported to Europe, especially to Italy. Regarding the tourism sector, many archeological heritage makes of it a praised destination with one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt. In addition, the is Islamic archeological landmarks such as the Omariya minaret constitute the main assets for the tourism sector.
Conditions and environmental challenges:
The average urbanization in Esna is around 20.6% and Unemployment is a major obstacle due to low job opportunities in the city, as well as the absence of government jobs. They do not go beyond traditional jobs in service sectors such as education and health. At the present time, more than 70% of the city’s youth who work in the fields of tourism, restaurants and cafes have lost their jobs. Regarding the access to services, Esna beneftis from electricity, water and road networks covering almost all the area. Additionally, concerning the water for irrigation, the Nile River irrigates old mud agricultural land through the Asfun canals and the Ramadi canals by up to 90%, and underground wells (of 50 to 200 meters depending on the distance from the Nile) water the newly reclaimed desert lands. The climate in Esna is classified as hot desert climate which is the main obstacle to the sustainability of water supply for drinking and irrigation.