Ras Ghareb is the second-largest city in the Red Sea Governorate and the most important Egyptian city in oil production. It is the northernmost of the Markaz (municipality) in the Red Sea Governorate. For a time, Ras Gharib city was the capital of Al-Bahr Al-Ahmar Governorate.
Location of Ras Gharib City
Ras Gharib lies 150 km to the north of Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. Suez Governorate adjoins it on the north, the south by the Gabel El-Zait region. However, Suez Gulf lies to its east, and Al-Menia and Beni Suef to the west. Additionally, Two villages belong to this city; Zaafarana to the north and Wadi Dara to the south. It has an area of 10,464.46 km².
History of Ras Gharib City
Ras Ghareb comes from the mountain of (Ghareb), 1750 m high, near this region. The Egyptians founded the city in 1932 to start the first oil production field.
The Ras Ghareb lighthouse stands in the Saqqala area on the coast of Ras Ghareb city. Its foundation took place during the reign of Khedive Ismail. In 1871, the French designer Gustave Eiffel, who designed Eiffel Tower in Paris, developed this lighthouse. Exceptionally, it was the only thing in the region at that time.
The Egyptian Kingdom established this lighthouse after the opening of the Suez Canal. The purpose was to guide ships, secure marine navigation, and drive vessels away from coral reefs—the lighthouse stands on a circle 28.213 degrees north and longitude 33.68 east.
Now, the Ras Ghareb lighthouse appears as one of the oldest lighthouses in the world. Therefore, the Egyptian government registered the lighthouse of Ras Ghareb in the Red Sea governorate’s Islamic and Coptic monuments list.
Economy
Ras Gharib City is one of the leading centres of petroleum production in Egypt. The Anglo-Egyptian Oil Company (a branch of Royal Dutch Shell) started mining oil, and then the Egyptian national petroleum company.
Oil production is the city’s main economic activity. In 1930 it produced 3/1 of the Egyptian production. Currently, it makes up about 70% of the total production. Many national, foreign, joint and private oil production companies share in oil production.
Population
About 60.000 people inhabit Ras Gharib city, most of whom work in the oil production sector.
Flooding
Ras Gharib area received heavy rainfall during October 26–27, 2016. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission data detected that precipitation near Ras Gharib was about 10 mm/day. Undoubtedly, this abnormal rainfall led to flash flooding in the area. Consequently, it caused the death of tens of people. Also, it damaged infrastructures and properties.
Ras Ghareb Wind Energy
The project development started in 2009. In April 2013, the Egyptian Electricity Transmission Company issued the Request for Proposals to build, own and operate the first 250 MW wind farm project at the Gulf of Suez, Ras Gharib city.
Accordingly, this project achieved its financing on the 14th of December 2017. Then contractors received the Notice to Proceed the same day. Finally, the project reached its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on the 31st of October 2019.
