Egypt: New capital to be built 60km from Cairo – “New Administrative Capital

Egypt’s new capital – Why is Egypt building a new capital? A new Egyptian capital is currently being built in the desert. 60 kilometers east of Cairo, the previous capital, the city is currently being planned and built on the drawing board. After we traveled to Saudi Arabia the other day to see the largest mirrored concert hall in the desert, today we look at another mega project: This gigantic construction project in Egypt costs a whole 58 billion dollars.

Why is Egypt building a new capital?

According to estimates, more than 21 million people live in Cairo.

The government and President Abd al-Fattah as-Sisi have decided to rebuild Cairo. To this end, for example, the first houseboats, which were typical for Cairo, are currently disappearing. No small boats, full two, rarely even three stories. The city, which has grown over thousands of years, will never again exist as it is today.

As reported by Wirtschaftswoche, “with strong help from China”. The first construction work began in 2015.

But, why is Egypt planning to build a new capital?

The population here will double in the next 40 years. There are currently 21 million people in the metropolitan region, and in the future there will be up to 40 million. The city is designed to address Egypt’s various problems while offering a special quality of life.

We connected the new capital through:

  • Airport: “New Capital Airport
  • Streets: Suez Road and Mohamed Bin Zayed Axis

What is the name of the new capital of Egypt?

So far, the new capital has no name. It is still referred to as the “New Administrative Capital.

When the capital is finished, it will be reminiscent of mega-cities like (here) Dubai.

Live view from space

Here are the latest available satellite images from Google Maps.

View of the construction area:

Emergence in the desert: construction site XXL

Construction started in the middle of the desert in 2015. Since then, the city is rapidly taking shape and features.

Before / After: Skyscrapers in the sand

This gigantic megaproject in Egypt costs a whole 58 billion dollars.