Cairo () is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. It is formed of the city of Cairo, both the national capital of Egypt and the governorate's, in addition to six satellite cities: The New Capital - which became the official seat of national government in April 2024, New Cairo, El Shorouk, Badr, Capital Gardens, and 15th of May. These cities form almost half of the Greater Cairo metropolitan area by population.
Cairo is one of four city governorates in Egypt, and the governor of Cairo is also the head of the city. Nonetheless, the governate of Cairo and the city of Cairo are two semi-distinct levels of local government, and as with other governorates, the governor is appointed by the president.
Parts of the governorate, the Helwan district and the satellite cities, were spun off in April 2008 to form the Helwan Governorate, only to be reincorporated into the Cairo Governorate in April 2011.
The governorate is divided into the city of Cairo, and the unallocated desert hinter land ().
Cairo city is subdivided into four Areas () headed by a deputy governor each, and 38 Districts (, sing. ) with their own governor appointed heads.
The Northern Area divided into 9 Districts:
Shubra, Al-Zawiya al-Hamra, Hadayek al-Kobba, Rod al-Farg, al-Sharabiya, al-Sahel, al-Zaytoun, Al-Amiriya, and al-Waili
The Eastern Area divided into 9 Districts:
Misr al-Gadidah (Heliopolis), Al-Nozha, Nasr City East (Sharq Madinet Nasr), Nasr City West (Gharb Madinet Nasr), al-Salam Awwal, al-Salam Thani, al-Matariya, and al-Marg. In addition to New Cairo, Al-Shorouk, Badr, and The New Capital.
The Western Area divided into 9 Districts:
Manshiyat Nasser, Al-Wayli, Wasat al-Qahira: Al-Darb al-Ahmar, al-Gamaliyya, al-Hussein), Boulaq, Gharb El-Qahira (Zamalek, Garden City, Down Town), Abdeen, Azbakeya, al-Muski, and Bab El-Shaaria.
The Southern Area divided into 12 Districts:
Masr El-Qadima (Old Cairo), al-Khalifa, al-Moqattam, al-Basatin, Dar El-Salam, El-Sayeda Zeinab, al-Tebbin, Helwan, al-Ma'sara, al-Maadi, Tora, and 15th may City.
In addition to Cairo City, there are six satellite cities that are under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities who chairs the New Urban Communities Authority that directly controls them (planning, land sales, zoning), while the governorate departments () control police and select public services (education, health, subsidised food). The more populated ones are subdivided into , while the ones still under construction are yet to have governorate representation. These cities are:
As of January 2023, the municipal divisions had a total estimated population as of 10,203,693.
As of 4 April 2025, Ibrahim Saber is the governor of Cairo Governorate.
Source:
According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI), the following industrial zones are located in Cairo: