Encouragement of Settlement and PopulationAttracting in the New Towns – Egypt

Abstract

The Egyptian new towns experience is among the most comprehensive and ambitious, regionally<br />and worldwide. Initiated as a governmental policy within a general strategy to tackle the multitude of problems<br />burdening Egyptian settlements in general and major and secondary cities surrounded by agricultural land. New towns<br />were thought as an effective partial solution for the problems of: encroachment of agricultural land, lack of urban land<br />for development, deteriorating fabric, infrastructure and facilities and low quality living. A variety of New towns were<br />proposed as a result of extensive, serious and comprehensive studies and joint endeavors of local and international<br />experts. The new towns aimed to create self-contained growth poles in the desert which would absorb and redistribute<br />population and activities, offering cheap housing and a healthy environment. Some new towns, have seen considerable<br />success in attracting industry, attributed to their favorable location near Cairo. However, success in encouraging people<br />to relocate to the new towns has been limited. A central criticism of the Egyptian programs is that all new towns<br />together will have absorbed a maximum of 20% of population growth by the year 2000. Aim this paper to address the<br />issue of “Encouragement of settlement and attractions for new cities and communities in Egypt".