Introduction
This article is about the city. For other uses, see El Alamein (disambiguation).
City in Matrouh, EgyptEl Alamein
العلمينal-ʿAlamaynCityMarina's Porto ResortThe German MemorialAlamein PortAlamein ChurchAlamein Military MuseumThe MediterraneanMarina Alamein Arch Site TombEl AlameinLocation in EgyptCoordinates: 30°50′N 28°57′E / 30.833°N 28.950°E / 30.833; 28.950Country EgyptGovernorateMatrouhArea • Total342.0 km2 (132.0 sq mi)Population (2023) • Total12,580 • Density36.78/km2 (95.27/sq mi)Time zoneUTC+2 (EET) • Summer (DST)UTC+3 (EEST)
Historical populationYearPop.±%20077,397—    201710,013+35.4%
El Alamein (Arabic: العلمين, romanized: al-ʿAlamayn, lit. 'the two flags', IPA: [elʕælæˈmeːn] ⓘ) is an Egyptian city in the northern Matrouh Governorate. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies 106 kilometres (66 mi) west of Alexandria and 300 kilometres (186 mi) northwest of Cairo. The town is located on the site of the ancient city Antiphrai (Greek: Ἀντίφραι). The city is divided into three main areas: El Alamein, Sidi Abdel Rahman, and Tel El Eis village.
The city's economy is mainly based on its natural resources of petroleum, which is explored by several Egyptian companies, and the tourist areas where a number of luxury hotels and tourist resorts are located, such as the tourist town of Marina.
Tourism
[edit]
Many Egyptians, particularly the upper and middle class travel to El Alamein during summer to flee the summer heat in other cities and towns.
Climate
[edit]
El Alamein has a hot desert climate, Köppen climate classification BWh, common with most of the Middle East and North Africa. However, like the rest of the northern coast of Egypt, its climate is slightly less hot, compared to the rest of Egypt, because of the prevailing Mediterranean Sea winds.
Climate data for El Alamein
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
17.8(64.0)
18.7(65.7)
20.3(68.5)
23.5(74.3)
25.7(78.3)
28.8(83.8)
29.5(85.1)
30.5(86.9)
28.7(83.7)
27.5(81.5)
23.6(74.5)
19.7(67.5)
24.5(76.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)
12.4(54.3)
13.3(55.9)
14.9(58.8)
17.7(63.9)
20.5(68.9)
23.8(74.8)
25.2(77.4)
25.7(78.3)
24.4(75.9)
22.1(71.8)
18.3(64.9)
14.4(57.9)
19.4(66.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
7(45)
7.9(46.2)
9.5(49.1)
12(54)
15.4(59.7)
18.8(65.8)
20.9(69.6)
21(70)
20.1(68.2)
16.7(62.1)
13(55)
9.2(48.6)
14.3(57.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
29(1.1)
17(0.7)
8(0.3)
2(0.1)
1(0.0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
0(0)
5(0.2)
21(0.8)
24(0.9)
107(4.1)
Source: climate-data.org
World War II
[edit]
Bernard Montgomery watches his tanks move up during the Battle of El Alamein.
Two important World War II battles were fought in the area:
At the First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942), the advance of Axis troops on Alexandria was blunted by the Allies, stopping the Italian and German forces that were trying to outflank the Allies' position.
At the Second Battle of El Alamein (23 October – 4 November 1942), Allied forces broke the Axis line and forced them all the way back to Tunisia. Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister at the time, said of this victory: "Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning." After the war, he wrote: "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein, we never had a defeat."
Military cemeteries[edit]
There are Italian and German military cemeteries on Tel el-Eisa Hill outside the town. The German cemetery is an ossuary, built in the style of a medieval fortress.
The cemetery of the Italian War Memorial at El Alamein contains 5,200 graves.
There is also a Greek cemetery at El Alamein.
The Commonwealth Alamein Memorial and attached war cemetery, built and maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, has graves of soldiers from various countries who fought on the Allied side.
Gallery[edit]
Cross of Sacrifice, El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
South African Memorial El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery plaque – 1939–1945 – The land on which this cemetery stands is the gift of the Egyptian people for the perpetual resting place of the sailors, soldiers and airmen who are honoured here.
El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery
Italian War Memorial at El Alamein
El Alamein German memorial
El Alamein Commonwealth cemetery – A soldier of the 1939–1945 war known unto God
In El Alamein museum
German cannon
The list of fallen German soldiers
German Memorial
British Crusader tank
