Egypt has begun to build a new city twice as big as Barcelona: what is planned

Hot Egypt is one of the most popular and relatively inexpensive vacation destinations. And soon a whole new city will appear in the country to meet the demand of tourists.

According to the British publication Independent, the country announced plans to build a mega-project on the Mediterranean coast. The future city, called Ras el-Khekma, is expected to be almost twice as big as Barcelona, Spain.

Today, Ras al-Hekma is a small village where agriculture is thriving. It is here that 17% of Egyptian olives and 26% of figs are grown. However, new hotels, including Accor and Ennismore, golf courses, and an international marina are soon to appear here. The area of the future city should be 170 square kilometers. For comparison, Barcelona has an area of 101 square kilometers.

The project is being developed by the investment company ADQ and the design studio Modon, both located in Abu Dhabi, UAE. The new tourist city aims to revitalize Egypt's economy. It has already brought the country $25 billion in profit from the sale of territories to investors from the Emirates and is expected to bring another $11 billion in investments.

The city promises to be smart, sustainable, and inclusive. In addition to attracting tourists, Ras el-Hekma is also expected to provide housing for two million people. Residential and business districts will be located here, new universities will be opened, and a free economic zone will be set up.

Construction work was launched on October 4. The first phase will include the construction of an international airport and a high-speed rail line that will connect residential areas, office space, hospitality, shopping, entertainment, and recreational facilities. It is not reported when this stage of construction is planned to be completed.

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