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Al `Arīsh (alternate spelling El Arish) (Arabic: العريش ) is the capital and largest city (with 114,900 inhabitants as of 2002) of the Egyptian governorate of Shamal Sina', lying on the Mediterranean coast of the Sinai peninsula, 344 kilometers (214 miles) northeast of Cairo. Al `Arīsh is distinguished by its clear blue water, widespread fruitful palmy wood on its coast, and its soft white sand. It has a yacht marina, and many luxury hotels.

El Arish is by a big wadi called the Wadi el Arish, which receives flash flood water from much of north and central Sinai.

Contents 1 History 2 Transport 3 Notes 4 References

The city grew around a Bedouin settlement near the ancient Ptolemaic Dynasty outpost of Rhinocolura. Located halfway between Israel and Egypt, El Arish should be of major archaeological interest - but, surprisingly, no major archaeological project has ever been carried out in it or in its vicinity. In the Middle Ages, pilgrims misidentified the site as the Sukkot of the Bible. Arīsh means "palm huts" in Arabic corresponding to the Hebrew Sukkot.

New fortifications were constructed at the original site by the Ottoman Empire in 1560. During the Napoleonic Wars, the French laid siege to the fort, which fell after 11 days on February 19, 1799. The fort was destroyed by British bombers during World War I.

El Arish was briefly under Israeli administration in 1956 and again from 1967 to 1979, when it was peacefully returned from Israel to Egypt. After being reunited with Egypt it has become a centre for commerce and traffic between the two countries. An increasingly popular tourist destination, El Arish is situated at 31°4′N, 33°50′E.

El Arish is by a big wadi called the Wadi el Arish, which receives flash flood water from much of north and central Sinai.

The city is served by El Arish International Airport. The construction of the northern coast high way in Egypt (North Sinai part) is expected to be finished by 2008 linking Qantara at suez canal (in the west) to Gaza strip border passing by Al Arish. The railway line from Cairo is also under re-construction and it recently reached the " Ser and Qawarir zone" west of Al 'Arish. This route was formerly part of the Palestine Railway built during WW1/2 to connect Egypt with Turkey. The railway was cut during the formation of Israel. The North Sinai is a milestone for the Egyptian government planners to re-distribute the high densed population in the Delta, and it is expected that by accomplishing the transportation and Irrigation projects, 3 million Egyptians will settle in North Sinai.

• Detailed map of Egyptian towns and temples: http://unimaps.com/egypt/index.html
• Sinai miltary campaigns: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinai_and_Palestine_Campaign