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Situated along the eastern seaboard of Egypt, Hurghada is the second largest city in the country and is located in the Red Sea Governorate.
Every year, almost 2.5 million visitors are drawn towards Hurghada, which stretches for about 60 km along the Red Sea. Unlike rest of the Egyptian cities, Hurghada is not characteristic of remains of the old Egyptian civilization like the pyramids or temples.
From 1900 to 1920, Hurghada was only a lay-by for Arab fishermen, belonging to Saudi Arabia. There were only 6 simple huts in this fishing village in 1908 and the only means of economy was the dried fish, which was sold to the Egyptians coming with camel caravans from Upper Egypt.
It was only in 1931 that oil was discovered in this part of Egypt. The oil-processing industry set up in Hurghada catered to the needs of all, including transport enterprises, settled building industry, fishers and dealers.
Tourism was not active in Hurghada until 1980, when the Arabs got attracted towards this city. The groups of islands in the vicinity, along with the beaches, coral reefs and marine life made this place a major attraction for tourists.
Guaranteed sunlight in this area further provoked Arab, European and American investors to begin their projects in Hurghada. Soon, the population of this city increased from 20,000 to more than 87,000. Adding to this were around 1, 40,000 commuters, who paid visit to this city on a regular basis.
Hurghada was originally known by its Arabic name Al-Ghardaka. The city owes its name to a large desert tree, called Gharkad, which was earlier used as a meeting point by the Arabs. At the place where this tree stood, the last king of Egypt, King Farouk, built his holiday residence. Today, this building is used as a water sport club for military members. The current tourism information office of Hurghada is located opposite to the building.
Founded in the early 20th century, this small fishing village has now evolved as a leading seashore resort along the Red Sea. The city is most crowded during the summer months; however, winters in Hurghada are of interest to those planning to indulge in aquatic sports.
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