Port Said

a city in northeastern Egypt on the Mediterranean, at the northern entrance of the Suez Canal. Capital of the governorate of Port Said. Population, 313,000 (1970).

Port Said is linked by railroad and highway to the populated areas of the Suez Canal zone and the delta and valley of the Nile. It is a commercial, transportation and bunkerage center of international importance. In terms of its annual foreign trade turnover of more than 2 million tons, it held third place in Egypt until 1967, surpassed only by Alexandria and Suez. There are enterprises of the food-and-condiments, textile, and ship-building industries, as well as large-capacity refrigeration installations and warehouses.

Founded in 1859, the city was named after Said Pasha. In August 1882 it was occupied by British troops. It was one of the centers of the anti-British anti-imperialist movement, and rebellions and demonstrations broke out there in 1921, 1930, 1951, 1952, and 1953–54. During the Anglo-Franco-Israeli aggression against Egypt, there was bitter fighting in Port Said against British and French marines on Nov. 5–6, 1956. This heroic defense of Port Said cut short the imperialists’ plans to occupy the country as quickly as possible. The city was liberated on Dec. 22, 1956. After the Israeli aggression against the Arab nations that began in 1967, Port Said was a frontier city until late 1973. [20–1145–1; UPDATED]