October 3, national day of the new valley governorate
Egypt, Economics, 10/3/2000

The Temple of Deir Al Hagar at Al Dakhla (from the Roman Age)

- The name of the New Valley dates back to the year 1958 when it was given to the Western Desert. At that time it was decided to start a comprehensive project to establish a new valley along the Nile Valley, depending on land reclamation and agriculture.

- On October 3, 1959, pioneers of construction and reclamation arrived at the New Valley. Hence, the day has become the National Day of the governorate.

- In 1961 the New Valley governorate was officially established and was included as one of Egypt's administrative divisions.

- The New Valley is made up of three oases: Al Kharga, Al Dakhla, and Al Farafra.

- The New Valley has more than 1000 Pharoanic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic relics.

- The reclaimable land is about 500,000 feddans.

- A new Valley canal project will link the Nile with Al Kharga oasis and from there to Al Dakhla and Al Farafra.

- Two industrial areas are under construction in Al Kharga and Al Dakhla, in addition to the twelve existing industrial plants.

- In 1996, the Abu Tartour phosphate plant started production. It is one of the largest mining projects in the world. Its annual productivity is 4.4 million tons of crude phosphate.

- There are eight hotels and tourist villages in the New Valley, and four more are under construction. Numerous tourist utilities are being developed around the mineral water springs and the "White desert".

Within the context of the State efforts to promote development in the New Valley, on October 2, 1996 President Mubarak inaugurated the first railway line linking the city of Safaga on the Red Sea coast with Al Kharga town and the phosphate mines of Abu Tartour in the New Valley.

This will be the longest Egyptian railway line ever (680 Km in length in addition to 180 Km of by-pass lines).

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