Giza, << GEE zuh >> (pop. 3,143,486), is a suburb of Cairo and Egypt’s third largest city. Only Cairo and Alexandria are larger. Giza is the site of the most famous remains of ancient Egypt—the Great Sphinx and three of the largest pyramids (see Pyramids; Sphinx). Its name in Arabic is Al Jizah. Giza lies on the Nile River, opposite Cairo.
Bridges connect Giza with Cairo and the island of Roda, in the Nile. Along the river, the Silver Coast section of Giza includes luxurious apartment buildings, large homes, and embassies of foreign governments. These structures contrast sharply with many small shacks occupied by the city’s unskilled workers.
Loading the player...Great Sphinx
Many wealthy Egyptians, and business people and diplomats from other nations, live in Giza. Large numbers of unskilled workers arrive yearly in search of jobs in factories. Giza’s population rose from about 260,000 in 1960 to more than 900,000 in the mid-1970’s and to more than 21/2 million in the early 2000’s.
Loading the player...Pyramids at Giza
Factories in Giza manufacture such products as bricks, chemicals, cigarettes, and machine tools. Egypt’s motion-picture industry makes dozens of films annually in the city. Giza is the home of the main campus of Cairo University.
