Port Said << sah EED >> (pop. 689,423) is an Egyptian city that lies at the junction of the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. Its name in Arabic is Bur Said.
Port Said was founded in 1859 as a camp for workers who built the Suez Canal. After the canal opened in 1869, the city became one of the world’s busiest ports. The canal was closed during the Six-Day War of 1967, and the city lost its importance as a port. Egypt reopened the canal in 1975 and set up a free trade zone to encourage trade there (see Free trade zone). Products of Port Said include leather, refined petroleum, salt, and textiles.
