Seaports as a Tool for the Urban & Economic Development in Egyptian Coastal Cities

Seaports (port have direct access to the sea and try to take advantage of a local geographical feature) play an important role in the cities. They are not only an economic resources, but also there is an interactive relationship between cities and their ports, this relationship affects in the economic and urban development rates of the city and the city‟s region. About 75% of the Egyptian coastal cities characterized by desert hinterland, that can helps the urban growth and economic development (like industry, trade, maritime transport, …etc) but the development of these coastal cities has tended towards tourism rather than the ports, this affects on expected economic and urban development rates in these cities like (Population density, housing areas, services, economic activities such industries and commercial activities, the local income). This research investigates how the ports can be a tool for the urban & economic development in Egyptian city-ports, through studying and analyzing some international cases, and it concludes with the elements that help ports to be an effective tool to raise the economic and urban development rates in the city-ports.