Matrouh is a governorate in the
Western Desert
in
Egypt
, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea . It is bordered with
Giza
and
El Wadi El Gedid
Governorates from the south ,
Alexandria
Governorate from the east and Libya from the west . Being one of Egypt's biggest governorates , Matrouh stretches over 166 , 563 km² and its capital is Marsa Matrouh . The governorate comprises on its land 5 distinctively different areas: the Coastal area , the Lybian Plateau , the Qattara Depression , the Oasis and the Sand Sea . Matrouh Governorate encloses a wide range of agricultural lands and is renowned for its production of wheat , fig , and dates . In addition , Matrouh is rich in mineral wealth including natural gas and other materials such as limestone , gypsum , and sands , extracted from El Hamma , and
Siwa
and many other places throughout the governorate . Matrouh also hosts some industries such as petrochemical industries and tobacco and encloses some industrial zones that provide the governorate with a part of its economic resources . Among the great incidents the governorate witnessed is the Battle of Alamein ,
when the Second World War was almost decided .
Matrouh is one of the major tourist attractions in Egypt for its fascinating natural beauty and magnificent weather . Tourists can practice various activities in Matrouh like safaris , swimming , diving and fishing while enjoying the fascinating beauty of the clear blue water and white sand . The importance of the governorate as a tourist place doubled after the establishment of Matrouh Internaional Airport that encourages many foreigners on starting their excursion in Egypt from Matrouh .