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How did the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 affect Alexandria’s growth?
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Alexandria
The mosque of Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Mursī, Alexandria, Egypt.
The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 was a pivotal factor in the modern growth of Alexandria. By reestablishing Egypt as the principal staging post for trade with India, the canal helped trigger a significant cycle of economic expansion in the city.1
This period of growth was characterized by a rapid increase in both the indigenous and foreign populations of Alexandria. The canal's opening, combined with other developments such as the 1856 Cairo railway and the cotton boom of the 1860s, solidified Alexandria’s status as a vital commercial and banking center.1