muḥāfaẓah (governorate) of Lower Egypt in the western part of the apex of the Nile River delta, between the Damietta (east) and Rosetta (west) branches of the Nile. It includes some of the most productive land of the delta, supporting a dense rural population. Agriculture is the principal occupation, employing more than three-fifths of the workers. Nearly one-third of the land is under corn (maize); other crops include cotton, wheat, clover, dates, and onions. Milk and dairy products also are produced. The major source of irrigation water is Al-Minūfīyah Canal, which flows from the Delta (Al-Khayrīyah) Barrage on the Nile via Shibīn and Baquriyah canals. Most of the population lives in villages and small towns. The principal centres are Shibīn al-Kawm (capital of the muḥāfaẓah), Minūf, and Ashmūn—all with cotton-ginning facilities. Area 592 square miles (1,532 square km). Pop. (2006) 3,270,404.