Urban primacy is an obvious phenomenon in Egypt, as it is in almost all the developing countries. However, and despite the numerous urban studies that examined different aspects of urban system in Egypt, little attention has been paid for the examination of urban primacy phenomenon. Therefore, it is the purpose of this paper to examine the nature, level and progression of urban primacy in Egypt, as well as its causes and consequences. As many recent studies argue that the roots of urban primacy in developing countries goes back to colonisation era and that globalisation is of considerable effect on the progression of such phenomenon, this paper aims to test this argument in the Egyptian case.

In reaching these objectives, the paper starts by a literature review about the causes and consequences of urban primacy and the methods of measuring primacy. Second, it presents a discussion of how economic and colonial histories have led to urban primacy in Africa and the role of globalisation in the progression of such phenomenon. Third, it presents a temporal exanimation for the progression of urban primacy in Egypt during 1947-2006 period, which covers the end of colonisation era and the start of globalisation age. Finally, the paper tries to envisage the possible consequences of urban primacy in Egypt and the necessary measures to overcome these consequences.