Al 'Alamayn, town in northeastern Egypt, in Matruh governorate, located near the Mediterranean Sea. Al 'Alamayn is 326 km (202 mi) northwest of the Egyptian capital, Cairo, and 103 km (64 mi) west of Alexandria. The town is most famous as the scene of one of the most important battles of World War II (1939-1945).
In the late 1960s the discovery and exploitation of oil boosted the economy of Al 'Alamayn. An oil terminal was built at the nearby resort town of SidiAbd ar Rahman. The Mediterranean coast north of Al 'Alamayn has a number of rest houses and hotels, with plans to develop more. With good road and rail links to Alexandria, the town is also a gateway for exploring the Qattara Depression, an inland desert area below sea level.
