Damietta (Arabic Dumyat), city in northern Egypt, capital of Damietta Governorate, in the Nile River delta. Because the port is not accessible to deepwater vessels, incoming and outgoing cargo must be transported on river barges. The principal exports are fish, fruit, and rice. The chief manufactured products are cotton textiles, a variety of which, known as dimity, from the name of the city, originated here. Notable points of interest in Damietta are mosques, bazaars, and the marble baths. Population (1986) 89,498.
