Fayoum city is a central administrative district, and the capital of Fayoum governorate. The city is divided into two residential areas that are separated by Bahr Yusuf Aqueduct, which is in the middle of the city.  Fayoum has two suburbs, Quhafa and Dar El-Ramad.  The city and its various districts are famous for being important commercial areas, including the governorate Diwan and ministries branches. Its villages are well-known for their palm manufacturing industries, fig cultivation, and poultry hatching.

During the Pharaonic era, Fayoum was one of the twenty regions in Upper Egypt, and was the capital of Ahnacea. When it became prosperous, its name was changed to Bersin, meaning ‘House of Crocodiles’ which were worshipped at that time. Since Fayoum has many rural, desert and suburban environments, it has become a tourist attraction in Egypt. The name of this city was mentioned in late pharaonic texts as Payoum, meaning ‘The Lake’ or ‘The Water’.  In Coptic Christian texts it was known as Fayoum, and in Arabic texts as El-Fayoum. Fayoum is one of Egypt’s most popular tourist spots.

The city has two reserves, Wadi El-Rayan and Wadi El-Heitan which have recently been added to the list of Global Heritage Sites. Within the governorate is also a body of salt-water called Qaroun Lake. Its water is brackish as a result of salt-laden irrigation water leaking into the lake. The area around this lake is an important wintering ground for migrating quail birds which gather there in large numbers during the winter months due to the warm weather.  This lake is also home to different kinds of fish such as tilapia, mullet and sole. Moreover, there are many tourist villages overlooking the lake, such as Helnan Auberge Fayoum Hotel, Panorama Shakshouk, and Duck Island, as well as Ain El-Selin Park which has fruit gardens. This park also had a sulfuric spring, but it has recently dried up.

Agriculture is the governorate’s major economic activity. Its most productive crops are wheat, maize, tomatoes, sugar beets, mangoes, figs and dates. Trade is concentrated in Fayoum city, in its downtown area, and involves clothing and electronics.  Fresh fish is plentiful because of the many watercourses, Qaroun Lake and Wadi El-Rayan