Port Said, city in northeastern Egypt, a port on the Mediterranean Sea, at the entrance to the Suez Canal. The city is built on low, sandy ground between Lake Manzilah and the Mediterranean Sea. The principal occupations in Port Said include fishing and the manufacture of chemicals, processed food, and cigarettes. It also has a large export trade, notably in cotton and rice, and is a fueling station for ships traveling the canal route. It is also a summer resort. Port Said was established in 1859, when work on the Suez Canal began. Population (1998 estimate) 469,000.