Tanta (Egyptian Arabic: طنطا Ṭanṭa pronounced [ˈtˤɑntˤɑ]) is a city in Egypt. It is the country's fifth largest populated area, with an estimated 429,000 inhabitants (2008). Tanta is located 94 km (58 mi) north of Cairo and 130 km (81 mi) southeast of Alexandria. The capital of the Gharbia Governorate, it is a centre for the cotton-ginning industry and the main railroad hub of the Nile Delta.