Sūhāj, town and capital of Sūhāj muḥāfaẓah (governorate) in the Nile River valley of Upper Egypt. The town is located on the Nile’s western bank between Asyūṭ and Jirjā, immediately across from Akhmīm on the eastern bank. It has cotton-ginning, textile-weaving, and food-processing factories. Automobile parts are distributed, and it is a centre for vehicle repair. Sohag University—which offers courses of study in education, commerce, medicine, agriculture, and other disciplines—is located in the town.
Sūhāj lies along the Cairo–Aswān railway and the main highway through Upper Egypt. A bridge across the Nile links it to Akhmīm. In recent years the two cities have virtually merged, although they are still separately administered. Pop. (2006) 190,132.