Egypt

Egypt (Arabic Misr) is a country in the northeastern corner of Africa. It borders Sudan to the south, Libya to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the east. Egypt's official language is Arabic, and its capital and largest city is Cairo.

Egypt has been inhabited for the past ten thousand years, and its ancient culture was one of the most important in antiquity, producing monuments like the Sphinx and pyramids. It was an important province in the Roman and Byzantine empires. In the 7th century, it was invaded by the Arabs, and thereafter became a center of Arab and Islamic scholarship. Today it is arguably the political and cultural center of the Arab world.

Geography

Egypt is mostly desert, and almost never receives rainfall. The Nile river flows through the center of the country, and 97% of Egypt's population lives within a few miles of its fertile banks, where all farming takes place. Egypt is historically divided into Upper Egypt, the upstream areas of the nile in the south of the country, and Lower Egypt in the north which includes the Nile Delta, which contains Eqypt's best farmland.

History

Egypt was first united in 3200 BC. The civilization created lasted for the next 3,000 years until 332 BC, when it was conquered by Alexander the Great. This era produced many magnificent temples and monuments, and of course the pyramids. After Alexander, the Greek Ptolemy dynasty, descended from one of Alexander's generals, ruled until 30 BC, when Egypt fell to the Romans. It remained a province of the Romans, and later the Byzantines, until 639, when the Arabs conquered it. Egypt was an integral part of the Umayyad Caliphate and the later Abbasid Cailphate. In 969, it was conquered by the Fatimids, who built the city of Cairo to be their capital. In 1171, the Ayyubids under Saladin came to power. They were replaced by the Mamluks in 1250, who lasted until 1517, when the Ottomans took over. In the 19th century, Egypt was gradually taken over by the British, who made it part of their empire. Egypt gained independence in 1922. In 1952, the monarchy was overthrown in a coup, and after a brief struggle, Gamel Abdul Nasser came to power. He believed that all Arab countries should be united into one, and unified Egypt with Syria for a brief time, though the union (called the United Arab Republic) failed. He also opposed Israel, leading to his defeat in the Six Day War. IN 1970, he was succeeded by Anwar Sadat, who made peace with Israel in the Camp David Accords. Today, Egypt is ruled by Sadat's sucessor, Hosni Mubarak.

Demographics

Egypt's population is almost entirely Arabic speaking. About 94% of the population is Muslim, most of the rest are Coptic Christians.

Politics

Egypt is a republic. Its constitution provides for a democratic system with separation of powers and civil liberties, but in reality it is a dictatorship. The ruling president, Hosni Mubarak, and his National Democratic party maintain a tight grip on political power, and human rights violations are widespread.

Economy

Egypts economy is historically agricultural, although it now imports food. Egypt has small oil reserves, and cotton exports and tourism are important. Egypt is still a developing country, and a large percentage of the population lives in poverty.