Egypt

Land and Climate Most of Egypt is desert. So many of it’s people crowd into less than 4% of the land. The lifeline of Egypt is the Nile River, which supplies 85% of the countries water. At 4,421 miles the Nile is the longest river in the world. As the Nile empties into the Mediterranean Sea it forms a delta-an area formed by soil deposited by a river at its mouth.

Land and Climate For centuries the Nile river flooded quite often. When the waters rose and then receded they left behind silt-small particles of rich soil. This silt has made the areas along the Nile very good farmland.

Land and Climate Cont. The Sinai Peninsula lies southeast of the Nile delta and has been a major crossroads between Africa and Southwest Asia for centuries. The man made Suez Canal separates the Sinai Peninsula from the rest of Egypt. The Suez provides a shortcut for ships traveling from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. Vast deserts cover most of Egypt. East of the Nile is the Eastern Desert and West is the much larger Libyan, both of which are part of the Sahara-the largest desert in the world, about the size of the United States. The word Sahara is Arabic for “desert”.

Land and Climate Cont. Wherever you go in Egypt you’ll find a dry desert climate of hot summers and mild winters. Egypt receives very little rainfall each year, about 0.4 in. In the spring hot winds sweep across Egypt. These powerful winds can reach up to 90 mph, causing the destruction of farmland and homes.

Economy Egypt has a developing economy which has grown considerably in recent years. About 40% of the population works in agriculture growing sugarcane, vegetables, cotton and fruits. The best farmland is located in the Nile River valley.

Economy The Aswan High Dam gives people control over the floodwaters of the Nile. Although the dam provides massive amounts of hydroelectric power it has stopped the flow of silt making the farmland less and less fertile. Many farmers now rely on chemicals to fertilize their crops.

History and People Egypt’s fascinating past began about 8,000 years ago when people first settled on the Nile. The people of early Egypt created one of the world’s most advanced civilizations. They wrote using hieroglyphics, or picture signs and symbols. They made paper from papyrus. Other Egyptian achievements were the invention of the calendar, ways to keep track of the growing season and medical skills to treat diseases and injuries

Modern History End of the 1800s to 1952 Egypt was under British rule. Led by Gamal Abdel Nasser, officers in the Egyptian military overthrew the British supported king. Egypt is a republic today. In 2011 the people overthrew the longtime president, Hosni Mubarak because a lack of jobs and freedoms. As of June 24, 2012, Egypt has it’s first democratically elected president, Mohamed Morsi.

Rural and Urban Life Most of Egypt’s 66.9 million people live within 20 miles of the Nile River. More than ½ of the people are farmers called fellahin who work on small plots of land they rent from landowners. Many of the fellahin sell their surplus/extra food at bazaars or marketplaces.

Rural and Urban Life Life in modern cities like Alexandria and Cairo isn’t all that different from life in Las Vegas. They are growing rapidly and having difficulties because the infrastructure is not able to handle the increased population, so traffic and power shortages are common. Cairo has long been the center of the Muslim world. Throughout the city you will find mosques-places of worship for followers of Islam.