The Arab Republic of Egypt, commonly known as Egypt, is a Republic in North Africa. ""Egypt"" came via the Latin word Aegyptus derived from ancient Greek, which means 'the name of a temple of the God Ptah at Memphis.' Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is known as the land for learning, culture and commerce. Geographically, Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea and is located between Libya and the Gaza Strip. To the north of Sudan is the Red Sea inclusive of what is known as the Asian Sinai Peninsula. The total area occupied by Egypt is 1,020,000 km. The coastline of Egypt stretches approximately 2,450 km. The Egyptian terrain is a vast desert plateau, interrupted by the Nile valley and the delta. The climate in Egypt is hot and dry due to its proximity to the equator. Winters are moderate. The Sahara desert is the world's largest desert and is located in Egypt, as well as the Libya desert. These deserts were referred to as the "red land" in ancient Egypt. Even today, these areas are sparsely populated. Egypt has a population of approximately 77 million people. Islam is the religion practiced by majority of the people, with a small number of people that follow Christianity. Arabic is the language used widely by the Egyptian people. The majority of Egyptians are involved in agriculture and settlements can be seen along the Nile river. About half of the population lives in the urban areas. Egypt is famous for its ancient architecture and culture. It boasts of some of the world's most stunning ancient monuments, including the Giza Pyramids, the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Another modern attraction in Egypt is the Opera house, which is the only one in the Arab world. Every year there are a large number of tourists who visit the country. Many of them visit during the favorable months from mid-October to May, when the weather is not as hot, to view its many beautiful sites. |
