Egypt

Description of Egypt

Egypt is located in the north eastern part of Africa. The largest city and the capital of the country is Cairo. Egypt extends into Asia as well through the holding the country has on the Sinai Peninsula. The country shares a border with the Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya, and the Sudan. It is also bound by both the Red and the Mediterranean seas and the geography is dominated by the Nile River and the western and eastern deserts.

The country is most well-known for being the home of the ancient Egyptian civilization. The pyramids are the most well-known sites and there are also mummies, hieroglyphs, and temples that are seen throughout the country. Many people do not know about the medieval heritage of the country that comes from the Islam and Coptic Christianity religions. There are ancient monasteries, churches, and mosques that line the landscape of the country as well.

Egypt is a country that truly stimulates the imagination of tourists from the west like no other country in the world. It is one of the more popular tourist destinations throughout the world.

Revolution

In 2011, there was a revolution that took place in Egypt. Since this time tourism, which is responsible for employing nearly 15% of the population, has taken a large hit. The downturn in tourism you should expect more aggressive and persistent touts. However, the prices are quite a bit lower and you can avoid some of the larger crowds that during other times were overflowing at many of the best sites the country has to offer.

There were a large number of protests held in July of 2013. The people wanted the president to resign and wanted a new constitution. In August of 2013, a new constitution was created and a new president was elected. There were several foreign countries that issued travel warnings to Sanai. Travel to north Sinai is still not recommended.

History

The richness of the soil near the Nile combined with the isolation that is provided by the deserts have allowed for one of the greatest civilizations in the world to be developed. Around 3200 B.C. a united kingdom rose and there were a series of dynasties that would rule over Egypt for 3 millennia. The last of these dynasties fell to the Persians in the year 341 B.C. They were replaced by the Romans, Greeks, and Byzantines.

The country grew over the years and in 1869 the Suez canal was built. This made the country an important transportation hub for the world. Britain took control of the country for several years and then Egypt once again became independent in 1922. Throughout the years the government of Egypt has struggled with preparing their economy to make it in the new millennium, which is one of the reasons for the many struggles and protests that the country has seen over the years.

Travel Warning

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Britain has stated that there is a high terrorism threat from North Sinai. In February there were three tourists from South Korea that were killed at Taba. The group that was responsible for the murders has threatened more attacks. Hurghada and Cairo are both considered to be safe to travel to. Women should be especially careful when travelling to Egypt as they are often the subjects of sexual harassment that can become quite violent. There have been laws created to help end sexual harassment in the country. Even so, the country remains fairly unstable since the revolution that took place in the year 2011. There are demonstrations that take place regularly and while most of them start out quite peacefully, they can turn violent quite quickly. Make sure that you pay attention to the local media and talk with your host or hotel often to avoid any gatherings or protests.

Visiting Egypt

There are some great destinations in Egypt that you should definitely consider visiting when in the country. Some of these include:

• Valley of Kings
• Taba Heights: resort offering views of Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel
• St. Katherine: oldest inhabited monastery
• Siwa: remote oasis located near the border of Libya
• Sharm el Sheikh: popular resort town
• Nuweiba: village with several camps
• Saqqar and Memphis: both offer ruins and relics from ancient Egypt
• Lake Nasser
• Karnak: scattered temples
• Gilf Kebir: deep desert oasis
• Dahab: backpacker paradise
• Abu Simbel: remote town located in the deep south of the country offering some great ancient temples.

Some facts about Egypt

Gallery of Egypt

Egypt video guide

More information about Egypt

Top cities of Egypt