TODAY'S EGYPT

Camels walking with pyramids in the background

Egypt is the cradle of civilization, the beacon of religion and the gateway to the continent of Africa. For over 70 centuries, Egypt has accomplished the development of culture, civilization and contributed to the history of the world. A journey through Egypt represents travelling through time, from one period to another, exhilarated by the history of those who remained immortal revealed by many of its secrets beneath the desert sands. While many know about the storied culture of Egypt's past, Egypt of today is a rich vibrant culture bustling with tourism, commerce and the arts.


EGYPT FUN FACTS

  • Cairo, one of the oldest and most famous cities of the world, is the capital. Its unique location led to its intermingling with other civilizations.
  • Egyptian currency is the Egyptian Pound (LE).
  • Egypt has 26 governorates and the city of Luxor. Alexandria and Port Said are the major ports, and Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria, Port Said and Suez are the major cities.
  • Egypt’s population, 65.99 million, is concentrated on the Nile Valley which represents 6% of its 1,000,000 km2 area while the remaining area is desert.
  • The Egyptian flag consists of 3 main colours: red, white, & black.
  • The official language is Arabic; English is the second language while French is spoken by some Egyptians.

EGYPT AND THE ARTS

  • The arts are as important in modern Egypt as they were in ancient times. Egypt has produced many great writers, of whom Naguib Mahfouz is one of the most famous. Mahfouz wrote some 40 novels and short story collections, as well as 30 screenplays and several plays. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1988 - the first Arab writer to be so honoured.
  • Music has a long tradition in Egypt. Popular Egyptian music includes folk music of the country, traditional Arabic music, and Western-style music. The country’s most famous singer is Omm Kulthum. Her voice has been celebrated in Egypt and other Arabic-speaking countries for over 50 years.
  • Film making is also important in modern Egypt, dating back to the period before World War I. Today modern - Egyptian films are shown all over the Arab world, which make the Egyptian dialect the most popular among the Arabic speaking countries.

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For more information of Egypt, please visit
www.egypt.travel