Old temples, long rivers and rich history. Egypt has all of that and more. Keep reading to learn more about Egypt Facts and secrets.
Egypt’s flag has three horizontal bands. It consists of three colors which are red, white and black. There’s also an eagle in the center. The red represents the blood that was shed in wars against colonization. The white symbolizes the purity of Egyptians’ hearts. The black represents the darkness that Egypt overcame. The eagle is a symbol of strength.
Sing along
Egyptians sing the national anthem at schools and before sports events. The song is called “Bilādī, laki ḥubbī wa fuʾādī” which means (‘My homeland, you have my love and my heart’). This song was written by Muhammad Yunis al-Qadi and composed by Sayed Darwish.
Listen to the anthem
Pin On The Map
Egypt lies in the north of Africa. It shares its borders with Sudan (from the south), Libya (from the west) and Israel (from the East). The country also shares a border with a Palestinian territory called the Gaza Strip.
Egypt lies on two important seas, the Mediterranean Sea in the north and the red sea in the East. The nation built Suez Canal to connect the two water bodies.
Egypt covers around 1,001,450 sq km. that’s about 1.5 times bigger than Texas. Deserts cover most of the land in Egypt. The country has part of the Sahara desert in the west and the eastern desert in the east. In the east, there’s also the Sinai Peninsula. This area connects Africa and Asia and it’s filled with mountains. The Sinai Peninsula has the highest point in Egypt which is the peak of Mount Catherine at 2,629 m (8,625 ft).
The longest river in the world, The Nile, flows in the country and ends in the Mediterranean Sea.
Look in the history book
People started living in Egypt around 11000 years ago. Groups of hunters- gathers roamed the lands of Egypt for years.
Around 5000 years ago, king Narmer founded the first dynasty in the nation. Ancient Egypt is considered, by many historians, to be the cradle of civilization. The kings and queens of this civilization ruled the land for thousands of years and brought astonishing marks to the world. This includes many temples, tombs and pyramids. The ancient Egyptians were also behind the invention of ink, paper and the calendar
Visitors can still see the ancient Egyptians’ landmarks all over the country, from Luxor (in the south) to Giza (in the North). Scientists of all fields have been fascinated with Ancient Egypt that they called a branch of science after Egypt. It’s called Egyptology
Over its long history, many groups controlled Egypt. This includes the Macedonian empire and the Roman Empire. Muslims invaded the nation in the 7th century. They brought the Islamic religion to the land. Till now, Islam is still the main religion in the country.
In 1517, the Ottoman Empire controlled Egypt. Egyptians suffered from many famines under the rule of the Ottomans. In the late 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, Europeans countries wanted to control Egypt. In 1798, France controlled the land. The French quickly left in 1801. After that, Britain took over for around 80 years.
In 1922, Egypt declared its independence. And in 1952, the nation became a republic.
Take a walk
When you visit Egypt, there are many places you can go to. You can enjoy its ancient history, walk around its boisterous streets, or simply relax at its marvelous beaches. Here are some important stops in Egypt.
Luxor
In the past, Thebes was the capital of Egypt. The ruins of this old city lie in the city of Luxor. Luxor is filled with staggering landmarks such as The Karnak temple, Deir al-Bahari and The Luxor Temple. It’s considered the largest open-air museum in the world.
Alexandria
In 331, Alexander the Great founded this glamorous city on the Mediterranean Sea. Today, it’s the second-largest city in Egypt with 5 million people living in it. Tourists enjoy visiting its famous lighthouse (which was one of the seven wonders of the Ancient World) and the largest library in ancient times, The Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Giza
13 km away from Cairo, you can stand in awe looking at one of the most breathtaking achievements of humans, the pyramids. Giza is famous for its three pyramids and the Great Sphinx. You, definitely, shouldn’t miss visiting this site. And don’t forget to take a silly photo with the Sphinx.
Cairo
Your journey to Egypt is incomplete without walking through the busy streets of the capital city. Cairo has many landmarks such as the Egyptian Museum, Cairo tower, al-Azhar mosque, khan el-Khalili and the Manyal Palace. Cairo was the center of the Islamic world in the 10th century. Today, tourists flock from all over the world to see its sites.
Mount Sinai
It’s not the highest mountain in Egypt. But it has a religious and historic value. Mount Sinai lies on the Sinai Peninsula and many people believe that’s where Moses received the Ten Commandments.
Whale valley
This valley has fossils of the earliest forms of whales. The first fossils were discovered in 1902. The valley lies in Faiyum Governorate, around 150 Km away from Cairo. In 2005, UNESCO enrolled the valley in the world heritage sites list.
Hurghada
If you are an adventurer, then you should go to this unique coastal city. Hurghada lies on the red sea and offers its visitors many activities from enjoying the safari and camping in the desert to diving and snorkeling in its water. And if you don’t feel like doing much, you can simply take a submarine and enjoy the company of the colorful fishes without even getting wet!
The Siwa Oasis
If you take a long journey into the western desert, you will find this isolated but pristine oasis with only 33000 people living there. This place is a favorite destination for medical treatment for thousands of tourists. The famous sand-baths and hot springs cure many diseases. You can also enjoy floating in the crystal salt lakes.
Meet the people
More than 100 million people live in Egypt making it the third most populated country in Africa. More than 21 million people live in the capital, Cairo. This lively city is the second-largest city in Africa – after Lagos, Nigeria.
99% of Egyptians live on 5 % of the land. Most Egyptians live near the water, whether it’s the Nile, the Mediterranean Sea or the Red Sea.
Few people live in the desert. They are called The Bedouins.
Most citizens are Muslims. However, around 10% of Egyptians are Christians.
Religion plays a vital role in the history and life of Egyptians.
Al-Azhar University (in Cairo) is one of the most prestigious Islamic institutes in the Arab world. While Saint Catherine’s monastery is one of the oldest Christian monasteries in the world!
People speak Arabic in Egypt. However, they speak a distinct Egyptian Arabic dialect. Most people learn English as a second language at school.
Egyptians work in Tourism, agriculture and many other fields. The main crops in Egypt are rice, wheat and cotton. The Egyptian cotton is considered one of the best cottons in the world and it’s highly exported to other nations.
Take a bite
Kushari
When it comes to food in Egypt, nothing tops Kushari. The famous dish consists of rice, lentils, pasta and tomato sauce. It’s served in restaurants all over the country. Some people like to add Dukkah to it. Dukkah is a dip made of spices, seeds and nuts.
Kofta
If you are looking for a slightly more expensive choice, you should try Kofta. Kofta is grilled meatballs mixed with onions and spices. Some people like to eat it in sandwiches while others prefer to eat it as a side dish with pasta, rice, peas or other vegetables.
Molokhia
This delicious green soup consists of garlic, spices and jute leaves. It’s served with chicken and meat. Some people prefer to eat it with rice while others tend to enjoy dipping it with bread.
Fun fact
The Statue of Liberty in Egypt! The Statue of Liberty was originally molded by designer Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi after an Egyptian woman. Officials planned to send it to Egypt to celebrate the opening of Egypt’s Suez Canal. However, the ruler of Egypt, Khedewi Ismail Pasha, went bankrupt. As a result, the statue was sent to the US as a gift from France to celebrate the centennial of the American Revolution.
