1.
Governorates of Egypt
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Governorates are the first-level of the subdivisions. Egypt is divided, for administrative purposes, into twenty-seven governorates, egyptian governorates are the top tier of the countrys jurisdiction hierarchy. A governorate is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Egypt, most governorates have a population density of more than one thousand per km², while the three largest have a population density of less than two per km². Governorates are either fully urban or else a mixture of urban, the official distinction between urban and rural is reflected in the lower tiers, i. e. fully urban governorates have no regions, as the markaz is, natively, a conglomeration of villages. Moreover, governorates may comprise just one city, as in the case of Cairo Governorate or Alexandria Governorate, hence, these one-city governorates are only divided into districts. Cairo Governorate consists of 41 districts, Alexandria Governorate consists of 7, two new governorates were created in April 2008, Helwan and 6th of October. In April 2011, however, the 6th of October and Helwan governorates were again incorporated into the Cairo and Giza Governorates, respectively. Luxor was created in December 2009, to be the 29th governorate of Egypt, but with the abolition of the 6th of October and Helwan governorates, before 1979, local government traditionally enjoyed limited power in Egypts highly centralized state. Under the central government, there were twenty-six governorates and these were subdivided into regions, each of which was further subdivided into towns or villages. At each level, there was a structure that combined representative councils and government-appointed executive organs headed by governors, district officers. Governors were appointed by the president, and they, in turn, the coercive backbone of the state apparatus ran downward from the Ministry of Interior through the governors executive organs to the district police station and the village headman. Before the 1952 revolution, state penetration of the areas was limited by the power of local notables. However, under Nasser, land reform reduced their socioeconomic dominance, the extension of officials into the countryside permitted the regime to bring development and services to the village. State penetration did not retreat under Sadat and Mubarak, the earlier effort to mobilize peasants and deliver services disappeared as the local party and cooperative withered, but administrative controls over the peasants remained intact. The local power of the old families and the headmen revived, the district police station balanced the notables, and the system of local government integrated them into the regime. Sadat took several measures to decentralize power to the provinces and towns, governors acquired more authority under Law Number 43 of 1979, which reduced the administrative and budgetary controls of the central government over the provinces. The elected councils acquired, at least formally, the right to approve or disapprove the local budget, in an effort to reduce local demands on the central treasury, local government was given wider powers to raise local taxes. Local representative councils became vehicles of pressure for government spending, under Mubarak decentralization and local autonomy became more of a reality, and local policies often reflected special local conditions
2.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
3.
Egypt
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Egypt, officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan, and across from the Sinai Peninsula lies Saudi Arabia, although Jordan and it is the worlds only contiguous Afrasian nation. Egypt has among the longest histories of any country, emerging as one of the worlds first nation states in the tenth millennium BC. Considered a cradle of civilisation, Ancient Egypt experienced some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, organised religion and central government. One of the earliest centres of Christianity, Egypt was Islamised in the century and remains a predominantly Muslim country. With over 92 million inhabitants, Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa and the Arab world, the third-most populous in Africa, and the fifteenth-most populous in the world. The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River, an area of about 40,000 square kilometres, the large regions of the Sahara desert, which constitute most of Egypts territory, are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypts residents live in areas, with most spread across the densely populated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria. Modern Egypt is considered to be a regional and middle power, with significant cultural, political, and military influence in North Africa, the Middle East and the Muslim world. Egypts economy is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East, Egypt is a member of the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Arab League, African Union, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Miṣr is the Classical Quranic Arabic and modern name of Egypt. The name is of Semitic origin, directly cognate with other Semitic words for Egypt such as the Hebrew מִצְרַיִם, the oldest attestation of this name for Egypt is the Akkadian
4.
Kharga Oasis
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The Kharga Oasis, is the southernmost of Egypts five western oases. It is located in the Western Desert, about 200 km to the west of the Nile valley, Kharga or El Kharga is also the name of a major town located in the oasis, the capital of New Valley Governorate. The oasis, which was known as the Southern Oasis to the Ancient Egyptians, is the largest of the oases in the Libyan desert of Egypt and it is in a depression about 160 km long and from 20 km to 80 km wide. Kharga is the most modernized of Egypts western oases, the main town is highly functional with all modern facilities, and virtually nothing left of old architecture. Although framed by the oasis, there is no oasis feeling to it, there is extensive thorn palm, acacia, buffalo thorn and jujube growth in the oasis surrounding the modern town of Kharga. Many remnant wildlife species inhabit this region, the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert. A trade route called Darb El Arbaīn passed through Kharga in the south and it was used from as early as the Old Kingdom of Egypt for the transport and trade of gold, ivory, spices, wheat, animals and plants. The maximum extent of Darb El Arbaīn was northward from Kobbei in Darfur,25 miles north of al-Fashir, passing through the desert, through Bir Natrum and Wadi Howar, all the oases have always been crossroads of caravan routes converging from the barren desert. In the case of Kharga, this is particularly evident by the presence of a chain of fortresses that the Romans built to protect the Darb El Arbaīn route. The forts vary in size and function, some being just small outposts, some were installed where earlier settlements already existed, while others were probably started from scratch. All of them are made of mud bricks, but some contain small stone temples with inscriptions on the walls. Described by Herodotus as a road traversed, in forty days, by his time the route had already become an important land route facilitating trade between Nubia and Egypt. The length of the journey is the reason for it being called Darb El Arbaīn, there he lived for the rest of his life. The monastery suffered attacks by bandits, and Nestorius was injured in one such raid. As part of a proceeding to Dafur, the English explorer W. G. Browne paused for several days at Kharga. In 1930 the archaeologist, Gertrude Caton–Thompson, uncovered the history of Kharga. See Temple of Hibis Native Khargans belong to the related Beja ethnic group and they speak Beja, their own Afro-Asiatic language, though Arabic is the dominant tongue. A regular bus connects the oasis to the other Western oases
5.
Capital city
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A capital city is the municipality exercising primary status in a country, state, province, or other region, usually as its seat of government. A capital is typically a city that encompasses the offices and meeting places of its respective government. In some jurisdictions, including countries, the different branches of government are located in different settlements. In some cases, a distinction is made between the capital and the seat of government, which is in another place. The word capital derives from the Latin caput, meaning head, in several English-speaking states, the terms county town, county seat, and borough seat are also used in lower subdivisions. In unitary states, subnational capitals are known as administrative centres. The capital is often, but not necessarily, the largest city of its constituent, historically, the major economic centre of a state or region often becomes the focal point of political power, and becomes a capital through conquest or federation. Examples are Ancient Babylon, Abbasid Baghdad, Ancient Athens, Rome, Constantinople, Changan, Ancient Cusco, Madrid, Paris, London, Moscow, Beijing, Tokyo, Vienna, and Berlin. Some of these cities are or were also religious centres, e. g. Constantinople, Rome, Jerusalem, Ancient Babylon, Moscow, Belgrade, Paris, and Peking. A capital city that is also the economic, cultural. The convergence of political and economic or cultural power is by no means universal, traditional capitals may be economically eclipsed by provincial rivals, e. g. Nanking by Shanghai, Quebec City by Montreal, and numerous US state capitals. The decline of a dynasty or culture could also mean the extinction of its city, as occurred at Babylon. Although many capitals are defined by constitution or legislation, many long-time capitals have no legal designation as such, for example Bern, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London, Paris, are located in or near them. In Canada, there is a capital, while the ten provinces. The states of such countries as Mexico, Brazil, and Australia all have capital cities, for example, the six state capitals of Australia are Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney. In Australia, the capital cities is regularly used, to refer to the aforementioned state capitals plus the federal capital Canberra and Darwin. Abu Dhabi is the city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. In unitary states which consist of multiple constituent countries, such as the United Kingdom or the Kingdom of Denmark, the national capitals of Germany and Russia, the Stadtstaat of Berlin and the Federal City of Moscow, are also constituent states of both countries in their own right
6.
Eastern European Time
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Eastern European Time is one of the names of UTC+02,00 time zone,2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. The zone uses daylight saving time, so that it uses UTC+03,00 during the summer, a number of African countries use UTC+02,00 all year long, where it is called Central Africa Time, although Egypt and Libya also use the term Eastern European Time. The following countries, parts of countries, and territories use Eastern European Time all year round, Egypt, since 21 April 2015, used EEST from 1988–2010, Kaliningrad Oblast, since 26 October 2014, also used EET in years 1945 and 1991–2011. Libya, since 27 October 2013, switched from Central European Time, used year-round EET from 1980–1981, 1990–1996 and 1998–2012. Belarus, in years 1922–30 and 1990–2011 In Poland this time was used in years 1918–22, in time of World War II, Germany implemented MET in east occupied territories. Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol used EET as part of Ukraine in years 1991-94 and 1996-2014 Turkey, used EET in years 1910-1978, now uses year round DST timezone called Further-eastern European Time or Turkey Time. The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also uses FET, sometimes, due to its use on Microsoft Windows, FLE Standard Time or GTB Standard Time are used to refer to Eastern European Time. Since political, in addition to geographical, criteria are used in the drawing of time zones. The EET time zone, were it drawn by purely geographical terms, the easternmost part of the Republic of Macedonia, including the city of Strumica. The absolutely easternmost part of Serbia, in the Pirot District, the easternmost town in Norway, Vardø, lies at 30°51 E, which is located east of even of the central meridian of UTC+2, i. e. east of Istanbul and Alexandria. The Norwegian-Russian border is the place where CET borders Moscow time. There is a point at the Norway-Finland-Russia tripoint, near the town of Rayakoski. Belarus is located between 23°11′E and 32°47′E and is fully located with the physical UTC+2 area, but it uses UTC+3 year around. This also includes the city of Anapa, at the westernmost tip of the Krasnodar Krai near the entrance to the Sea of Azov, the Norway–Russia–Finland tri-zone point at Muotkavaara is surrounded by three different times in winter, two in summer. It had three time zones year-around before 2014, two of the four tripoints of Belarus and the tripoint of the Kaliningrad Region are surrounded by three different times in winter
7.
Temple of Hibis
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The Temple of Hibis, c. 6th century BCE, is the largest and most well preserved temple in the Kharga Oasis. Excavations were started out early during the 20th century, Hibis is the finest example of a Persian Period temple in Egypt. Its reliefs are well preserved, owing to its burial in sand for many centuries. One large and unique wall-relief depicts a figure of Seth, god of the desert oases. He is painted blue, a colour reserved for air deities and is fighting the serpent Apep. Many deities are represented in the sanctuary and Min, another god, was also venerated here. At Kharga Oasis, the temple at Hibis remains the only witness to the scope and nature of the activities during the Late Period. It lays in the valley between the foothills of Gebels al-Teir and Nadura, there is little known about the ancient town, though early excavations did unearth a few houses with vaulted ceilings and fresco paintings. The temple was dedicated to the deity Amun, who was also known as the Lord of Hibis. One side of the temple was dedicated to Theban theology, and on the other, the decorative program showed notable peculiarities that have not been found elsewhere. The decorated naos has nine registers on its walls, which contain approximately 700 representations of gods and of what may perhaps be divine statues. At the head of these representations, the king is shown in each register performing a ritual, grouped by sepat, they present an overview of the active cults of the time, organized by region and interestingly, each sepat takes a form of Osiris. The temple was built in honour of the Theban Triad which consists of Amun, Mut, the period of this dynasty is also called the Saite Period after the city of Sais, where its pharaohs had their capital. The construction work started under the rule of Iris and then Ahmos II, ptolemy II has also added the two outmost portals. The temple starts from the East with the sacred lake and the ports. Then there is the Roman gate that dates back to the Roman emperor, Galba, afterwards, there is the rams passageway that leads to the major gate of the temple. Afterwards, there is the Sanctum of the temple with its unique inscriptions. The construction follows the plan of the traditional Egyptian temple, the hypostyle hall of the Hibis temple was also decorated in an unusual fashion. Excavation of this temple has yielded numerous statues of the god as well as a large quantity of demotic ostraca
8.
Western Desert (Egypt)
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The Western Desert of Egypt is an area of the Sahara which lies west of the river Nile, up to the Libyan border, and south from the Mediterranean sea to the border with Sudan. It is named in contrast to the Eastern Desert which extends east from the Nile to Red Sea, the Western Desert is mostly rocky desert, though an area of sandy desert, known as the Great Sand Sea, lies to the west against the Libyan border. The desert covers an area of 262,800 sq miles which is two-thirds of the area of the country. Its highest elevation is 3,300 ft in the Gilf Kebir plateau to the far south-west of the country, the Western Desert is barren and uninhabited save for a chain of oases which extend in an arc from Siwa, in the north-west, to Kharga in the south. However it has been the scene of conflict in modern times and he also states that little of the area conforms to the romantic view. These lie in an arc from Siwa in the north-west near the Libyan border, to Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla, east of Siwa lies the Qattara Depression, a low-lying area dotted with salt marsh and extending 190 miles west to east and 84 miles north to south. Further to the east, near the Nile, another depression gives rise to the Fayyum Oasis, to the south, beyond the Bahariya oasis lies the Black Desert, an area of black volcanic hills and dolerite deposits. Beyond this, north of Farafra, lies the White Desert, an area of wind-sculpted chalk rock formations, which give the area its name. To the south of Kharga the plateau rises towards the Gilf Kebir, an upland region lying astride the Egypt-Sudan border and home to pre-historic sites such as the Cave of Swimmers. In the south-west, near the point where the borders of Libya, Sudan and Egypt meet, is an area of glass, thought to have been formed by a meteorite strike at Kebira. The Great Sand Sea is a roughly lung-shaped area of sandy desert lying astride the border with Libya,200 miles inland from the Mediterranean. The sea is divided by a peninsula of rocky desert along the border, leaving the eastern lobe in Egypt and the western in Libya. On the Egyptian side it extends from a point south of Siwa for 400 miles into the interior, the Western Desert was known historically as the Libyan Desert, taking its name from Ancient Libya, which lay between the Nile and Cyrenaica. With the formation of the state of Libya, the term Western Desert has come to describe part of the Sahara in Egypt. To the Ancient Greeks, the term Libya described the whole Saharan littoral west of the Nile to the Atlas mountains. During Roman times the term Libya was limited to Cyrenaica and the region between there and Egypt, which were organized as the provinces of Libya Superior and Libya Inferior, the term Libyan Desert then applied to the area to the south of these. Playfair described the Western Desert of 1940 as being 240 miles wide and 150 miles wide, the contemporary use of the term refers to the entire desert in Egypt west of the Nile. It is thought over-grazing and climate led to desertification and the current geography
9.
Sahara
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The Sahara is the largest hot desert and the third largest desert in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. Its area of 9,200,000 square kilometres is comparable to the area of the United States. The desert comprises much of North Africa, excluding the fertile region on the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Atlas Mountains of the Maghreb, and the Nile Valley in Egypt and Sudan. It stretches from the Red Sea in the east and the Mediterranean in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, where the landscape gradually changes from desert to coastal plains. To the south, it is bounded by the Sahel, a belt of tropical savanna around the Niger River valley. The Sahara can be divided into several regions including, the western Sahara, the central Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, the Aïr Mountains, the Ténéré desert, the name Sahara is derived from ṣaḥārā, the plural of the Arabic word for desert. The Sahara covers large parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and it covers 9 million square kilometres, amounting to 31% of Africa. If all areas with an annual precipitation of less than 250 mm were included. It is one of three physiographic provinces of the African massive physiographic division. The Sahara is mainly rocky hamada, Ergs form only a minor part, wind or rare rainfall shape the desert features, sand dunes, dune fields, sand seas, stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys, dry lakes, and salt flats. Unusual landforms include the Richat Structure in Mauritania, several deeply dissected mountains, many volcanic, rise from the desert, including the Aïr Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains, Adrar des Iforas, and the Red Sea hills. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi, a volcano in the Tibesti range of northern Chad. The central Sahara is hyperarid, with sparse vegetation, the northern and southern reaches of the desert, along with the highlands, have areas of sparse grassland and desert shrub, with trees and taller shrubs in wadis, where moisture collects. In the central, hyperarid region, there are subdivisions of the great desert, Tanezrouft, the Ténéré, the Libyan Desert, the Eastern Desert. These extremely arid areas often receive no rain for years, the northern limit also corresponds to the 100 mm isohyet of annual precipitation. To the south, the Sahara is bounded by the Sahel, the southern limit of the Sahara is indicated botanically by the southern limit of Cornulaca monacantha, or northern limit of Cenchrus biflorus, a grass typical of the Sahel. According to climatic criteria, the limit of the Sahara corresponds to the 150 mm isohyet of annual precipitation. The Sahara is the worlds largest low-latitude hot desert and this steady descending airflow causes a warming and a drying effect in the upper troposphere
10.
Nile
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The Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It is generally regarded as the longest river in the world, in particular, the Nile is the primary water source of Egypt and Sudan. The Nile has two tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile. The White Nile is considered to be the headwaters and primary stream of the Nile itself, the Blue Nile, however, is the source of most of the water and silt. The White Nile is longer and rises in the Great Lakes region of central Africa and it flows north through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. The Blue Nile begins at Lake Tana in Ethiopia and flows into Sudan from the southeast, the two rivers meet just north of the Sudanese capital of Khartoum. The northern section of the river flows north almost entirely through the Sudanese desert to Egypt, then ends in a large delta, Egyptian civilization and Sudanese kingdoms have depended on the river since ancient times. Most of the population and cities of Egypt lie along those parts of the Nile valley north of Aswan, in the ancient Egyptian language, the Nile is called Ḥpī or Iteru, meaning river. In Coptic, the words piaro or phiaro meaning the river come from the ancient name. The English name Nile and the Arabic names en-Nîl and an-Nîl both derive from the Latin Nilus and the Ancient Greek Νεῖλος, beyond that, however, the etymology is disputed. One possible etymology derives it from a Semitic Nahal, meaning river, the standard English names White Nile and Blue Nile, to refer to the rivers source, derive from Arabic names formerly applied only to the Sudanese stretches which meet at Khartoum. Above Khartoum, the Nile is also known as the White Nile, at Khartoum the river is joined by the Blue Nile. The White Nile starts in equatorial East Africa, and the Blue Nile begins in Ethiopia, both branches are on the western flanks of the East African Rift. The drainage basin of the Nile covers 3,254,555 square kilometers, the source of the Nile is sometimes considered to be Lake Victoria, but the lake has feeder rivers of considerable size. It is either the Ruvyironza, which emerges in Bururi Province, Burundi, or the Nyabarongo, the two feeder rivers meet near Rusumo Falls on the Rwanda-Tanzania border. Gish Abay is reportedly the place where the water of the first drops of the Blue Nile develop. The Nile leaves Lake Nyanza at Ripon Falls near Jinja, Uganda and it flows north for some 130 kilometers, to Lake Kyoga. For the remaining part it flows westerly through the Murchison Falls until it reaches the very northern shores of Lake Albert where it forms a significant river delta
11.
Sudan
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Sudan, also known as North Sudan since South Sudans independence and officially the Republic of the Sudan, is a country in Northern Africa. It is the third largest country in Africa, the River Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves. Before the Sudanese Civil War, South Sudan was part of Sudan, Sudan was home to numerous ancient civilizations, such as the Kingdom of Kush, Kerma, Nobatia, Alodia, Makuria, Meroë and others, most of which flourished along the Nile. During the pre-dynastic period Nubia and Nagadan Upper Egypt were identical, by virtue of its proximity to Egypt, the Sudan participated in the wider history of the Near East inasmuch as it was Christianized by the 6th century, and Islamized in the 15th. As a result of Christianization, the Old Nubian language stands as the oldest recorded Nilo-Saharan language, Sudan was the largest country in Africa and the Arab world until 2011, when South Sudan separated into an independent country, following an independence referendum. Sudan is now the third largest country in Africa and also the third largest country in the Arab world and its capital is Khartoum, the political, cultural and commercial centre of the nation. It is a representative democratic federal republic. The politics of Sudan are regulated by an organization called the National Assembly. The Sudanese legal system is based on Islamic law, the countrys place name Sudan is a name given to a geographical region to the south of the Sahara, stretching from Western Africa to eastern Central Africa. The name derives from the Arabic bilād as-sūdān, or the lands of the Blacks, during the fifth millennium BC migrations from the drying Sahara brought neolithic people into the Nile Valley along with agriculture. The population that resulted from this cultural and genetic mixing developed social hierarchy over the centuries become the Kingdom of Kush at 1700 BC. The Kingdom of Kush was an ancient Nubian state centered on the confluences of the Blue Nile and White Nile, and the Atbarah River and it was established after the Bronze Age collapse and the disintegration of the New Kingdom of Egypt, centered at Napata in its early phase. After King Kashta invaded Egypt in the eighth century BC, the Kushite kings ruled as pharaohs of the Twenty-fifth Dynasty of Egypt for a century before being defeated and driven out by the Assyrians. At the height of their glory, the Kushites conquered an empire that stretched from what is now known as South Kordofan all the way to the Sinai, pharaoh Piye attempted to expand the empire into the Near East, but was thwarted by the Assyrian king Sargon II. Sennacheribs successor Esarhaddon went further, and invaded Egypt itself, deposing Taharqa, Taharqa fled back to his homeland where he died two years later. Egypt became an Assyrian colony, however, king Tantamani, after succeeding Taharqa, Esarhaddon died while preparing to leave the Assyrian capital of Nineveh in order to eject him. However, his successor Ashurbanipal sent an army into southern Egypt and routed Tantamani. During Classical Antiquity, the Nubian capital was at Meroë, in ancient Greek geography, the Meroitic kingdom was known as Ethiopia
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Libya
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The three traditional parts of the country are Tripolitania, Fezzan and Cyrenaica. With an area of almost 1.8 million square kilometres, Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa, Libya has the 10th-largest proven oil reserves of any country in the world. The largest city and capital, Tripoli, is located in western Libya, the other large city is Benghazi, which is located in eastern Libya. Libya has been inhabited by Berbers since the late Bronze Age, the Phoenicians established trading posts in western Libya, and ancient Greek colonists established city-states in eastern Libya. Libya was variously ruled by Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians and Greeks before becoming a part of the Roman Empire, Libya was an early center of Christianity. After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the area of Libya was mostly occupied by the Vandals until the 7th century, in the 16th century, the Spanish Empire and the Knights of St John occupied Tripoli, until Ottoman rule began in 1551. Libya was involved in the Barbary Wars of the 18th and 19th centuries, Ottoman rule continued until the Italian occupation of Libya resulted in the temporary Italian Libya colony from 1911 to 1943. During the Second World War Libya was an important area of warfare in the North African Campaign, the Italian population then went into decline. Libya became an independent kingdom in 1951, a military coup in 1969 overthrew King Idris I, beginning a period of sweeping social reform. Since then, Libya has experienced a period of instability, the European Union is involved in an operation to disrupt human trafficking networks exploiting refugees fleeing from wars in Africa for Europe. At least two political bodies claim to be the government of Libya, the Council of Deputies is internationally recognized as the legitimate government, but it does not hold territory in the capital, Tripoli, instead meeting in the Cyrenaica city of Tobruk. Parts of Libya are outside of either governments control, with various Islamist, rebel, the United Nations is sponsoring peace talks between the Tobruk and Tripoli-based factions. An agreement to form an interim government was signed on 17 December 2015. Under the terms of the agreement, a nine-member Presidency Council, the leaders of the new government, called the Government of National Accord, arrived in Tripoli on 5 April 2016. Since then the GNC, one of the two governments, has disbanded to support the new GNA. The name Libya was introduced in 1934 for Italian Libya, reviving the name for Northwest Africa. The name was based on use in 1903 by Italian geographer Federico Minutilli. It was intended to supplant terms applied to Ottoman Tripolitania, the region of what is today Libya having been ruled by the Ottoman Empire from 1551 to 1911
13.
Egyptian revolution of 2011
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The Egyptian revolution of 2011, locally known as the January 25 Revolution, began on 25 January 2011 and took place across all of Egypt. The date was set by various groups to coincide with the annual Egyptian police day as a statement against increasing police brutality during the last few years of Mubaraks presidency. It consisted of demonstrations, marches, occupations of plazas, non-violent civil resistance, acts of civil disobedience, millions of protesters from a range of socio-economic and religious backgrounds demanded the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The revolution started by calls for protests from online youth groups, initially these included liberal, anti-capitalist, nationalist, and feminist elements, but they finally included Islamist elements as well. Violent clashes between security forces and protesters resulted in at least 846 people killed and over 6,000 injured, protesters retaliated by burning over 90 police stations across the country. The protests took place in Cairo, Alexandria and all cities across the nation. The protesters primary demands were the end of the Mubarak regime and emergency law, freedom, justice, a responsive non-military government, strikes by labour unions added to the pressure on government officials. During the uprising, the capital Cairo was described as a war zone, protesters defied a government-imposed curfew, which was impossible to enforce by the police and military. Egypts Central Security Forces, loyal to Mubarak, were replaced by military troops. In the chaos, there was some looting by gangs which was instigated by plainclothes police officers, in response, watch groups were organized by civilians to protect neighbourhoods. International reaction has varied, with most Western nations condoning peaceful protests but concerned about the stability of Egypt, the Egyptian and Tunisian revolutions have influenced demonstrations in other Arab countries, including Yemen, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria and Libya. Mubarak dissolved his government, appointing former head of the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate Omar Suleiman vice-president in an attempt to quell dissent, Mubarak asked aviation minister and former chief of Egypts air force Ahmed Shafik to form a new government. Mohamed ElBaradei became an opposition figure, with all major opposition groups supporting his role as negotiator for a transitional unity government. In response to mounting pressure, Mubarak in another attempt to contain the crisis announced he did not intend to seek re-election in September. On 11 February 2011 Vice President Omar Suleiman announced that Mubarak would resign as president, the previous cabinet, including Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik, would serve as a caretaker government until a new one was formed. On 24 May 2011, Mubarak was ordered to trial on charges of premeditated murder of peaceful protesters and, if convicted. On 2 June 2012 Mubarak was found guilty of complicity in the murder of protesters and sentenced to imprisonment, but the sentence was overturned on appeal. A number of protesters, upset that others tried with Mubarak were acquitted, Mubarak was eventually cleared of all charges on 29 November 2014, although Egypts prosecutor general announced he would appeal the verdict
14.
National Democratic Party (Egypt)
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The National Democratic Party, often simply called in Arabic, الحزب الوطني Al-Ḥizb al-Waṭaniy – the National Party, was an Egyptian political party. It was founded by President Anwar El Sadat in 1978, the National Democratic Party was an authoritarian centrist party. From its inception, it was by far the most powerful of the parties to emerge from the Arab Socialist Union, the former ruling party since 1962. However, in contrast to ASUs strong emphasis on Arab nationalism and Arab socialism, the NDP was a member of the Socialist International from 1989, until it was expelled in 2011, in response to the revolution. The party was dissolved on 16 April 2011 by court order, the electoral system in Egypt under which the National Democratic Party operated did not meet internationally recognized standards of electoral democracies. According to the Freedom House, the system is designed to ensure solid majorities for the ruling NDP at all levels of government. In 2009, Dr. Ali El Deen Hilal Dessouki, Media Secretary of the NDP, described Egypt as a political system. Dessouki also stated that the center of power in Egypt is the military. The truth of the matter is that participation and pluralism are now at lower levels than at any time since Mubarak assumed the presidency in the wake of Anwar Sadats assassination. Freedom House ranks Egypts Political Rights Score 6 and Civil Liberties Score 5, Egypt has operated under a state of emergency for all but five months since 1967, allowing the president to outlaw demonstrations, hold detainees indefinitely without trial, and issue law by decree. Generally, emergency law provides the government with the authority to control every level of political activity, the duration of the law is three years, but it is routinely renewed. In total, the state of emergency declared during the 1967 war lasted for 13 years, President Mubarak argued in his Presidential Public Address in 1998 that emergency law is required in order to confront terrorism protect democracy and stability. In practice, though, the law was used to not only control and contain terrorism, for example, campaign gatherings require prior permission from the Ministry of Interior under emergency law. Thus, when a candidate plans to hold a meeting, he must submit an application to the local police station stating details such as date, location. The application is sent to the Ministry of Interior for consideration. The Peoples Assembly, which is characterised as the lower house of Egypts quasi-bicameral legislature, is constitutionally empowered to question. However, that it chooses to not do so cannot be attributed to unanimous approval of presidential policies, in actuality, the Peoples Assembly is restricted to the role of rubber-stamping presidential authority because it is confined by presidential powers beyond its control. Under Article 152 of the Constitution, the president is able to have his proposals bypass the Peoples Assembly, consequently, it is impossible for the Assembly to consider or reject the policy
15.
Farafra, Egypt
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The Farafra depression is the second biggest depression by size in Western Egypt and the smallest by population, near latitude 27. 06° north and longitude 27. 97° east. It is in the large Western Desert of Egypt, approximately midway between Dakhla and Bahariya oases, Farafra has an estimated 5,000 inhabitants mainly living in the town of Farafra and is mostly inhabited by the local Bedouins. Often grouped within Farafra are the hot springs at Bir Sitta and it has massive chalk rock formations that are textbook examples of ventifact and which have been created as a result of occasional sandstorm in the area. The Farafra desert is a place visited by some schools in Egypt. The desert was also the location in the music video accompanying the piece Echoes in the 2008–2011 album by the Klaxons. Jasrmmd road, and the locally developed clays at the top of the white chalk west of Qasr Farafra, the Roman spring of Ain Bishay bubbles forth from a hillock on the northwest edge of town. It has been developed into a grove of date palms together with citrus, olive, apricot and carob trees. Several families tend the crops here, you should seek someone out, due to its geographical location and geological formation it has more than 100 wells spread out over the lands of the Farafra, many of which natural. Most of these wells are used in aggregation of the land in the oasis. Some of the wells in Farafra have become a favorite tourist destination, Bir Sitta, Bir Saba and Bir Ithnian wa ishrin are the most important. Because of the warm temperature and a slight percentage of sulfur. There is a large lake touristic well named Abu Nus 15 kilometers north of the edge of the Farafra, köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as hot desert. Die ägyptischen Oasen Bahriya und Farafra in Vergangenheit und Gegenwart, frank Bliss, Artisanat et artisanat d’art dans les oasis du désert occidental égyptien. The Farafra Oasis, Its Topography and Geology, part 3 of Geological Survey Report, Geological Survey Report]. Reissue of the Classic History and Description, publisher, American Univ. in Cairo Press,1974. Travel guide Farafra oasis on Wikivoyage Images from Farafra and White Desert
16.
Dakhla Oasis
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Dakhla Oasis, translates to the inner oasis, is one of the seven oases of Egypts Western Desert. Dakhla Oasis lies in the New Valley Governorate,350 km from the Nile and it measures approximately 80 km from east to west and 25 km from north to south. But about 6,000 years ago, the entire Sahara became drier, however, specialists think that nomadic hunter-gatherers began to settle almost permanently in the oasis of Dakhleh in the period of the Holocene, during new, but rare episodes of wetter times. In fact, the climate didnt mean that there was more water than today in what is now known as the Western Desert. In the third millennium BC lived here people that were most likely nomads and are called the Sheikh Muftah culture, the first contacts between the pharaonic power and the oases started around 2550 BCE. During the late 6th Dynasty, hieratic script was sometimes incised into clay tablets with a stylus, about five hundred such tablets have been discovered in the governors palace at Ayn Asil in the Dakhla Oasis. At the time the tablets were made, Dakhla was located far from centers of papyrus production and these tablets record inventories, name-lists, accounts, and approximately fifty letters. The fortified Islamic town of Al Qasr was built at Dakhla Oasis in the 12th century probably on the remains of a Roman era settlement by the Ayyubid kings of Egypt, the first European traveller to find the Dakhla Oasis was Sir Archibald Edmonstone, in the year 1819. He was succeeded by other early travellers, but it was not until 1908 that the first egyptologist, Herbert Winlock, visited Dakhla Oasis. Dakhla Oasis consists of communities, along a string of sub-oases. The main settlements are Mut, El-Masara, Al-Qasr, Qalamoun, some of the communities have identities that are separate from each other. Qalamoun has inhabitants that trace their origins to the Ottomans, Dakhla Oasis has a hot desert climate, typical of much of Egypt. In 1979, the Centre for Archaeology and Ancient History at Monash University began to cooperate in the project, the DOP studies the interaction between environmental changes and human activity in the Dakhleh Oasis. The director of the DOP is Anthony J. Mills, former curator at the Royal Ontario Museum, the excavations at Ismant el-Kharab, Mut el-Kharab, Deir Abu Metta and Muzawwaqa are undertaken with the cooperation of Monash University, under the direction of Gillian E. Bowen. Bowen and Colin Hope, also of Monash, are the principal investigators at Ismant el-Kharab, the DOP has also excavated at Ain el-Gazzareen, El Qasr el-Dakhil, Deir el Hagar and Ain Birbiyeh. In addition, excavations are undertaken at Amheida under the direction of Roger S. Bagnall and these were originally conducted under the auspices of Columbia University, but are currently conducted for New York University. Excavations are also underway at Balat under the auspices of the IFAO under the direction of Georges Soukiassian in conjunction with the Ministry for State Antiquities, the Dakhleh Trust was formed in 1999 and is a registered charity in Britain. Its declared aim is to understanding of the history of the environment and cultural evolution throughout the Quaternary period in the eastern Sahara
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Date palm
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Phoenix dactylifera, commonly known as date or date palm, is a flowering plant species in the palm family, Arecaceae, cultivated for its edible sweet fruit. Although its place of origin is unknown because of long cultivation, the species is widely cultivated and is naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Date trees typically reach about 21–23 metres in height, growing singly or forming a clump with stems from a single root system. The leaves are 4–6 metres long, with spines on the petiole, the leaflets are 30 cm long and 2 cm wide. The full span of the ranges from 6–10 m. The species name dactylifera date-bearing comes from the Greek words daktylos, which date, and fero. Dates have been a food of the Middle East and the Indus Valley for thousands of years. There is archaeological evidence of cultivation in eastern Arabia between 5530 and 5320 calBC. They are believed to have originated around what is now Iraq, the Ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make date wine, and ate them at harvest. There is also evidence of date cultivation in Mehrgarh around 7000 BCE. Evidence of cultivation is found throughout later civilizations in the Indus Valley. In later times, traders spread dates around South West Asia, northern Africa, dates were introduced into Mexico and California by the Spaniards in 1765, around Mission San Ignacio. A date palm cultivar, known as Judean date palm is renowned for its long-lived orthodox seed and this particular seed is presently reputed to be the oldest viable seed, but the upper survival time limit of properly stored seeds remains unknown. Fossil records show that the palm has existed for at least 50 million years. The fruit is known as a date, the fruits English name, as well as the Latin species name dactylifera, both come from the Greek word for finger, dáktulos, because of the fruits elongated shape. Dates are oval-cylindrical, 3–7 cm long, and 2–3 cm diameter, dates contain a single stone about 2–2.5 cm long and 6–8 mm thick. Three main cultivar groups of date exist, soft, semi-dry, the type of fruit depends on the glucose, fructose, and sucrose content. The date palm is dioecious, having male and female plants
18.
Gilf Kebir
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Gilf Kebir is a plateau in the New Valley Governorate of the remote southwest corner of Egypt, and southeast Libya. Its name translates as the Great Barrier and this 7770-square-kilometre sandstone plateau, roughly the size of Puerto Rico, rises 300m from the Libyan Desert floor. The name Gilf Kebir was given to the plateau by Prince Kamal el Dine Hussein in 1925, the Uweinat mountain range at the very south of the plateau extends from Egypt into Libya and Sudan. Gilf Kebir Plateau lies in the heart of the part of the vast Sahara Desert. Rainfall may fall every twenty years in Gilf Kebir, the plateau is crisscrossed by Wadis. Western Uweinat, Shelters under the granite boulders in the western Uweinat contain numerous paintings. Jebel Arkenu, Jebel Kissu & Yerguehda Hill, the granite massifs around Uweinat have many smaller sites. Mogharet el Kantara in the southern Gilf Kebir contains only one known rock art site, Wadi Sura in the southwestern Gilf Kebir, the Cave of Swimmers, discovered by the Hungarian Count László Almásy, plus many other paintings nearby. The North-western half of the Gilf Kebir aside from Wadi Sura has only a few scattered engravings, in January 2003, Zarzora Expeditions and Jacopo Foggini independently announced the discovery of a major new rock art site in the Western Gilf Kebir. Saharan rock art has found to resemble art of Nile valleys. The Saharan area was more wet until mid-Holocene or about 4000 BC, some retreated eastward to the Nile valley, taking with them their beliefs and influencing Egyptian art. The hills of the Gilf Kebir were first seen from a distance by European explorers in 1910 - with W. J. Harding-King in 1910 and 1911, in 1930 an expedition headed by Ralph Alger Bagnold followed the same route. In the winter of 1930-1 P. A, clayton surveyed some of the area. The expedition explored the area by Gypsy Moth plane, by car, a large airbase, including huge navigation arrows laid out in army petrol cans, can still be seen. It was also the site of the recent discovery of a bag which had been lost in the Second World War by a rider of the Long Range Desert Group. This contained the personal letters and photographs, and had been well preserved. The Gilf Kebir is the setting for part of Michael Ondaatjes novel The English Patient and it also plays an important role in Paul Sussmans The Hidden Oasis. In 2006, Gilf Kebir Desert was the site of a sports record from Italian runner Stefano Miglietti
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New Valley Project
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In 1997 the Egyptian government decided to develop a new valley where agricultural and industrial communities would develop. It has been a project which was meant to help Egypt cope with its rapidly growing population. The canal inlet starts from a site 8 km to the north of Toshka Bay on Lake Nasser. The canal is meant to continue westwards until it reaches the Darb el-Arbeien route, then northwards along the Darb el- Arbeien to the Baris Oasis, but as of April 2012 the canal is still 60 km short of the Baris Oasis. The Mubarak Pumping Station in Toshka is the centerpiece of the project and was inaugurated in March 2005 and it pumps water from Lake Nasser to be transported by way of a canal through the valley, with the idea of transforming 2340 km² of desert into agricultural land. The Toshka Project has now been revived by President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, half of the land will be given to college graduates,1 acre each, funded by the Long Live Egypt Fund. The essential problem is that the Western Deserts high saline levels, as the land is irrigated, the salt would mix with the aquifers and would reduce access to potable water. There is also the difficulty that the minerals found in the soil are posing technical problems to the big wheeled structures moving around autonomously to irrigate the land. Often their wheels get stuck in a little bowl created by wet clay that dried, the only objective met up to April 2012 is the diversion of water from Lake Nasser into what little of the Sheikh Zayed Canal has been built. The Toshka Lakes are a by-product of the level of Lake Nasser
20.
Cairo Governorate
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Cairo Governorate is the most populated of the governorates of Egypt. Its capital, the city of Cairo, is the capital of Egypt. Because it is urbanized, the governorate is considered a city proper. However, there are uninhabited desert areas, parts of the governorate were separated in April 2008 to form the Helwan Governorate. The Cairo Governorate is divided into 41 administrative divisions, called qism in Arabic, uN-Habitat is promoting alternative methods of transportation with the aim of relieving these issues. In a program began on August 28,2012, the European Union invested 40 million Euros on upgrading the infrastructure of informal areas in Cairo Governorate. Greater Cairo Cairo Governorate Official website City subdivisions List of previous governors
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Alexandria Governorate
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Alexandria Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country, directly on the Mediterranean Sea. Along with Cairo and Giza, Alexandria is one of three governorates in the country that are also municipalities, the governorate capital is the city of Alexandria, the second largest city in Egypt. Alexandria governorate lies along the Mediterranean coast and stretch for about 70 km northwest of the Nile Delta, the governorate is bounded by the Mediterranean Sea in the north, El Behera governorate in the south and the east and Matrouh governorate in the west. The total area size of Alexandria governorate is almost 2818 km2, Alexandria has a unique geographical location and a mild climate. It is also considered an industrial governorate where 40% of Egyptian industries are concentrated, especially chemicals, food, spinning and weaving as well as petrol industries, the bond between Egypt and the Hellenic Empire dates from centuries before Alexander the Great. The crushing victory of Alexander the Great over the Persians in Asia gave him control over the Eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. As Alexander took control of all ports and harbour of the Eastern Mediterranean, on entering Alexandria, the Persian ruler of the city surrendered without resistance and Alexander entered the city in triumph. Travelling further south, he reached the City of Menf where he was given a welcome by the poor farmers who were euphoric at the ousting of the Persians. Alexander was ceremoniously crowned in a Pharaonic ceremony as the Son of Amun and ordered the construction of the city of Alexandria. As Alexander the Great rides along the Mediterranean Coast, a plot of land between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariout catches his attention, with its unique features and intrinsic peculiarity, the spot was ideal for founding a great city of the most modern style back then. To the south was Lake Mariout, another natural border, which fortified the city defences. Alexander was firmly persuaded of the importance of building a city bearing his name to immortalise his memory for good, at the outskirts of the area to the west was the Rhacotis Village, which was populated with fishermen. Faithfully conceived by Alexander the Great, the idea was conveyed to Denocrates, the Greek architect, the name of Denocrates remains closely associated with the history of Alexandria since he started planning the citys layout in 331 B. C. The genius of this became evident as he blueprinted plans for roads, squares. Denocrates was born in the island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean Sea, such a cityscape was widespread across Greek cities in the fifth Century B. C. Denocrates also thought of building a bridge linking the mainland with the island, later on called Pharos, Alexandria was divided into five quarters, bearing the first five letters of the Greek Alphabet. Alexandria lays north-west of the Nile delta and stretches along a land strip between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Maryut
22.
Port Said Governorate
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Port Said Governorate is one of the Canal Zone governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country, on the Mediterranean Sea at the northern gate of the Suez Canal. Its capital is the city of Port Said, it is the home of the Suez Canal Authority headquarters and it is urban with 98. 2% of the area populated. Port Said Governorate also includes Port Fuad, in 2015 a huge natural gas reserve was discovered and was described as the largest ever found in the Mediterranean Sea. It was found off the coast of Port Said, Egypt now has one of the largest areas of natural gas and Italian company, ENI has been contracted to work on the natural gas liquefaction for Egypt. It was welcome news as Egypt has long suffered an energy crisis, the New Suez Canal project launched in 2015 included dredging of the East Port Said Canal. Port Said Port Fuad At the 2006 Census, there were 570,768 people,2015 estimates put that figure at 666,599. With an urbanization rate of 100%, the Port Said Governorate is one of the most urbanized in the country, along with Cairo, in February,2012, more than 70 people died in the Port Said Stadium Riot after a soccer match. Social unrest in early 2013 continued for at least two weeks, while protesting, on March 5,2013, protesters set fire to the governorates headquarters and several people were injured. In October,2016 Egyptians protested the increase in their rent on apartments, one official and several residents were arrested. Port Said Governorate is a transit point for trade, importing and exporting millions of tons of goods each year. Tourism is also promoted for the region, there are several museums in this area. For cultural tourism one may want to visit the Port Said National Museum of Antiquities which opened in 1987 and is located at the confluence of the Suez Canal waters and the Mediterranean Sea. It houses about 9,000 artifacts from all eras, ranging from the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, the Military Museum of Port Said, established in 1964, commemorates the 1956 the tripartite aggression on the city. It features armory and military artifacts, equipment used in the wars fought between 1956 -1967 and in 1973, al-Nasr Museum of Modern Art in Port Said opened on December 25,1995 and includes artwork by Egyptian artists in various branches of Fine Art. This makes it a favorite with tourists, nearby, is the Suez Canal Authority building built on the banks of Port Said at the start of the project. The lighthouse and jetties at Port Said, located at the terminus of the Suez canal. The lighthouse is a monolith 180 feet high, in the construction 120,000 tons of Teil hydraulic lime were used
23.
Suez Governorate
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Suez Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country and is coterminous with the city of Suez. It is situated north of the Gulf of Suez, according to population estimates from 2015 all 622,859 residents of the governorate live in urban areas. With an urbanization rate of 100% the Suez Governorate is one of the most urbanized in the country, along with Cairo, natural resources in the Suez Governorate include limestone, clay, coal, petroleum, marble, and lime. The chief exports of Suez are papayas, ein El-Sokhna, a well known recreational and medical destination. Moses springs Judaic Hill at El-Khoor In 1975, the Suez Public Free Zone was established and it is divided between two main locations, Port Tewfik and Adabeya. Suez Canal Suez crisis Official website Ministry of Trade and Industry Free Zones site
24.
Ismailia Governorate
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Ismailia Governorate is one of the Canal Zone governorates of Egypt. Located in the part of the country, its capital is the city of Ismailia. It was named after Ismail Pasha, who as Ottoman Viceroy of Egypt and it is located between the other two Canal governorates, Port Said Governorate, in the Northern part of Egypt and Suez Governorate. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 1,178,641 people residing in the governorate,643,778 people live in areas as opposed to only 534,863 in urban areas. Instead this festival has been celebrating its annual events in Ismailia Governorate and it is sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Ismailia Governorate, The National Cinema Center and other sponsors. The Ismailia Governorate is on the banks of the Suez Canal and its Ismailia Canal extends from the Nile River near Cairo, to the Suez Canal at the city of Ismailia, the Ismailia Canal was built to provide fresh water to workers during the building of the Suez Canal. The Suez Canal Authority headquarters is located in Ismailia, from 1967 to 1970, Ismailia became a war zone and was damaged in the conflict with Israel. There are several official fishing landing sites in Ismailia, one is at Lake Timsah and the other at Bitter Lake. After a successful SIP from 1992-1997, the United Nations expanded the project to include the entire Governorate of Ismailia calling it SGIP and its goal is to work with local partners to improve the communities in Ismailia
25.
Kafr El Sheikh Governorate
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Kafr El Sheikh Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It lies in the part of the country, along the western branch of the Nile in the Nile Delta. Its capital is the city of Kafr El Sheikh, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 23. 1%. Out of an estimated 3,172,753 people residing in the governorate,2,441,246 people live in areas as opposed to only 731,507 in urban areas. Kafr El Sheikh Governorate, which was part of the Gharbia Governorate, was created in 1949. It was originally named Fuadiyah in honor of King Fuad I of Egypt, after the 1952 Revolution and the subsequent abolition of the monarchy, the governorate took the name of its capital city Kafr El Sheikh. This name, adopted in 1955, means the village of the chief, the area occupied today by the Kafr El Sheikh Governorate has been inhabited since ancient times. The capital of Lower Egypt, called Buto, is located at present-day Tell El Faraain, lake Burullus is located in the north of the Kafr El Sheikh governorate
26.
Gharbia Governorate
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Gharbia Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the north of the country, south of Kafr El Sheikh Governorate and its capital is Tanta, which is 90 km north of Cairo, and 120 km south east of Alexandria. The largest city in Gharbia is El Mahalla El Kubra, the total area of Gharbia governorate is 25,400 km2, making it the tenth-largest governorate of Egypt. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 4,751.865 people residing in the governorate,3,324,630 people live in areas as opposed to only 1,427,235 in urban areas. El Mahalla El Kubra Kafr El Zayat Samanoud Tanta Zifta El Santa Kotoor Basyoun Mohamed Salah Gharbia Governorate Official website
27.
Dakahlia Governorate
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Dakahlia Governorate is an Egyptian governorate lying northeast of Cairo. Its area is approximately 3,500 km² and it has a population of approximately 6,000,000, according to population estimates from 2015, the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of 28. 2%. Out of an estimated 5,949,001 people residing in the governorate,4,271,428 people live in areas as opposed to 1,677,573 in urban areas. The Urology and Nephrology Center of Mansoura University Faculty of Medicine also features a renowned kidney center, under the management of Dr. Mohamed A. Ghoneim
28.
Sharqia Governorate
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Sharqia Governorate is the 3rd most populous of the governorates of Egypt. Located in the part of the country, its capital is the city of Zagazig. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 6,485,412 people residing in the governorate,4,987,707 people live in areas as opposed to only 1,497,705 in urban areas. According to the Governing Authority for Investment and Free Zones the governorate is home to five industrial zones, sharqia is divided into 13 administrative divisions and 15 cities,2 districts,105 rural local units, and 3885 minor villages
29.
Monufia Governorate
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Monufia Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country in the Nile Delta, to the south of Gharbia governorate. The governorate is named after Menouf, an ancient city which was the capital of the governorate until 1826, the current governor is doctor Ashraf Helal. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 3,941,293 people residing in the governorate,3,128,460 people live in areas as opposed to only 812,833 in urban areas. The capital of the Monufia Governorate is the city of Shibin El Kom, the main cities of the governorate are Quesna, Tala, Bagour, Menouf, Ashmoun and Sers El Lyan. It is a mainly an agricultural governorate, other than Shibin El Kom, the governorate had four other administrative divisions which are Quesna, Tala, Menouf and Ashmoun. In 1942, El Shohada became a new division and included parts from Shibin El Kom. In 1947, Bagour was created to encompass regions from Menouf, Ashmoun, Quesna and Shibin El Kom. In 1955, five villages were taken from Tala and redistributed to Tanta. in 1960, Berket El Sabee was established and consisted of towns and villages of Tala, Quesna. In 1975, Sers El Lyan became a city rather than a village after it was separated from Menouf, in 1991, the Sadat City was annexed to Monufia being its only region west of the Rosetta branch. In the final round of the 2012 Egyptian presidential election, Monufia had the highest voter turnout rate of all governorates as well as the most overwhelming support for candidate Ahmed Shafik. The governorate is famous for the production of crops like cotton, maize and wheat as well as crops such as potatoes. Agricultural land is irrigated with water from the Rosetta and Damietta branches of the Nile, agriculture is generally the main activity of the population due to the fertile land in the Nile Delta. Monufia Governorate is particularly known for being the birthplace of two Egyptian presidents, Anwar Sadat, born in Mit Abu El Kom and Hosni Mubarak, born in Kafr El Meselha. In 1981, the Basic Village Service Program, under the auspices of USAID, had water, road. Official Website Arabic Official Website English
30.
Qalyubia Governorate
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Qalyubia Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. Located in Lower Egypt, it is situated north of Cairo in the Nile Delta region, banha and several other settlements blend into the neighboring Cairo Governorate, as a result, parts of Qalyubia are generally considered to form part of the Greater Cairo metropolitan area. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 5,105,972 people residing in the governorate,2,825,045 people live in areas as opposed to only 2,280,927 in urban areas. The most important of these crops include maize, cotton, wheat, citrus fruits, bananas, oranges, Qalyubia is also the leading Egyptian governorate in the production of poultry and eggs. In 1981, the Basic Village Service Program had several projects going on in the Qalyubia Governorate. In a program began on August 28,2012, the European Union invested 40 million Euros on upgrading the infrastructure of informal areas in Qalyubia Governorate
31.
Damietta Governorate
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Damietta Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country, and has a population of over 1 million. Its capital is the city of Damietta, Damietta is famous for its guava farms, as well as the palm trees that cover the coast from Ras El Bar in the east to Gamasa in the west. The governorate exports millions of trees to many countries every year, including Greece. Damietta also produces wheat, maize, cotton, rice, potatoes, lemon and it is also famous for its sweet industry, sardine packing, and Domiati cheese. Ras El Bar, one of the oldest summer resorts in Egypt, is located at the point where The Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. The governorates area is 1.029 km² or about 5% of the Deltas area, the inhabited area is about 589.2 km². Its population – according to a 1999 census – was 953,430, the average rate of population growth is 2. 09% per year. The governorate consists of 4 subdivisions,10 cities,35 local village units,59 villages and 722 sub-villages, the subdivisons are Damietta, Faraskur, El Zarqa and Kafr Saad. The governorate includes 7 colleges and institutes,19 professional training centers, the city of Damietta is famous for its skilled carpenters and furniture. Their products are sold in Egypt, and throughout the Middle East, Europe, 80% of the governorates income is related to furniture
32.
Beheira Governorate
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Beheira Governorate is a coastal governorate in Egypt. Located in the part of the country in the Nile Delta. Beheira Governorate enjoys an important strategical place, west of the Rosetta branch of the Nile and it comprises four important highways, namely the Cairo-Alexandria desert road, the Cairo agricultural road, the international road and the circular road. Beheira Governorate is also home to a number of the most important Coptic monasteries in Wadi El Natrun, beheira consists of 13 centers and 14 cities, and contains important industries such as cotton, chemicals, carpets, electricity and fishing. In 2017, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi appointed the first female governor in the history for Beheiras Governorate. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 5,804,262 people residing in the governorate,4,674,346 people live in areas as opposed to only 1,129,916 in urban areas
33.
Giza Governorate
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Giza Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is in the center of the country, situated on the west bank of the Nile River opposite Cairo and its capital is the city of Giza. The Giza Governorate is also home to the Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 58. 6%. Out of an estimated 7,585,115 people residing in the governorate,4,446,805 people lived in areas as opposed to only 3,138,310 in rural areas. It is located in the Giza pyramid complex, in a program that began on August 28,2012, the European Union invested 40 million Euros on upgrading the infrastructure of informal areas in Giza Governorate. Media related to Giza Governorate at Wikimedia Commons
34.
Faiyum Governorate
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Faiyum Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt in the middle of the country. Its capital is the city of Faiyum, located about 81 mi south west of Cairo and it has a population of 3,072,181. The name Faiyum comes from Coptic ̀Ⲫⲓⲟⲙ /Ⲡⲉⲓⲟⲙ efiom/peiom, meaning the Sea or the Lake, which in turn comes from late Egyptian pA y-m of the same meaning, a reference to the nearby Lake Moeris. The governorate of Faiyum includes, The large fertile Faiyum Oasis, which comprises farmland, Lake Moeris, south of the Faiyum Oasis, a smaller depression contains the town of El Gharaq el Sulţāni. It is also irrigated from the Nile, a dry barren depression named Wadi El Rayan, which covers 280 mi², west of the El Gharaq el Sulţāni depression. Desert and dry mountains, which surround the depressions. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 3,170,150 people residing in the governorate,2,456,368 people live in areas as opposed to only 713,782 in urban areas. Fayoum Governorate Official website This article incorporates text from a now in the public domain, Chisholm, Hugh
35.
Beni Suef Governorate
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Beni Suef is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is situated in the center of the country and this governorates capital is the city of Beni Suef, located about 120 km south of Cairo on the west bank of the Nile River. The area is known in Egypt for its cement factories. The nearby Meidum pyramid is the prominent tourist attraction in the area. Due to different ways of transcribing the spelling it can also be known as Beni Suef, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 23. 2%. Out of an estimated 2,856,812 people residing in the governorate,2,193,871 people live in areas as opposed to only 662,941 in urban areas
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Minya Governorate
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Minya Governorate is one of the governorates of Upper Egypt. Its capital city, Minya is located on the bank of the Nile River. The name may originate from the citys name in Egyptian Menat Khufu. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 5,156,702 people residing in the governorate,4,183,284 people live in areas as opposed to only 973,418 in urban areas. The capital of Minya governorate is the city of Minya, the governorate is one of the most highly populated governorates of Upper Egypt. Its remarkable history, including Ancient Egyptian, Hellenistic, Roman, dehnet, Fraser Tombs, Sharuna, and Zawyet el-Maiyitin comprise monuments dating back to the Old Kingdom. The village of Bani Hasan al Shurruq houses 390 rock-cut decorated tombs, the Speos Artemidos is nearby, and hosts temples built by Queen Hatshepsut. Akhetaten was built by Pharaoh Akhenaten and dedicated to the god Aten, Akhenaten lived there in isolation with his beautiful wife, Nefertiti, and daughters, devoting himself to the monotheistic religion that he preached. The glorious remains of the palaces, temples and tombs still exist today, other significant archaeological sites in the governorate of Minya include Deir Abu Hinis, Deir el-Bersha, El-Sheikh Said, and Tuna el-Gebel. El Ashmunein was the capital of the region during this period and it was the main center of worship of the god Thoth. Today, the ruins of a Greek temple, similar to the Parthenon, the tomb and chapel of Petosiris are found near the modern village of Tuna el-Gebel. Antinopolis was built in 130 A. D. by the Roman emperor Hadrian in memory of his favorite cup-bearer Antinous, the Monastery of the Virgin Mary at Gebel el-Teir is an important Christian site near the city of Samalut. Its church was built by Empress Helena, mother of Constantine the Great, in 328, oxyrhynchus was an important administrative center during the Hellenistic Period, and remains an important archaeological source for papyri from the Byzantine Egypt. Maghagha hosts the mosque of the famous Muslim Zayid ibn al Mugharah, today, Minya governorate has the highest concentration of Coptic Christians of 50% of the total population. There are also a number of monasteries in the region. In 1981, the Basic Village Service Program of USAID, had several water, in 2013, The United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security helped farmers in Minya by doing consultation work with them and taking soil samples. The national holiday of the Minya governorate is on 18 March and it commemorates those who were executed by the British at Deir Mawas on 18 March 1919
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Asyut Governorate
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Asyut Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. The capital of the governorate is the city of Asyut, the name of Asyut is derived from early Egyptian Zawty, late Egyptian Səyáwt into Coptic Syowt. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 4,245,215 people residing in the governorate,3,119,112 people live in areas as opposed to only 1,126,103 in urban areas. Asyut governorate has a population of over 4 million people, with a significant Coptic presence, in 1914, it had the second largest proportion of Copts in Egypt, where they made up 20. 7% of the population. However it is likely that figure is underestimated, since the Church claims up to 48. 5% while the population are Sunni Muslims. Evangelical religions had significant growth in some districts of Asyut, as evidenced in 1907 census data, Muslims and Christians have lived together in Asyut and at times there have been clashes. In July 2013, a number of Christians took to the streets to protest Muslim extremism in Asyut. A very conservative society, which is Asyut, stopped the pageant
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Sohag Governorate
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Sohag Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country. Since 1960, its capital has been the city of Sohag, prior to that, the capital was the city of Girga and the name of the governorate was Girga Governorate. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in rural areas. Out of an estimated 4,603,861 people residing in the governorate,3,618,543 people live in areas as opposed to only 985,318 in urban areas. Directions of Change in Rural Egypt, Oxford University Press,2004
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Qena Governorate
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Qena Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. Located in the part of the country, it covers a stretch of the Nile valley. Its capital is the city of Qena, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 19. 7%. Out of an estimated 3,045,504 people residing in the governorate,2,445,051 people live in areas as opposed to only 600,453 in urban areas. Contra Latopolis Djerty El Qala Hefat Hut-Sekhem Khenoboskion Madu Per-Hathor Shanhur Tantere Tukh Qena Governorate Official Qena Governorate website
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Aswan Governorate
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Aswan Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. The southernmost governorate in Upper Egypt, its capital is Aswan, the Aswan Governorate borders Qena to the north, Red Sea Governorate to the east, New Valley Governorate to the west, and Sudans Northern state to the south. It has a population of 1,394,687 inhabitants, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in rural areas, with an urbanization rate of only 42. 3%. Out of an estimated 1,431,488 people residing in the governorate,826,543 people live in areas as opposed to only 604,945 in urban areas
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Luxor Governorate
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Luxor Governorate has been one of Egypts governorates since 7 December 2009, when former president Hosni Mubarak announced its separation from the Qena Governorate. It is located 635 km south of Cairo and it is currently the smallest governorate in Egypt, spanning approximately 5 km from north to south, and 1.5 km from east to west, and lies in Upper Egypt along the Nile. The city of Luxor is the capital of the Luxor governorate, the government is studying the possibility of extending the boundaries of the governorate to include the neighboring towns of Armant and Esna. The emblem of Luxor represents the bust of Tutankhamun on board of an Ancient Egyptian canoe boat, cruising in the Nile, with an obelisk, the governorates total area is 55 km2, representing 0. 24% of the countrys area. At the 2012 census, the population of the area which in 2009 was formed into the new Luxor Governorate was 1,064,000 people,47. 4% of them lived in urban areas, while 52. 6% lived in rural areas. The annual population growth rate is 18.2 per thousand, population estimates from 2015 puts the same figure at 1,147,058 with an urbanization rate of 37. 8%
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Red Sea Governorate
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Red Sea Governorate is one of the 27 governorates of Egypt. Located between the Nile and the Red Sea in the southeast of the country, its southern border forms part of Egypts border with Sudan and its capital and largest city is Hurghada. The Red Sea Governorate is bordered on the north by the Suez Governorate, to the east by the Red Sea, in the south it is bordered by Sudans Red Sea State. It contains the disputed territory of the Halaib triangle, including the Siyal Islands, in addition to the administrative center of Hurghada, about 60,000 residents live in the cities of Ras Gharib, Safaga, El Qoseir, Marsa Alam and Bir Shalatein. The population in 2006 was 288,233 inhabitants, of more than 275,000 lived in a few towns along the coast. In general, the structure of the provinces cities and tourist areas is concentrated along the coast. Since the early 80s, Hurghada has been a destination for beach lovers. Tourism is also growing in the cities of Al-Qusair, Safaga. In addition to the hotels and tourist establishments in the centers are located in Al-Bahr al-Ahmar 2 official nature reserves are to be developed for tourism or. The Wadi al-Gamal National Park at Hamata near the town of Marsa Alam, besides a strong tourism industry, there is also a large offshore fishing industry. The area, which extends over the province, is rich in minerals, the Ras Gharib region contains 70% of Egypts oil production
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Matrouh Governorate
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Matrouh Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. Located in the part of the country, it borders Libya. The interior of the Matrouh Governorate is part of Egypts Western Desert, including the Siwa Oasis, in the center of the Governorate is the Qattara Depression, descending to 133 metres below sea level. Marsa Matrouh is the ancient Paraetonium and it was the westernmost city of Aegyptus as defined in the Hellenistic period. The city of Apis, some 18 km to the west of Paraetonium, marked the boundary to Libycus Nomus, Matrouh Governorate contains many historical sites related to World War II. The latter include El Alamein, which comprises cemeteries of fallen soldiers from Axis, an estimated 16 million mines, planted by the Europeans during the world wars, still hinder development of most of the governorate, and are constantly being removed. The province has been described as religiously conservative, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 70. 6%. Out of an estimated 447,846 people residing in the governorate,316,005 people live in areas as opposed to only 131,841 in rural areas
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North Sinai Governorate
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North Sinai Governorate is one of the governorates of Egypt. It is located in the part of the country. It is bordered in the north by the Mediterranean Sea, in the south by South Sinai Governorate, in the west by Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez Governorates and its capital is the city of Arish. A governorate is administered by a governor, who is appointed by the President of Egypt, the population of the North Sinai Governorate as at 2014 was 421,984 people, predominantly Bedouin tribesmen. The Governorate covers an area of 27,574 square kilometers, the population density is 15 inhabitants per square kilometer. A significant economic activity of the Bedouin tribes has been smuggling and they have been active in the smuggling of supplies and weapons into the Gaza Strip by way of cross-border tunnels as well as assisting illegal migrants into Israel. These activities have been curtailed by the Egyptian government crackdown of smuggling into the Gaza Strip, North Sinai has since 2011 been especially affected by the Sinai insurgency and measures by government forces to combat it, which has resulted in many casualties. According to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the live in urban areas. Out of an estimated 434,781 people residing in the governorate,261,686 people live in areas as opposed to only 173,095 in rural areas
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South Sinai Governorate
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South Sinai Governorate is the least populated governorate of Egypt. It is located in the east of the country, encompassing the southern half of the Sinai Peninsula, Saint Catherines Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox Church monastery and UNESCO World Heritage site of world renown, is located in central part of the governorate. Sharm El Sheikh has developed into a major tourist resort, in 2005, the resort was the site of terrorist attacks perpetrated by an extremist Islamist organisation. 88 people were killed, the majority of them Egyptians, and over 200 were wounded in the attack, in February 2014, a tourist bus was attacked in Taba. The perpetrators killed the Egyptian bus driver and three South Korean tourists, on 31 October 2015, Russian plane Metrojet Flight 9268 took off from Sharm El Sheikh International Airport and disintegrated on route to Pulkovo Airport, Saint Petersburg, Russia. All 217 passengers and seven members who were on board were killed. On October 14,2016 twelve Egyptian troops were killed, according to population estimates from 2015 the majority of residents in the governorate live in urban areas, with an urbanization rate of 51. 1%. Out of an estimated 167,426 people residing in the governorate,85,502 people live in areas as opposed to only 81,924 in rural areas. The Bedouin inhabit the Mount Sinai area, due to poor accessibility, at times the orchards in the mountains have served to hide narcotics smugglers in the region. Built between 548 and 565, the monastery is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, the site contains the worlds oldest continually operating library, possessing many unique books including the Syriac Sinaiticus and, until 1859, the Codex Sinaiticus. Raithu Monastery is situated in El Tor and it was built on a site where some 40 monks were massacred in the 4th or 5th century. Dahab El Tor Nuweiba Saint Catherine Sharm El Sheikh Taba Wadi Mukattab Wadi Feiran South Sinai Governorate Official website
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