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: ''This article is about the country of Egypt. For a topic outline on this subject, see ]. For other uses, see ].''
{{Infobox Country
|native_name = <big> جمهورية مصر العربية </big><br/>''{{unicode|'''Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah'''}}''<!--Don't change transcription; conforms to pronunciation in Egypt-->
|conventional_long_name = Arab Republic of Egypt
|common_name = Egypt
|image_flag = Flag of Egypt.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Egypt.svg
|image_map = LocationEgypt.svg
|national_motto =
|national_anthem = '']''
|official_languages = ]{{smallsup|1}}
|ethnic_groups = 98% ], 1% ], 1% ]
|demonym = Egyptian
|capital = ]
|latd=30 |latm=2 |latNS=N |longd=31 |longm=13 |longEW=E
|largest_city = capital
|government_type = ] ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|sovereignty_type = ]
|established_event1 = ]
|established_date1 = ]3150 BCE
|established_event2 = Independence from United Kingdom
|established_date2 = February 28, 1922
|established_event3 = Republic declared
|established_date3 = June 18, 1953
|area_rank = 30th
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|area_km2 = 1,002,450
|area_sq_mi = 387,048 ]
|percent_water = 0.632
|population_estimate = 81,713,517<ref name=popclock/>
|population_estimate_year = July 2008
|population_estimate_rank = 14th
|population_density_km2 = 74
|population_density_sq_mi = 192 <!--Do not remove per ] -->
|population_density_rank = 120th
|GDP_PPP_year = 2007
|GDP_PPP = $403.961 billion
|GDP_PPP_rank = 27th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $5,491
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 97th
|HDI_year = 2007
|HDI = {{increase}} 0.708
|HDI_rank = 112nd
|HDI_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|Gini = 34.5
|Gini_year = 1999–00
|Gini_category = <font color="#ffcc00">medium</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = EGP
|time_zone = ]
|utc_offset = +2
|time_zone_DST = ]
|utc_offset_DST = +3
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 20
|footnote1 = Spoken language is ].
}}
'''Egypt''' ({{Audio-IPA|lang=US English|En-us-Egypt.ogg|}}; {{lang-ar|مصر}}, ''{{transl|ar|Miṣr}}'' or ''{{transl|ar-EGP|Máṣr}}'') is a country in ], with the ] forming a land bridge to ]. Covering an area of about {{convert|1001450|km2|sp=us}}, Egypt borders the ] to the north, the ] and ] to the northeast, the ] to the east, ] to the south and ] to the west.

Egypt is one of the most populous countries in ] and the ]. The great majority of its estimated 80 million<ref name=popclock></ref> live near the banks of the ], in an area of about {{convert|40000|km2|sp=us}}, where the only ] agricultural land is found. The large areas of the ] ] are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely-populated centres of greater ], ] and other major cities in the ].

Egypt is famous for its ] and some of the world's most famous monuments, including the ] and its ]. The southern city of ] contains numerous ancient artifacts, such as the ] Temple and the ]. Egypt is widely regarded as an important political and cultural nation of the ].

== Etymology ==
{{Hiero | ''km.t'' (Egypt) | <hiero>km-m-t:niwt</hiero> | align=left | era=default}}
One of the ancient ] names of the country, ''Kemet'' ({{transl|egy-Latn|kṃt}}), (from ''kem'' "black"), is derived from the fertile black soils deposited by the Nile floods, distinct from the ''deshret'', or "red land" ({{transl|egy-Latn|dšṛt}}), of the desert.<ref>{{cite book |author=Rosalie, David |title=Pyramid Builders of Ancient Egypt: A Modern Investigation of Pharaoh's Workforce |publisher=Routledge |year=1997 |pages=p. 18}}</ref> The name is realized as ''{{lang|cop-Latn|kīmi}}'' and ''{{lang|cop-Latn|kīmə}}'' in the ] stage of the Egyptian language, and appeared in early Greek as {{Polytonic|Χημία}} (''{{lang|grc-Latn|Khēmía}}'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/webprojects2002/crabb/history.html|title=A Brief History of Alchemy|publisher=UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL SCHOOL OF CHEMISTRY|accessdate=2008-08-21}}</ref> Another name was ''{{lang|egy-Latn|t3-mry}}'' "land of the riverbank".<ref>{{cite book |title=Ancient Records of Egypt |last=Breasted |first=James Henry |coauthors= Peter A. Piccione |year=2001 |publisher=University of Illinois Press|isbn=9780252069758 |pages=76;40|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=bT0q7nt1-gUC&client=firefox-a }}</ref> The names of ] were ''Ta-Sheme'aw'' ({{transl|egy-Latn|t3-šmˁw}}) "sedgeland" and ''Ta-Mehew'' ({{transl|egy-Latn|t3 mḥw}}) "northland", respectively.

''{{transl|ar|Miṣr}}'', the ] and modern official name of Egypt (]: ''{{transl|arz-Latn|Maṣr}}''), is of ] origin, directly ] with other Semitic words for Egypt such as the ] {{lang-Hebrew2|מִצְרַיִם}} (''{{transl|he|Mitzráyim}}''), literally meaning "the two straits" (a reference to the dynastic separation of upper and lower Egypt).<ref name="hebrewname"></ref> The word originally connoted "metropolis" or "civilization" and also means "country", or "frontier-land".

The English name "Egypt" came via the ] word ''{{lang|la|Aegyptus}}'' derived from the ] word ''Aígyptos'' ({{lang|grc|Αίγυπτος}}). The adjective ''aigýpti, aigýptios'' was borrowed into Coptic as ''gyptios, kyptios'', and from there into Arabic as ''{{transl|ar|qubṭī}}'', back formed into ''{{transl|ar|qubṭ}}'', whence English '']''. The term is derived from ] ''Hikuptah'' "Memphis", a corruption of the earlier ] name ''Hat-ka-Ptah'' ({{transl|egy-Latn|ḥwt-k3-ptḥ}}), meaning "home of the ] (soul) of Ptah", the name of a temple to the god ] at ].<ref>{{Citation|last= Hoffmeier|first =James K| author-link =| title =RAMESES OF THE EXODUS NARRATIVES IS THE 13TH CENTURY B.C. ROYAL RAMESSIDE RESIDENCE| journal =Trinity Journal| pages = 1| date = October 1, 2007|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3803/is_200710/ai_n21137941/pg_2}}</ref> ] provided a ] according to which ''Aígyptos'' ({{lang|grc|Αίγυπτος }}) had evolved as a compound from ''{{lang|grc-Latn|Aegaeon uptiōs}}'' ({{transl|grc|Aἰγαίου ὑπτίως}}), meaning "below the Aegean".

] in Egypt]]
]

== History ==
{{main|History of Egypt|Ancient Egypt|Egyptians}}

Evidence of human habitation in the ] since the ] era appears in the form of artifacts and ] along the ] terraces and in the desert oases. In the ], a culture of ]s and ] replaced a ]-grinding ]. Climate changes and/or overgrazing around 8000 BC began to desiccate the pastoral lands of Egypt, forming the ]. Early tribal peoples migrated to the Nile River where they developed a settled ] ] and more centralized ].<ref>Midant-Reynes, Béatrix. ''The Prehistory of Egypt: From the First Egyptians to the First Kings''. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.</ref>

By about 6000 BC the Neolithic culture rooted in the Nile Valley.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldtimelines.org.uk/world/africa/nile_valley/6000-4000BC|title=The Nile Valley 6000-4000 BC Neolithic|publisher=The British Museum|year=2005|accessdate=2008-08-21}}</ref> During the ] era, several ] cultures developed independently in ]. The ] culture and the successor ] series are generally regarded as precursors to ]. The earliest known Lower Egyptian site, Merimda, predates the Badarian by about seven hundred years. Contemporaneous Lower Egyptian communities coexisted with their southern counterparts for more than two thousand years, remaining somewhat culturally separate, but maintaining frequent contact through trade. The earliest known evidence of ] inscriptions appeared during the predynastic period on ] III pottery vessels, dated to about 3200 BC.<ref>Bard, Kathryn A. Ian Shaw, ed. ''The Oxford Illustrated History of Ancient Egypt''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. p. 69.</ref>

{{Hiero | ''tAwy'' ('Two Lands') | <hiero>N16:N16</hiero> | align=right | era=default}}A unified kingdom was founded circa 3150 ] by King ], giving rise to a ] that ruled Egypt for the next three millennia. ] subsequently referred to their unified country as ''tawy'', meaning "two lands", and later ''kemet'' (]: ''kīmi''), the "black land", a reference to the fertile black soil deposited by the Nile river. ] flourished during this long period and remained distinctively Egyptian in its ], ], ] and customs. The ] of a unified Egypt set the stage for the ] period, c.2700−2200 BC., famous for its many ], most notably the ] ] and the ] ].

] and the ], built during the ], are modern national icons that are at the heart of Egypt's thriving tourism industry.]]The ] ushered in a time of political upheaval for about 150 years. Stronger Nile floods and stabilization of government, however, brought back renewed prosperity for the country in the ] ''c''. 2040 BC, reaching a peak during the reign of Pharaoh ]. A ] heralded the arrival of the first foreign ruling dynasty in Egypt, that of the ] ]. The Hyksos invaders took over much of Lower Egypt around 1650 BC and founded a new capital at ]. They were driven out by an Upper Egyptian force led by ], who founded the ] and relocated the capital from ] to ].

The ] (c.1550−1070 BC) began with the Eighteenth Dynasty, marking the rise of Egypt as an ] that expanded during its greatest extension to an empire as far south as ] in ], and included parts of the ] in the east. This period is noted for some of the most well-known ]s, including ], ], ] and his wife ], ] and ]. The first known self-conscious expression of ] came during this period in the form of ]. Frequent contacts with other nations brought new ideas to the New Kingdom. The country was later invaded by ], ] and ]ns, but native Egyptians drove them out and regained control of their country.

] church.]]
The ] was the last native ruling dynasty during the Pharaonic epoch. It ] in 343 BC after the last native Pharaoh, King ], was defeated in battle. Later, Egypt fell to the ] and ], beginning over two thousand years of foreign rule.

Before Egypt became part of the ] realm, Christianity had been brought by ] in the AD first century. ]'s reign marked the transition from the ] to the ] era in Egypt, when a great number of Egyptian Christians were persecuted. The ] had by then been translated into Egyptian. After the ] in AD 451, a distinct ] was firmly established.<ref>Kamil, Jill. ''Coptic Egypt: History and Guide''. Cairo: American University in Cairo, 1997. p. 39</ref>

The Byzantines were able to regain control of the country after a brief ] invasion early in the seventh century, until in AD 639, Egypt was ] by the ] ]. The form of Islam the Arabs brought to Egypt was ]. Early in this period, Egyptians began to blend their new faith with indigenous beliefs and practices that had survived through ], giving rise to various ] orders that have flourished to this day.<ref>El-Daly, Okasha. ''Egyptology: The Missing Millennium''. London: UCL Press, 2005. p. 140</ref> Muslim rulers nominated by the ] ] for the next six centuries, including a period for which it was the seat of the Caliphate under the ]s. With the end of the ], the ]s, a ]-] military caste, took control about AD 1250. They continued to govern even after the ] by the ] in 1517.

] built in the early nineteenth century within the ].]]
The brief ] led by ] in 1798 had a great social impact on the country and its culture. Native Egyptians became exposed to the principles of the ] and had a chance to exercise ].<ref>Vatikiotis, P.J. ''The History of Modern Egypt''. 4th edition. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University, 1992, p. 39</ref> The expulsion of the French in 1801 by Ottoman, Mamluk, and British forces was followed by four years of anarchy in which Ottomans, Mamluks, and Albanians who were nominally in the service of the Ottomans, wrestled for power. Out of this chaos, the commander of the Albanian regiment, ] (Kavalali Mehmed Ali Pasha) emerged as a dominant figure and in 1805 was acknowledged by the ] in ] as his '']'' (]) in Egypt; <!--] -->the title implied subordination to the Sultan but this was in fact a polite fiction: Ottoman power in Egypt was finished and Muhammad Ali, an ambitious and able leader, established a ] that was to rule Egypt (at first really and later as British puppets) until the revolution of 1952. His primary focus was military: he annexed Northern ] (1820-1824), ] (1833), and parts of ] and ]; but in 1841 the European powers, fearful lest he topple Byzantium itself, checked him: he had to return most of his conquests to the Ottomans, but he kept the Sudan and his title to Egypt was made hereditary. A more lasting consequence of his military ambition is that it made him the moderniser of Egypt. Anxious to learn the military (and therefore industrial) techniques of the great powers he sent students to the West and invited training missions to Egypt. He built industries, a system of canals for irrigation and transport, and reformed the ]. For better or worse, the introduction in 1820 of long-staple ], the Egyptian variety of which became famous, transformed Egyptian agriculture into a cash-crop monoculture befor the end of the century. The social effects of this were enormous: it led to the concentration of agriculture in the hands of large landowners, and, with the additional trigger of high cotton prices caused by the United States' ] production drop, to a large influx of foreigners who began in earnest the exploitation of Egypt for international commodity production.<ref>Nejla M. Abu Izzeddin, ''Nasser of the Arabs'', published ''circa'' 1973, p 2.</ref>
Muhammad Ali was succeeded briefly by his son ] (in September 1848), then by a grandson ] (in November 1848), then by ] (in 1854), and ] (in 1863).
<!-- In 1866, the Assembly of Delegates was founded to serve as an advisory body for the government. Members of the Assembly were elected from across Egypt and came to have an important influence on governmental decisions.<ref>Jankowski, James. ''Egypt: A Short History.'' Oxford: Oneworld Publications, 2000. p. 83</ref> That's hogwash, the assembly had almost no power and rarely met -->
Abbas I was cautious. Said and Ismail were ambitious developers; unfortunately they spent beyond their means. The ], built in partnership with the French, was completed in in 1869. The expense of this and other projects had two effects: it led to enormous debt to European ]s, and caused popular discontent because of the onerous ]ation it necessitated. In 1875 Ismail was forced to sell Egypt's share in the canal to the British government. Within three years this led to the imposition of British and French ] who sat in the Egyptian cabinet, and, "with the financial power of the bondholders behind them, were the real power in the government."<ref>Nejla M. Abu Izzeddin, ''Nasser of the Arabs", p 2.</ref> Local dissatisfaction with Ismail and with European intrusion led to the formation of the first ] in 1879, with ] a prominent figure. In 1882 he became head of a nationalist-dominated ministry committed to democratic reforms including parliamentary control of the budget. Fearing a diminishment of their control, Britain and France intervened militarily, bombarding ] and crushing the Egyptian army at the ].<ref>Anglo French motivation: Derek Hopwood, ''Egypt: Politics and Society 1945-1981''. London, 1982, George Allen & Unwin. p 11.</ref> They reinstalled Ismail's son ] as figurehead of a ''de facto'' British protectorate.<ref>De facto protectorate: Joan Wucher King, ''Historical Dictionary of Egypt''. Metuchen, New Jersey, USA; 1984; Scarecrow. p 17.</ref> In 1914 the Protectorate was made official, and the title of the head of state, which had changed from ''pasha'' to ''khedive'' in 1867, was changed to ''sultan'', to repudiate the vestigal suzerainty of the Ottoman sultan, who was backing the ] in World War One. ] was deposed as khedive and replaced by his uncle, ], as sultan.
<ref>James Jankowski, ''Egypt, A Short History'', p. 111</ref>

In 1906, the ] prompted many neutral Egyptians to join the nationalist movement. After the First World War, ] and the ] led the Egyptian nationalist movement, gaining a majority at the local ]. When the British exiled Zaghlul and his associates to ] on March 8, 1919, the country arose in its ]. Constant revolting by the Egyptian people throughout the country led Great Britain to issue a unilateral declaration of Egypt's independence on February 22, 1922.<ref>Jankowski, ''op cit''., p. 112</ref>

The new Egyptian government drafted and implemented a new ] in 1923 based on a ] representative system. Saad Zaghlul was popularly-elected as ] in 1924. In 1936 the ] was concluded. Continued instability in the government due to remaining British control and increasing political involvement by the king led to the ouster of the monarchy and the dissolution of the parliament in a military '']'' known as the ]. The officers, known as the ], forced King ] to abdicate in support of his son ].

On June 18, 1953, the Egyptian Republic was declared, with General ] as the first President of the Republic. Naguib was forced to resign in 1954 by ]{{ndash}} the real architect of the 1952 movement{{ndash}} and was later put under ]. Nasser assumed ] as President and declared the full independence of Egypt from the United Kingdom on June 18, 1956. His ] of the ] on July 26, 1956 prompted the 1956 ].

], the largest city in ] and the ]. The ] (bottom-right) is the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital.]]

Three years after the 1967 ], during which ] had invaded and occupied ], Nasser died and was succeeded by ]. Sadat switched Egypt's ] allegiance from the ] to the United States, expelling Soviet advisors in 1972. He launched the ] economic reform policy, while violently clamping down on religious and secular opposition alike.

In 1973, Egypt, along with Syria, launched the ], a surprise attack against the Israeli forces occupying the Sinai Peninsula and the ]. It was an attempt to liberate the territory Israel had captured 6 years earlier. Both the US and the USSR intervened and a ] was reached. Despite not being a complete military success, most historians agree that the ] presented Sadat with a political victory that later allowed him to regain the Sinai in return with peace with Israel.

Sadat made a historic visit to Israel in 1977, which led to the 1979 ] in exchange for the complete Israeli withdrawal from Sinai. Sadat's initiative sparked enormous controversy in the ] and led to Egypt's expulsion from the Arab League, but it was supported by the vast majority of Egyptians.<ref>Vatikiotis, p. 443</ref> A fundamentalist military soldier assassinated Sadat in Cairo in 1981. He was succeeded by the incumbent ]. In 2003, the ], popularly known as ''Kefaya'', was launched to seek a return to ] and greater ].

== Identity ==
{{main|Egyptians#Identity}}
]'s ''Egypt's Renaissance'' 1919-1928, ].]]
The Nile Valley was home to one of the ], spanning three thousand years of continuous history. When Egypt fell under a ] after 343 BC, each left an indelible mark on the country's ]. Egyptian identity evolved in the span of this long period of occupation to accommodate, in principle, two new religions, ] and ]; and a new language, ], and its spoken descendant, ].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.youregypt.com/issue3/topic.htm|title=The Egyptian Identity: Pharoahs, Moslems, Arabs, Africans, Middle Easterners or Mediterranean People?|author=Raymon Kondos|date=February 15|accessdate=2008-08-21}}</ref> The degree to which Egyptians identify with each layer of Egypt's history in articulating a sense of ] can vary. Questions of identity came to fore in the last century as Egypt sought to free itself from foreign occupation for the first time in two thousand years. Three chief ideologies came to head: ethno-territorial Egyptian nationalism, secular ] and ], and ]. Egyptian nationalism predates its Arab counterpart by many decades, having roots in the nineteenth century and becoming the dominant mode of expression of Egyptian anti-colonial activists and intellectuals until the early 20th century.<ref>Jankowski, James. "Egypt and Early Arab Nationalism" in Rashid Khalidi, ed. ''The Origins of Arab Nationalism''. New York: Columbia University Press, 1990, pp. 244-45</ref> Arab nationalism reached a peak under ] but was once again relegated under ]; meanwhile, the ideology espoused by ] such as the ] is present in small segments of the lower-middle strata of Egyptian society.<ref>Dawisha, Adeed. ''Arab Nationalism in the Twentieth Century''. Princeton: Princeton University Press. 2003, pp. 264-65, 267</ref>

== Geography ==
{{main|Geography of Egypt}}
]]]
At {{convert|1001450|km2|sp=us}},<ref></ref> Egypt is the world's 38th-largest country (after ]). It is comparable in size to ], twice the size of France, four times the size of the United Kingdom, and is more than half the size of the US state of ].

Nevertheless, due to the aridity of Egypt's climate, population centres are concentrated along the narrow Nile Valley and Delta, meaning that approximately 99% of the population uses only about 5.5% of the total land area.<ref>Hamza, Waleed. . Accessed= 2007-06-10.</ref>
]

Egypt is bordered by ] to the west, ] to the south, and by the ] and ] to the east. Egypt's important role in geopolitics stems from its strategic position: a ], it possesses a land bridge (the Isthmus of Suez) between ] and ], which in turn is traversed by a navigable waterway (the ]) that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the ] via the ].

Apart from the Nile Valley, the majority of Egypt's landscape is a sandy desert. The winds blowing can create ] more than {{convert|100|ft}} high. Egypt includes parts of the ] and of the ]. These deserts were referred to as the "red land" in ancient Egypt, and they protected the Kingdom of the Pharaohs from western threats.

Towns and cities include ], one of the greatest ancient cities, ], ], ], the modern Egyptian capital, ], ], the site of the Pyramid of Khufu, ], ], ], ], ], ], ], where the Suez Canal is located, ], and ]. ] include ], ], ], ] and ]. ] include Ras Mohamed National Park, Zaranik Protectorate and Siwa. See ] for more information. {{MapLibrary|Egypt_sat.png|Egypt}}
===Climate===
Egypt does not receive much rainfall except in the winter months.<ref>Soliman, KH. ''Rainfall over Egypt''. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, vol. 80, issue 343, pp. 104-104.</ref> South of ], rainfall ]s only around 2 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) per year and at intervals of many ]s. On a very thin strip of the northern coast the rainfall can be as high as {{convert|410|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=2}},<ref>. Weatherbase.com. Last accessed February 12, 2008.</ref> with most of the rainfall between October and March. Snow falls on Sinai's mountains and some of the north ] cities such as Damietta, Baltim, Sidi Barrany, etc. and rarely in Alexandria, frost is also known in mid-Sinai and mid-Egypt.

Temperatures average between {{convert|80|F}} and {{convert|90|F}} in summer, and up to {{convert|109|F}} on the ] ]. Temperatures average between {{convert|55|F}} and {{convert|70|F}} in winter. A steady wind from the northwest helps hold down the temperature near the ] coast. The ] is a wind that blows from the south in Egypt in spring, bringing sand and dust, and sometimes raises the temperature in the ] to more than {{convert|100|F}}.

Every year, a predictable flooding of the Nile replenishes Egypt's soil. This gives the country consistent harvest throughout the year. Many know this event as ''The Gift of the Nile''.

The rise in sea levels due to ] threatens Egypt’s densely populated coastal strip and could have grave consequences for the country’s economy, agriculture and industry. Combined with growing demographic pressures, a rise in sea levels could turn millions of Egyptians into ] by the end of the century, according to climate experts.<ref></ref>

== Politics ==
{{main|Politics of Egypt}}

===National===
Egypt has been a republic since June 18, 1953. President ] has been the ] since October 14, 1981, following the assassination of former-President ]. Mubarak is currently serving his fifth term in office. He is the leader of the ruling ]. ] Dr. ] was sworn in as Prime Minister on July 9, 2004, following the resignation of Dr. ] from his office.

Although power is ostensibly organized under a ] ], whereby the executive power is theoretically divided between the President and the ], in practice it rests almost solely with the President who traditionally has been elected in single-candidate elections for more than fifty years. Egypt also holds regular multi-party parliamentary elections. The last presidential election, in which Mubarak won a fifth consecutive term, ].

In late February 2005, President Mubarak announced in a surprise television broadcast that he had ordered the reform of the country's presidential election law, paving the way for multi-candidate polls in the upcoming presidential election. For the first time since the ], the Egyptian people had an apparent chance to elect a leader from a list of various candidates. The President said his initiative came "out of my full conviction of the need to consolidate efforts for more freedom and democracy."<ref>Business TodayEGYPT. . March 2005.</ref> However, the new law placed draconian restrictions on the filing for presidential candidacies, designed to prevent well-known candidates such as ] from standing against Mubarak, and paved the road for his easy re-election victory.<ref>Lavin, Abigail. . March 27, 2006.</ref>
Concerns were once again expressed after the 2005 presidential elections about government interference in the election process through fraud and vote-rigging, in addition to police brutality and violence by pro-Mubarak supporters against opposition demonstrators.<ref>Murphy, Dan. . ]. ].</ref> After the election, Egypt imprisoned Nour, and the U.S. Government stated the “conviction of Mr. Nour, the runner-up in Egypt's 2005 presidential elections, calls into question Egypt's commitment to democracy, freedom, and the rule of law.”<ref>. U.S. Department of State, Published December 24, 2005</ref>

As a result, most Egyptians are skeptical about the process of ] and the role of the elections. Less than 25 percent of the country's 32 million registered voters (out of a population of more than 72 million) turned out for the 2005 elections.<ref>Gomez, Edward M. . ]. September 13, 2005.</ref> A proposed change to the constitution would limit the president to two seven-year terms in office.<ref name=autogenerated1>. December 5, 2006.</ref>

Thirty-four constitutional changes voted on by parliament on March 19, 2007 prohibit parties from using religion as a basis for political activity; allow the drafting of a new anti-terrorism law to replace the emergency legislation in place since 1981, giving police wide powers of arrest and surveillance; give the president power to dissolve parliament; and end judicial monitoring of election.<ref> ] News.</ref> As opposition members of parliament withdrew from voting on the proposed changes, it was expected that the referendum would be boycotted by a great number of Egyptians in protest of what has been considered a breach of democratic practices. Eventually it was reported that only 27% of the registered voters went to the polling stations under heavy police presence and tight political control of the ruling National Democratic Party. It was officially announced on March 27, 2007 that 75.9% of those who participated in the referendum approved of the ]s introduced by President Mubarak and was endorsed by opposition free parliament, thus allowing the introduction of laws that curb the activity of certain opposition elements, particularly Islamists.

===Human rights===
{{main|Human rights in Egypt}}
] democracy movement protesting a fifth term for President ]. See also .]]
Several local and international human rights organizations, including ] and ], have for many years criticized Egypt's human rights record as poor. In 2005, President ] faced unprecedented public criticism when he clamped down on ] challenging his rule. Some of the most serious human rights violations, according to HRW's 2006 report on Egypt, are routine torture, arbitrary detentions and trials before military and state security courts.<ref name="HRW">Human Rights Watch. . 2005</ref>

Discriminatory personal status laws governing marriage, divorce, custody and inheritance which put women at a disadvantage have also been cited. Laws concerning ]ic ]s which place restrictions on church building and open worship have been recently eased, but major construction still requires governmental approval, while sporadic attacks on Christians and churches continue.<ref></ref> Intolerance of ] and unorthodox Muslim sects, such as ]s and ], also remains a problem.<ref name="HRW" /> The Egyptian legal system only recognizes three religions: ], ] and ]. When the government moved to computerize identification cards, members of religious minorities, such as Bahá'ís, could ].<ref name="us_dos_egypt">{{cite web | title = Egypt: International Religious Freedom Report |date=2004-09-15 |author=U.S. Department of State |publisher=Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor |url=http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2004/35496.htm |accessdate=2008-01-30}}</ref> An Egyptian court ruled in early 2008 that members of other faiths can obtain identity cards without listing their faiths, and without becoming officially recognized.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |first=Cynthia |last=Johnston |title= Egypt Baha'is win court fight over identity papers|url=http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL29677385.html |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-01-29 |accessdate=2008-01-30 }}</ref> (For more on the status of religious minorities, see the ] section.)

In 2005, the ] rated ] in Egypt as "6" (1 representing the most free and 7 the least free rating), ] as "5" and gave it the freedom rating of "Not Free."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.freedomhouse.org/uploads/pdf/Charts2006.pdf|title=Freedom in the World 2006|publisher=]|date=]|accessdate=2006-07-27|format=PDF}}<br/>See also ], ]</ref> It however noted that "Egypt witnessed its most transparent and competitive presidential and legislative elections in more than half a century and an increasingly unbridled public debate on the country's political future in 2005."<ref></ref>

In 2007, human rights group ] released a report criticizing Egypt for ] and illegal detention. The report alleges that Egypt has become an international center for torture, where other nations send suspects for interrogation, often as part of the ]. The report calls on Egypt to bring its ] into accordance with international human rights statutes and on other nations to stop sending their detainees to Egypt.<ref>. ]. Written 2007-]. Accessed 2007-4-11.</ref> Egypt's foreign ministry quickly issued a rebuttal to this report, claiming that it was inaccurate and unfair, as well as causing deep offense to the Egyptian government.<ref>. ]. Written 2007-]. Accessed 2007-4-13.</ref>

Consensual ] conduct between adults is criminalized under Egyptian law as a "practice of debauchery".<ref>HRW. . February 5, 2008.</ref> Since 2001, Egyptian authorities have made hundreds of arbitrary arrests of young ] men, many of whom have been tried and convicted for acts of "debauchery", while hundreds of others have been harassed and tortured, according to HRW.<ref>HRW. . 2004</ref> In February 2008, a new round of arrests and torture of ]-positive citizens followed a man's admission to the police that he was HIV-positive, sparking international outcry that the Egyptian government was treating the ] disease as a homosexual "crime" instead of providing care, prevention and education.<ref>AFP. . February, 2008.</ref>

The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) is one of the longest-standing bodies for the defence of ].<ref></ref> In 2003, the government established the National Council for Human Rights, headquartered in Cairo and headed by former ] ] who directly reports to the president.<ref>.</ref> The council has come under heavy criticism by local NGO activists, who contend it undermines human rights work in Egypt by serving as a propaganda tool for the government to excuse its violations<ref>. EOHR. June 3, 2003.</ref> and to provide legitimacy to repressive laws such as the recently renewed Emergency Law.<ref>Qenawy, Ahmed. . ANHRI. 2004</ref> Egypt had announced in 2006 that it was in the process of abolishing the Emergency Law,<ref name=autogenerated1 /> but in March 2007 President Mubarak approved several constitutional amendments to include "an anti-terrorism clause that appears to enshrine sweeping police powers of arrest and surveillance", suggesting that the Emergency Law is here to stay for the long haul.<ref>. Reuters. March 20, 2007.</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{main|Foreign relations of Egypt}}
Egypt's foreign policy operates along moderate lines. Factors such as ], historical events, military strength, diplomatic expertise and a strategic geographical position give Egypt extensive political influence in ] and the ]. ] has been a crossroads of regional commerce and culture for centuries, and its intellectual and ]ic institutions are at the center of the region's social and ].

The permanent ] are located in ] and the Secretary General of the Arab League has traditionally been an Egyptian. Former Egyptian Foreign Minister ] is the current Secretary General. The Arab League briefly moved from Egypt to Tunis in 1978, as a protest to the signing by Egypt of a peace treaty with Israel, but returned in 1989.

Egypt was the first Arab state to establish diplomatic relations with ], with the signing of the ] in 1979. Egypt has a major influence amongst other Arab states, and has historically played an important role as a mediator in resolving disputes between various Arab states, and in the ].

Former Egyptian ] ] served as ] from 1991 to 1996.

== Governorates and markazes ==
{{main|Governorates of Egypt|Markazes of Egypt}}
] (numbers label 5 capitals).]]

Egypt is divided into 29 ]s (in Arabic, called ''muhafazat'', singular '']''). The governorates are further divided into regions ('']es'').

Each governorate has a capital, often having the same name as the governorate (''see map, showing names of the 29 capitals'').

The tables (''below'') list the governorates in alphabetical order.
In April 2008, Cairo and Giza have divided to 4 governorates, the new governorates are 6th of October and Helwan beside Cairo and Giza

{| style="background:transparent; font-size:95%;" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|- valign="top"
|
{| class="wikitable"
! Governorate !! Capital !! Location</tr>
| ] || ] || Northern</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Middle</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Middle</tr>
| ] || ] || Canal</tr>
| ]|| ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
|}
|
{| class="wikitable"
! Governorate !! Capital !! Location</tr>
| ] || ] || Western</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Western</tr>
| ] || ] || Sinai</tr>
| ] || ] || Canal</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Eastern</tr>
| ] || ] || Lower</tr>
| ] || ] || Upper</tr>
| ] || ] || Sinai</tr>
| ] || ] || Canal</tr>
| ] || October 6 || Middle</tr>
|}
|style="padding-top:8px;"|
|}

== Economy ==
{{main|Economy of Egypt}}

]'s city centre is a busy economic hub]] Egypt's economy depends mainly on agriculture, media, petroleum exports, and tourism; there are also more than three million Egyptians working abroad, mainly in ], the ] and Europe. The completion of the ] in 1970 and the resultant ] have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the ] and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly-growing population, limited ], and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress the economy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lexicorient.com/e.o/egypt_2.htm|title=Egypt: Economy|publisher=LookLex Encyclopedia|accessdate=2008-08-21}} </ref>

The government has struggled to prepare the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investments in communications and physical infrastructure. Egypt has been receiving U.S. ] (since 1979, an average of $2.2 billion per year) and is the third-largest recipient of such funds from the United States following the Iraq war. Its main revenues however come from tourism as well as traffic that goes through the ].

Egypt has a developed energy market based on coal, oil, ], and ]. Substantial coal deposits are in the north-east Sinai, and are mined at the rate of about {{convert|600000|t|lk=on|sp=us}} per year. Oil and gas are produced in the western desert regions, the ], and the Nile Delta. Egypt has huge reserves of gas, estimated at over {{convert|1100000|m3|sp=us}} in the 1990s, and LNG is exported to many countries.

Economic conditions have started to improve considerably after a period of stagnation from the adoption of more liberal economic policies by the government, as well as increased revenues from tourism and a booming ]. In its annual report, the ] has rated Egypt as one of the top countries in the world undertaking economic reforms.{{Fact|date=September 2008}} Some major economic reforms taken by the new government since 2003 include a dramatic slashing of customs and tariffs. A new ] implemented in 2005 decreased corporate taxes from 40% to the current 20%, resulting in a stated 100% increase in ] by the year 2006.
]
FDI (]) into Egypt has increased considerably in the past few years due to the recent ] measures taken by minister of investment Mahmoud Mohieddin, exceeding $6 billion in 2006.

Although one of the main obstacles still facing the Egyptian economy is the trickle down of the wealth to the average population, many Egyptians criticize their government for higher prices of basic goods while their ] or purchasing power remains relatively stagnant. Often corruption is blamed by Egyptians as the main impediment to feeling the benefits of the newly attained wealth.<ref></ref> <ref></ref> <ref></ref> Major reconstruction of the country's infrastructure is promised by the government, with a large portion of the sum paid for the newly acquired 3rd mobile license ($3 billion) by Etisalat. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businesstodayegypt.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=6902|title=Etisalat Wins Third License|author=Fatima El Saadani|month=August | year=2006|publisher=Business Today|accessdate=2008-08-21}}</ref>

The best known examples of Egyptian companies that have expanded regionally and globally are the ] and ]. The IT sector has been expanding rapidly in the past few years, with many new start-ups conducting outsourcing business to North America and Europe, operating with companies such as Microsoft, Oracle and other major corporations, as well as numerous SME's. Some of these companies are the Xceed Contact Center, Raya Contact Center, E Group Connections and C3 along with other start ups in that country. The sector has been stimulated by new Egyptian entrepreneurs trying to capitalize on their country's huge potential in the sector, as well as constant government encouragement.

== Demographics ==
{{main|Demographics of Egypt|Egyptians}}
]

Egypt is the most populated country in the ] and the third most populous on the ], with an estimated 75 million people (as of mid-2008). Almost all the population is concentrated along the banks of the Nile (notably Cairo and Alexandria), in the Delta and near the ]. Approximately 90% of the population adheres to ] and most of the remainder to Christianity, primarily the ] denomination.<ref name="Factbook">{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html#People|title=Egyptian people section from the World Factbook|work=]|accessdate=2007-01-29}}</ref> Apart from religious affiliation, Egyptians can be divided demographically into those who live in the major urban centers and the ]in or farmers of rural villages. The last 40 years have seen a rapid increase in population due to ] and massive increase in agricultural productivity,<ref></ref> made by the ].<ref></ref>

] are by far the largest ethnic group in Egypt at 98% of the total population.<ref name="Factbook" /> Ethnic minorities include the ] Arab tribes living in the eastern deserts and the ], the ]-speaking ] (]) of the ], and the ancient ] communities clustered along the Nile. There are also tribal communities of ] concentrated in the south-eastern-most corner of the country, and a number of ] clans mostly in the Nile Delta and ] who are progressively becoming assimilated as urbanization increases.

Egypt also hosts an unknown number of ] and asylum seekers, but they are estimated to be between 500,000 and 3 million.<ref name="Refugees">.</ref> There are some 70,000 ]s,<ref name="Refugees" /> and about 150,000 recently arrived ],<ref></ref> but the number of the largest group, the ], is contested.<ref>See for a lower estimate. The states on its web site that in 2000 the ] claimed that "between two and five million Sudanese have come to Egypt in recent years". Most Sudanese refugees come to Egypt in the hope of resettling in Europe or the US.</ref> The once-vibrant ] has virtually ], with only a small number remaining in the country, but many Egyptian Jews visit on religious occasions and for tourism. Several important Jewish archaeological and historical sites are found in ], ] and other cities.

== Media ==
{{main|Media of Egypt}}
Egyptian ] are highly influential both in Egypt and the ], attributed to large audiences and increasing freedom from government control.<ref name=bbc> ''BBC''</ref><ref name=tbs>, ''TBS''</ref> Freedom of the media is guaranteed in the constitution; however, many laws still restrict this right.<ref name=bbc/><ref name=fh></ref> After the ], Ahmed Selim, office director for Information Minister Anas al-Fiqi, declared an era of a "free, transparent and independent Egyptian media."<ref name=tbs/>

== Religion ==
{{main|Religion in Egypt}}
]
Religion plays a central role in most Egyptians' lives. The ] that are heard five times a day have the informal effect of regulating the pace of everything from business to entertainment. Cairo is famous for its numerous mosque ]s and church towers.

Egypt is predominantly Muslim, at 90% of the population<ref></ref>, with the majority being adherents of the ] branch of Islam.<ref name="Factbook" /> A significant number of Muslim Egyptians also follow native ] ],<ref>Hoffman, Valerie J. ''Sufism, Mystics, and Saints in Modern Egypt''. University of South Carolina Press, 1995.</ref> and there is a minority of ].
Christians represent around 10% of the population<ref></ref>, more than 95% of whom belong to the native ]. Other native Egyptian Christians are adherents of the ], the ] and various Coptic ] denominations. Non-native ] communities are largely found in the urban regions of ] and ], and are members of the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], the ], or the ].
According to the ], any new legislation must at least implicitly agree with ]. The mainstream ] school of ] Islam is largely organised by the state, through ''Wizaret Al-Awkaf'' (Ministry of Religious Affairs). ''Al-Awkaf'' controls all mosques and overviews Muslim clerics. ] are trained in Imam vocational schools and at ]. The department supports Sunni Islam and has commissions authorised to give '']'' judgements on Islamic issues.

] faith as members of the ].]]
Egypt hosts two major religious institutions. ] is the oldest ]ic institution of higher studies (founded around 970 ]) and considered by many to be the oldest extant university. The Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria, headed by the ], attests to Egypt's strong Christian heritage. It has a following of approximately 15 million ]s worldwide; affiliated sister churches are located in ], ], ], India, ] and ].

] in Egypt is hampered to varying degrees by extremist ] groups and by discriminatory and restrictive government policies. Being the largest religious minority in Egypt, Coptic Christians are the most negatively affected community. ]s have faced increasing marginalization after the 1952 ] led by ]. Until recently, ] were required to obtain presidential approval for even minor repairs in churches. Although the law was eased in 2005 by handing down the authority of approval to the governors, Copts continue to face many obstacles in building new or repairing existing churches. These obstacles are not found in building mosques.<ref>WorldWide Religious News. . December 13, 2005.</ref><ref>Compass Direct News. . December 13, 2005.</ref>

In addition, Copts complain of being minimally represented in law enforcement, state security and public office, and of being discriminated against in the workforce on the basis of their religion.<ref name="HRW">Human Rights Watch. . 2005</ref> The Coptic community, as well as several human rights activists and intellectuals (such as ] and ]), maintain that the number of Christians occupying government posts is not proportional to the number of Copts in Egypt. Of the 32 ], two are Copts: Finance Minister ] and Minister of Environment Magued George; and of the 25 local governors, only one is a Copt (in the ]ian governorate of ]). However, Copts have demonstrated great success in Egypt's private business sector; ], an extremely successful businessman and one of the world's wealthiest 100 people is a Copt. In 2002, under the ] government, Coptic ] (January 7) was recognized as an official holiday.<ref>ArabicNews.com. . December 20, 2002.</ref> Nevertheless, the Coptic community has occasionally been the target of hate crimes and physical assaults. The most significant was the 2000-2001 El Kosheh attacks , in which 21 Copts and one Muslim were killed. A 2006 attack on three churches in ] left one dead and 17 injured, although the attacker was not linked to any organisation.<ref>BBC. , April 15, 2006.</ref>

], ].]]
Egypt was once home to one of the oldest Jewish communities in the world. ], who were mostly ], partook of all aspects of Egypt's social, economic and political life; one of the most ardent Egyptian nationalists, ]' (Abu Naddara), was a Jew, as were famous musician Dawoud Husni, popular singer ], and prominent filmmaker Togo Mizrahi. For a while, Jews from across the ] and Europe were attracted to Egypt due to the relative harmony that characterized the local religious landscape in the 19th and early 20th centuries. After the 1956 ], a great number of Jews were expelled by ], many of whom holding official Egyptian citizenship. Their Egyptian citizenship was revoked and their property was confiscated. A steady stream of migration of Egyptian Jews followed, reaching a peak after the ] with Israel in 1967. Today, Jews in Egypt number less than 100.<ref>Jewish Community Council (JCC) of Cairo. . 2006.</ref>

] in Egypt, whose population is estimated to be a few thousand, have long been ], having their institutions and community activities banned. Since their faith is not officially recognized by the state, they were not allowed to use it on their national ]; a court case in 2008 allowed Bahá'ís to obtain birth certificates and identification documents, so long as they omit their religion on court documents.<ref name="reuters">{{cite news |first=Cynthia |last=Johnston |title= Egypt Baha'is win court fight over identity papers|url=http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnL29677385.html |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-01-29 |accessdate=2008-01-30 }}</ref>

There are Egyptians who identify as ] and ], but their numbers are largely unknown, as openly advocating such positions risks legal sanction on the basis of apostasy (if a citizen takes the step of suing the 'apostating' person, though not automatically by the general prosecutor). In 2000, an openly atheist Egyptian writer, who called for the establishment of a local association for atheists, was tried on charges of insulting Islam in four of his books.<ref name="note6">{{cite news |first=Jailan |last=Halawi |pages= |title=Limits to expression |date=21-December 27, 2000 |publisher=Al-Ahram Weekly |url=http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/513/eg7.htm}}</ref>
While freedom of religion is guaranteed by the Egyptian constitution, according to ], "Egyptians are able to convert to Islam generally without difficulty, but Muslims who convert to Christianity face difficulties in getting new identity papers and some have been arrested for allegedly forging such documents.<ref>.</ref> The Coptic community, however, takes pains to prevent conversions from Christianity to Islam due to the ease with which Christians can often become Muslim.<ref>. 2004</ref> Public officials, being conservative themselves, intensify the complexity of the legal procedures required to recognize the religion change as required by law. Security agencies will sometimes claim that such conversions from ] to ] (or occasionally vice versa) may stir social unrest, and thereby justify themselves in wrongfully detaining the subjects, insisting that they are simply taking steps to prevent likely social troubles from happening.<ref>. November 03, 2003</ref> In 2007, a Cairo administrative court denied 45 citizens the right to obtain identity papers documenting their reversion to Christianity after converting to Islam.<ref>Shahine, Gihan. Ahram Weekly, 3 - May 9, 2007</ref> However, in February 2008 the Supreme Administrative Court overturned the decision, allowing 12 citizens who had reverted back to Christianity to re-list their religion on identity cards,<ref>]. . 2008-02-09.</ref> but they will specify that they had adopted Islam for a brief period of time.<ref>AFP. . February, 2008.</ref>

== Culture ==
{{main|Culture of Egypt}}
] is a commemoration of the ancient ] in Egypt's second largest city.]]
] has five thousand years of ]. ] was among the earliest ]s and for millennia, Egypt maintained a strikingly complex and stable culture that influenced later cultures of Europe, the ] and other African countries. After the Pharaonic era, Egypt itself came under the influence of ], ], and ]ic culture. Today, many aspects of Egypt's ancient culture exist in interaction with newer elements, including the influence of modern ], itself with roots in ancient Egypt.

Egypt's capital city, Cairo, is Africa's largest city and has been renowned for centuries as a center of learning, culture and commerce. Egypt has the highest number of ] in Africa and the Arab World. Some Egyptian born politicians were or are currently at the helm of major international organizations like ] of the ] and ] of the ].

====Renaissance====
The work of early nineteenth-century scholar Rifa'a et-Tahtawi gave rise to the Egyptian Renaissance, marking the transition from ] to ] Egypt. His work renewed interest in ] and exposed Egyptian society to ] principles. Tahtawi co-founded with education reformer ] a native ] school that looked for inspiration to medieval Egyptian scholars, such as ] and ], who themselves studied the ], ] and ] of Egypt.<ref>El-Daly, ''op cit''., p. 29</ref> Egypt's renaissance peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries through the work of people like ], ], ], ], ], ], ] and ]. They forged a ] path for Egypt expressed as a commitment to individual freedom, ] and faith in science to bring progress.<ref>Jankowski, ''op cit''., p. 130</ref>

====Art and architecture====
] painting from the tomb of ] governor ] in ].]]
The Egyptians were one of the first major civilizations to codify design elements in art and architecture. The wall paintings done in the service of the ]s followed a rigid code of visual rules and meanings. Egyptian civilization is renowned for its colossal pyramids, ]s and monumental tombs. Well-known examples are the ] designed by ancient architect and engineer ], the ], and the temple of ]. Modern and contemporary Egyptian art can be as diverse as any works in the world art scene, from the vernacular architecture of ] and ], to ]'s famous sculptures, to the distinctive ] of ].

The ] serves as the main performing arts venue in the Egyptian capital. Egypt's media and arts industry has flourished since the late nineteenth century, today with more than thirty satellite channels and over one hundred motion pictures produced each year. Cairo has long been known as the "Hollywood of the Middle East;" its annual film festival, the ], has been rated as one of 11 festivals with a top class rating worldwide by the International Federation of Film Producers' Associations.<ref>.</ref> To bolster its media industry further, especially with the keen competition from the ] and ], a large media city was built. Some Egyptian-born actors, like ], have achieved worldwide fame.

====Literature====
] constitutes an important cultural element in the life of Egypt. Egyptian novelists and poets were among the first to experiment with modern styles of ], and the forms they developed have been widely imitated throughout the Middle East.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sis.gov.eg/En/EgyptOnline/Culture/000001/0203000000000000000567.htm|title=Global influence of Egyptian culture|date=February 4, 2006|publisher=Egypt State Information Service|accessdate=2008-08-21}}</ref> The first modern Egyptian novel '']'' by ] was published in 1913 in the ].<ref>Vatikiotis, ''op cit''.</ref> Egyptian novelist ] was the first Arabic-language writer to win the ]. Egyptian women writers include ], well known for her ] ], and ] who also writes about women and tradition. Vernacular poetry is perhaps the most popular ] amongst Egyptians, represented by the works of ] (Fagumi), ] and ].

====Music====
{{main|Music of Egypt}}
].]]
] is a rich mixture of indigenous, Mediterranean, African and Western elements. In ], Egyptians were playing harps and flutes, including two indigenous instruments: the ] and the ]. ] and vocal music also became an important part of the local music tradition ever since. Contemporary Egyptian music traces its beginnings to the creative work of people such as Abdu-l Hamuli, Almaz and Mahmud Osman, who influenced the later work of Egyptian music giants such as ], ], ] and ]. These prominent artists were followed later by ]. He is seen by many as the new age "Musical Legend", whose fan base stretches all over the Middle East and Europe. From the 1970s onwards, Egyptian pop music has become increasingly important in Egyptian culture, while Egyptian folk music continues to be played during weddings and other festivities.

====Festivals====

Egypt is famous for its many festivals and religious carnivals, also known as ''mulid''. They are usually associated with a particular Coptic or Sufi saint, but are often celebrated by all Egyptians irrespective of creed or religion. ] has a special flavor in Egypt, celebrated with sounds, lights (local lanterns known as ''fawanees'') and much flare that many Muslim tourists from the region flock to Egypt during Ramadan to witness the spectacle. The ancient spring festival of ] (]: {{Coptic|Ϭⲱⲙ‘ⲛⲛⲓⲥⲓⲙ}} ''shom en nisim'') has been celebrated by Egyptians for thousands of years, typically between the ] of ] (April) and ] (May), following ] Sunday.

====Sports====
] during the ]]]
] is the ''de facto'' ] of Egypt. Egyptian Soccer clubs ] , ] and ] are the most popular teams and enjoy the reputation of long-time regional champions. The great rivalries keep the streets of Egypt energized as people fill the streets when their favorite team wins. Egypt is rich in soccer history as soccer has been around for over 100 years. The country is home to many African championships such as the ]. While, Egypt's national team has not qualified for the ] since 1990, the Egyptian team won the Africa Cup Of Nations an unprecedented six times, including two times in a row in 1957 and 1959 and again in 2006 and 2008, setting a world record.

] and ] are other popular sports in Egypt. The Egyptian squash team has been known for its fierce competition in international championships since the 1930s. ] is Egypt's best player and the winner of the world open three times and the best player of 2006.
The Egyptian Handball team also holds another record; throughout the 34 times the ] was held, Egypt won first place five times (including 2008), five times second place, four times third place, and came in fourth place twice. The team won 6th and 7th places in 1995, 1997 at the World Men's Handball Championship, and twice won 6th place at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

In 2007, Omar joined Ben Stephens (England), Victoria James (Wales) and Greg Maud (South Africa) in putting together an expedition to climb Mount Everest from its South side. The Everest expedition began on the 25th of March 2007 and lasted for just over 9 weeks. On the 17th of May at precisely 9:49AM Nepal time, Omar became the first and youngest Egyptian to climb 8,850m Mount Everest. He also became the first Egyptian to climb Everest from its South face, the same route taken by Sir Edmund Hilary and Sherpa Tenzing in 1953.

Egypt has a long history of ] since 1912.

=====Best results=====
{| {{MedalTable|type=Games}}
|-
|align=left| ] || 2|| 1 || 1 || 4
|-
|align=left| ] || 2 || 1 || 2 || 5
|-
|align=left| ] || 2 || 2 || 1 || 5
|-
|align=left| ] || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
|align=left| ] || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2
|-
|align=left| ] || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1
|-
|align=left| ] || 1 || 1 || 3 || 5
|-
|align=left| ] || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1
|-
! Total !! 7 !! 7 !! 10 !! 24
|-
|}

== Military ==
{{main|Military of Egypt}}
<!--Please expand main article instead of section-->
]
The ] have a combined troop strength of around 450,000 active personnel.<ref></ref> According to the Israeli chair of the former Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, ], the ] has roughly the same number of modern warplanes as the ] and far more Western tanks, artillery, anti-aircraft batteries and warships than the ].<ref>Steinitz, Yuval. . Haaretz. December 05, 2006.</ref> The Egyptian military has recently undergone massive military modernization mostly in their Air Force. Other than Israel, Egypt is speculated by Israel to be the first country in the region with a ], ], and is planning to launch 3 more satellites (DesertSat1, EgyptSat2, DesertSat2) over the next two years. Egypt is considered to be the leading military power in the Middle East along with Israel.<ref>Katz, Yaacov. "Egypt to launch first spy satellite," ], January 15, 2007.</ref>

== See also ==
{{columns |width=210px
|col1 =
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* ]
* ]
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* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
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===Lists===
: ''Main list: ]''

* ]
* ]
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* ]

== Notes and references ==
{{reflist|3}}
<div class="references-small">
'''General references'''
* {{CIAfb}}{{clr}}
* {{StateDept}}
</div>

== External links ==
*
*
*
*
*
*
* includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
{{sisterlinks|Egypt}}
{{wikiatlas|Egypt}}
*
*
*
*
* Leonard William King, ''History of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria in the Light of Recent Discovery'', .
* ], ''History of Egypt, Chaldæa, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria'', in 12 volumes, .
* (])
*
*
*
* ''Online travel and tourism guides to Egypt and cities like Cairo''.
*
*
* {{dmoz|Regional/Africa/Egypt/}}
*
*
* {{wikitravel}}
*
*
* , a narrative of journeys in Egypt and Mesopotamia on behalf of the British museum between the years 1886 and 1913, by Sir ], 1920 ''(a searchable facsimile at the University of Georgia Libraries; ] & format)''
*
*
*
* .

{{Template group
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{{Governorates of Egypt}}

{{Countries and territories of the Middle East}}
{{Countries of Africa}}
{{Countries and territories bordering the Mediterranean Sea}}
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}}
{{Template group
|title = International membership
|list =
{{Arab League}}
{{Non-Aligned Movement}}
{{Afro-Asiatic-speaking nations}}
{{African Union (AU)}}
{{D8 nations}}
{{G15 nations}}
{{Community of Sahel-Saharan States}}
{{Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)|state=collapsed}}
{{La Francophonie|state=collapsed}}
{{Semitic-speaking nations}}
}}

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Revision as of 11:08, 22 September 2008

Didnt your teacher tell you not to use Misplaced Pages? This should teach you! DUMBASS