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To many, the idea of Egypt conjures up a picture of the great pyramids and sphinx towering over the empty desert. But these monuments are merely the best known of many treasures left by the remarkable civilization of Ancient Egypt. For thousands of years the fertile banks of the Nile have been home to human settlement, and throughout its history Egypt has exchanged influences with the many different cultures it has encountered. Greeks, Romans, Persians, and Arabs have all left their mark on modern Egyptian society in the form of an astonishing legacy of temples, churches, and mosques. |
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| Official Name: |
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Arab Republic of Egypt |
| Capital City: |
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Cairo |
| Main Cities: |
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Alexandria , Port, Said, Suez, Asyut
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Population: |
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78,9 million
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Area: |
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387,000 sq. miles (1,001,000 sq. km) |
| Currency: |
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Egyptian pound (LE or EP) |
| Language: |
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Arabic |
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Egypt enjoys a special location at the north eastern corner of the African continent. Standing at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and Asia, is has always been a focal point for trade routes between the continents. It is bordered by Libya to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza strip and Israel to the east, the Red Sea on the east coast, and Sudan to the south. The Suez Canal, which runs from the Mediterranean city of Port Said to Suez city on the Red Sea, cuts through the stretch of land that connects mainland Egypt to the Sinai Peninsula. It spans a total area of 387,000 square miles (1,001,000 sq. km). Egypt ’s pumping heart is the River Nile, which supplies the country with all its water. Rising from sources in Ethiopia and Uganda, it snakes northward through Sudan to the Mediterranean coast. As it passes Cairo, it splits into two forming the Delta. Egypt’s most fertile stretch of land, this is host to a network of canals and channels around which villages have formed. Egypt can be divided into four regions: the Delta and Nile Valley, the western Desert, the Eastern Desert, and the Sinai Peninsula.
 Climate
Egypt has two main seasons: a hot summer and a mild winter. Winter, from November to March, is cool, with occasional rainfall. Summer, from May to September, is fierce. Average temperatures range from 57ºF (14ºC) in winter and 86ºF (30ºC) in summer. Inland temperatures can reach 44ºF (7ºC) in winter and 109ºF (43ºC) in summer. Hot dust storms, the Khamasin, occur after winter. The term comes from the Arabic word khamsin, which means “fifty”, because the winds are said to occur at any time in the fifty-day period between March and June. Humidity is high near the coasts, and highest along the north coast.
People
Egypt is the second-most populous country in Africa, with 79 million inhabitants, most of whom are settled around the Nile, and half of whom live in urban areas. It has one of the highest population densities in the world and, with the rapid growth in population, towns and cities have had to spread, eating up valuable agricultural land. People in rural area are mainly involved in agriculture; villages have formed around water sources, canals, and irrigation channels. An agrarian peasant is called fellah (plural, fellahin). Upper Egyptians, who live south of Cairo around the Nile Valley, are referred to as Si’idi. Egypt’s desert dwellers are Bedouin, originally descended from Arab and Berber tribes. Nubian communities live in the south.
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Arab culture in general places great importance on social harmony. People are more important than time or money, and good personal relations are at the core the Egyptian value system. The Egyptians are friendly, cheerful, hospitable, and renowned for their sense of humour. Most of them endure difficult living conditions on a daily basis. Many need to juggle several jobs in order to make a decent enough income but, despite this, they seem to accept the cards they have been dealt with little fuss. They are deeply religious, and believe in the concept of an afterlife, working hard in this life hoping to reap the benefits in the next. They deal with problems by saying it is the will of God. This calmness, sometimes interpreted as indifference, is merely a survival tactic.
Egyptians are proud of their heritage and of their position as cultural and political leaders of the Arab world. They often tend to be dismissive of the other Arab countries.
This is a society where the group is more significant than the individual. There are no single-portion in the supermarkets, nor do people go to the cinema alone. Studio apartments are few and many houses are full of family. Islam is the official religion of Egypt, and approximately 90 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim. Apart from tiny Jewish, Shi’i Muslim, and Baha’i communities, the rest of the population is Christian, most belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Egyptians are fatalistic and superstitious. Good fortune is God’s mercy, and misfortune is His will. The submission to God is even evident in daily speech. The expression “ insha’allah ” means “if God wills”. Egyptians inject this expression into every sentence that denotes intention; not to use it is seen as tempting fate.
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 The above extract is kindly provided by Culture Smart! the essential guide to customs & culture. The 168-page guide retails at £6.95 + P&P and is available directly from Kuperard, the publishers of Culture Smart! guides.
CultureSmart!Consulting in conjunction with Cactus Language Training creates tailor-made seminars and consultancy programs to meet a wide range of corporate, public sector, and individual needs. Find out more at www.cactuslanguagetraining.com.
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