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Pharaohs, pyramids, papyrus and the Ptolemies—Egypt has seen them all and more—this makes it one of the most exciting destinations in Africa. The legacy of a 6000-year old history is worn like a proud badge by this country, which boasts some of the most spectacular archaeological treasures existing in the world today—from the sphinx at Giza to the marvels of Tutankhamen’s tomb. It is truly a land where the monument building instincts of man seem to have been on permanent overdrive!

Nature too, has been more than generous here, from the life giving Nile to the brilliant Red Sea coral reefs. For this combination of manmade and natural beauty, Egypt has stirred the imagination of travellers from all over the world—from Alexander the Great and the vandalizing Romans to the plundering tomb-raiders who arrived at the turn of this century from Europe. Through all these invasions, Egyptian culture has not only survived, but flourished -a testament of its inner vitality and resilience.

Today, Egypt is a country of contrasts, from its chaotic and over-populated cities to the vast deserts holding ancient secrets in their

wombs.

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The Sphinx lost it's nose in 1798 when Napolean soldiers used it for target practice.

Silver was considered more valuable then gold in Ancient Egypt.

In ancient times the houses of Egyptians were made up of dried mud bricks, only the temples for gods were made out of stone.

In ancient Egypt cat was a symbol of fertility and sexuality, because of which egyptians painted their eye to mimic those of cats. They used to love their pet cats so much that if a cat dies they would shave off their eyebrows and mourn until their eyebrows grew back.

Egyptians were the first to use pigeons as messengers.

The longest reigning king in Egypt was Pepy II. He became King when he was only six years old and ruled until he was 94.

The Egyptians of yore had very forward thinking – did you know they have a history of firsts? First to invent the comb, scissors, lock, paper, key, makeup, beer and even toothpaste and tooth brush! Incidentally makeup and cosmetics were invented not for beauty purposes initially, but as a protection for their alabaster skin. They also invented the art

of writing with ink and paper.

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Historically Speaking

Egypt has been the cradle of one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with a recorded history of 6000 years, even older than the Pharaohs. The Nile has been the center of all economic, social and cultural life in Egypt over the ages and its basin has witnessed the settling of diverse kingdoms since early times. These kingdoms were united by Menes in 3000 BC, paving the way for the grandest era of the Egyptian civilization. This was followed by a period of mostly indigenous rule for 2700 years by over 30 dynasties, which produced some of the best-known and best-loved Egyptian artifacts we know today. Alexander the Great’s invasion was the beginning of a prolonged period of foreign rule by various groups—the Ptolemies, and later, the Romans and the Islamic armies who arrived here in 640 AD. Under the Islamic dynasties, Cairo became a vibrant and cultured city, which attracted scholars from all over the world—this heritage makes Cairo an even more interesting destination.

Egypt was unfortunately introduced to modernity through imperialism—it passed under the Ottoman Turkish Empire in the 16th century. In time, the

waning of the power of this empire was a sufficient signal for a local ‘satrap’ called Mohamed Ali to assert his autonomy from the Empire. However, under the rule of his successors and the subsequent undertaking of ambitious public works programmes like the Suez Canal by them, Egypt became trapped in severe economic crisis by the 19th century. In 1882, British and French authorities took charge of Egyptian finances, and Egypt became a virtual colony—a ‘protectorate’ with a puppet monarchy.

This situation gave birth to the nationalist hero Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, who overthrew the monarchy in a coup in 1952. Nasser went on to become a respected third world leader and one of the founding members of the Non-Aligned Movement—NAM. He was able to secure vital foreign aid for national development projects (for example-the construction of the Aswan Dam), and military assistance to fight Israel. Israel’s interest in Egyptian territory like Mount Sinai was to prove a costly distraction from national goals for Nasser and his successors, and it resulted in the closure of the Canal for many years. The Camp David Accord signed by Nasser’s successor President Anwar Sadat finally brought peace and regained Sinai for Egypt, plus improved relations with the USA, but cost him his relations with Arab neighbours in the Middle East, and ultimately, his life—Sadat was assassinated in 1981 by Islamic hardliners who saw his rapprochement with Israel as a betrayal of his Islamic ties.

Sadat was succeeded by President Hosni Mubarak whose main priorities have been the improvement of relations with the Arab world and tackling the rising threat of Islamic fundamentalism at home. He has been more successful at the former, establishing Egypt’s role a peace-broker between the Arabs and Israel. Mubarak went on to achieve normalization of relations with Libya, and even managed to secure a US$14 billion debt relief from the USA, following his participation in the Gulf War in an anti-Iraq alliance. However, as mentioned, the threat of Islamic fundamentalist violence is the biggest challenge to his regime yet.

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Habitat

The Nile has been the source of life in Egypt for 6000 years, and the fertile Nile Valley is home for most Egyptians. There has been a tendency for the banks of the Nile to flood annually, a problem which has been solved by the construction of the Aswan dam. However, the Dam has also created environmental and social problems—it has destroyed the fishing and agricultural practices of the Nubian people who lived near the High Dam. The Nile valley is flanked on the left by the Eastern (Arabian) Desert and on the right, by the Western (Libyan) Desert. Apart from a few lush oases, this terrain is mostly inhospitable. The other main geographical feature is the much fought-over Sinai region (including Egypt’s tallest peak, Mt Sinai, where Moses received his Ten Commandments, and Mt St Catherine). The Red Sea coast in the south boasts some spectacular coral reefs, which attract deep-sea divers from all over the world.

Egypt is the entry point for migrating birds en route from Europe to Africa. This, however, makes them especially vulnerable to bird-hunters. The list of environmental vices rampant in Egypt includes killing of

waterfowl/other animals in protected areas, poaching and illegal sale of ivory, and the dangerous levels of pollution in Cairo. Recently, the government has made some efforts towards demarking protected environment zones like the Elba region on the Red Sea coast, and enforcing protection laws.

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