Egypt Profile – Important Facts, People and History
We often make associations in our minds at one point in our lives and end up never forgetting them. When we make associations with countries and reduce them to one aspect, we end up ignoring all the other beautiful things about them. For instance, if the first thing that comes to your mind is Big Ben, when someone mentions the UK, you will be missing out on all the other amazing things about the country. From beautiful landscapes to museums, there is a lot that the UK can offer to a tourist. But people often end up missing out on things only because of their limited associations.
Egypt:
The world today knows Egypt as the home of the pyramids. Although the pyramids have a history of their own and are important structures, they aren’t the only thing you should know about this beautiful country. The population of over a hundred million people makes Egypt the most populous country in both the Arab World and North Africa. It is considered a regional power in North Africa and the Middle East. It is also a very important country in the Muslim world due to its strong economy. It is expected to become one of the largest economies in the world in this century.
Important Facts About Egypt:
Here are some important facts about this African country:
- Longest History:
The country has one of the longest histories in the world. Its heritage can be traced back to the 4th millennia BCE. Known as Ancient Egypt in history, the region was the cradle of civilization back then. Some of the earliest development of urbanization, agriculture, writing, and central government occurred within the boundaries of Ancient Egypt.
- Urban Population:
More than half of the country’s population lives in urban areas. Cairo, the capital city, is one of the most densely populated regions in the country. Other densely populated areas include the city of Alexandria and the region around the Nile Delta.
- Calendar:
The 365 days calendar that we use today was invented in Egypt. The calendar was divided into twelve months in this country. Ancient Egyptians invented the calendar so they can predict the annual flooding of the Nile river. It is just one of the many inventions offered by Egyptians to the world.
- Gods:
Before Egypt became an Islamic country, it was an important center of Christianity. The people of Egypt worshipped numerous gods. They had so many different gods that every city had its own favorite. But all of that change after the arrival of Islam in the region.
- The Great Pyramids:
People have a lot of misconceptions about the Great Pyramids, but the biggest one is that they were built by slaves. In reality, they were built by laborers who were paid their wages. The laborers considered it an honor to work for the Pharaoh. Those who died during the building of the pyramids were buried in tombs near the Great Pyramids.
The People of Egypt:
The people of Egypt are called Egyptians. The majority of the population lives on a small strip of cultivable land in the lower Nile Valley. They speak local varieties of Arabic that are all mutually intelligible. Most of the population follows Sunni Islam. A small percentage of the population are Coptic Christians. Their liturgical language is Coptic.
The dominant physical features of Egyptians can be attributed to the admixture of indigenous people with those of Arab ancestry. People with blonde and red hair and blue eyes can be seen in urban areas. These physical characteristics are due to the intermarriages between immigrants and natives. The population in rural areas is more homogenous because they have not been affected by intermarriages.
The behavior of Egyptians towards their community varies from one region to the next. Those living in the middle Nile valley are considered more conservative than the rest of the population of the country. Nomadic groups are also quite common in Egypt and can often be found in different regions of the desert of the country.
History of Egypt:
It wasn’t until the humans managed to decipher hieroglyphics that they become familiar with the history of Ancient Egypt. One of the world’s earliest human structure was found in this country and was estimated to date back to 100,000 BC. The country was conquered by Alexander the Great in 332 BC. His rule ended when the region was taken over by the Romans. After the Roman Empire, Muslims became the rulers of the country. Different parts of the country were ruled over by various caliphates.
When the Muslim rule ended, the country became an autonomous tributary state. But that changed when the British occupied the land. After the revolution of 1919, the Kingdom of Egypt was established. However, the British retained control over all the important matters of the state. The people of the country were not pleased with this situation and did not see the creation of the kingdom as beneficial to them. It wasn’t until 1953 that the country became fully independent.
After 2500 years of foreign occupation, the country was finally ruled by the natives. Although Egypt continued to face social and political problems after its independence, it has not stopped working towards a better future. The current economic situation of the country is very positive and is expected to get better in the near future. The Egyptians are finally going to get the future that they always dreamed of.
