Egypt, officially known as the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia. It is one of the world’s oldest civilizations, with a history dating back to the 10th millennium BC. Egypt is known for its ancient monuments, such as the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx.
Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, the Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. The country has a diverse landscape, with the Nile River running through it, the Sahara Desert to the west, and the Sinai Peninsula to the east.
With a population of over 100 million, Egypt is the third most populous country in Africa and the 14th in the world. The majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River, in an area of about 40,000 square kilometers, where the only arable land is found.
The official language of Egypt is Arabic. However, English and French are also widely understood and spoken, especially in the tourism industry and among the educated population.
Egypt’s economy is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East. It is a mixed economy with emerging markets, with sectors such as tourism, agriculture, industry and services at almost equal production levels. The Egyptian pound is the country’s official currency.
Egyptian culture has six thousand years of recorded history. Ancient Egypt was among the earliest civilizations and for millennia, Egypt maintained a strikingly complex and stable culture that influenced later cultures of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The country’s rich cultural legacy is an integral part of its national identity, which has endured, and often assimilated, various foreign influences, including Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and European.
Egypt has a very high literacy rate, with 92.2% of the population being literate. The education system in Egypt is state-sponsored and set up in three stages: basic education, secondary education, and tertiary education. The country also has a number of private and international schools.
