Egypt

circa 3100 BCE – Unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh (Narmer/Menes)

circa 2600–2500 BCE – Construction of Great Pyramids of Giza

332 BCE – Conquest by Alexander the Great; Ptolemaic dynasty established

30 BCE – Egypt becomes a Roman province after Cleopatra VII’s death

641 CE – Arab Muslim conquest; Islam introduced

969 CE – Cairo founded by the Fatimids

1517 – Egypt becomes part of the Ottoman Empire

1798–1801 – Napoleon’s campaign in Egypt

1882 – British occupation begins

February 28, 1922 – Egypt gains nominal independence from Britain (date of modern state formation)

1952 – Egyptian Revolution; monarchy overthrown

June 18, 1953 – Republic declared

1956 – Suez Crisis; Nasser nationalizes the Suez Canal

1979 – Egypt becomes first Arab nation to sign peace treaty with Israel (Camp David Accords)

2011 – Arab Spring; Hosni Mubarak steps down

2013 – Military removes President Morsi after mass protests

2014 – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi elected president

2022–2025 – Economic reforms, major infrastructure projects (e.g. New Administrative Capital), ongoing challenges with inflation and population growth

Location: Northeastern Africa (with Sinai Peninsula in Asia)
Capital: Cairo
Language: Arabic (Modern Standard Arabic; Egyptian Arabic spoken)
Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Population: ~111 million (last updated: April 2025)
Time Zone: Eastern European Time (EET)

Borders: Libya, Sudan, Israel, Palestinian Territories (Gaza Strip)
Landscape: Nile River Valley and Delta, deserts (Western and Eastern), Sinai Peninsula
Major Water Bodies: Nile River, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Lake Nasser
Notable Features: Sahara Desert, Suez Canal, Mount Sinai

Ethnic Groups: Predominantly Egyptian (~99%), with small Nubian, Bedouin, Berber, and immigrant communities
Religion: Predominantly Islam (Sunni), with small Christian minority (mainly Coptic Orthodox) (last updated: 2021)
Urban Population: ~43% (last updated: 2023)
Youthful Population: ~33% under age 15 (last updated: 2024)

Famous For: Ancient civilization, pyramids, temples, literature, film
Cuisine: Ful medames, koshari, molokhia, kebab, taameya (Egyptian falafel)
Arts: Ancient Egyptian art, Arabic calligraphy, cinema, music, belly dancing
Sports: Football (soccer), squash, handball, wrestling

Economy Type: Mixed economy with large public sector
GDP: Approx. $408 billion USD (last updated: 2024)
Major Industries: Tourism, textiles, agriculture, construction, petroleum, Suez Canal services
Key Exports: Petroleum products, cotton, textiles, chemicals, food products
Unemployment Rate: ~7.1% (last updated: 2024)
Economic Zones: Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), Cairo metropolitan industrial areas, Upper Egypt development zones

Government Type: Semi-presidential republic
Head of State: President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (last updated: April 2025)
Head of Government: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly (last updated: April 2025)
Legislature: Bicameral (House of Representatives & Senate)
Constitution: Most recent version adopted in 2014, amended in 2019

Cairo: Egyptian Museum, Pyramids of Giza, Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
Luxor: Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple
Aswan: Philae Temple, Nubian culture, Nile cruises
Alexandria: Ancient ruins, Mediterranean beaches, Bibliotheca Alexandrina
Red Sea Riviera: Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada – diving, resorts
Mount Sinai: Religious pilgrimage and trekking site

UNESCO World Heritage Sites: 7 (last updated: 2023)