Egypt State Information Service

Egypt, commonly known as “Land of Civilizations”, is reputed worldwide for its distinct 7,000-year-old record of civilization and immense wealth of knowledge.

This has made Egypt a master and a pioneer of science, arts, culture, architecture as well as almost all fields of human knowledge.

Amongst all civilizations and nations, Egypt has always been maintaining a unique position.

It is situated at the centre of three old world continents: Africa, Asia and Europe. It overlooks the Red and Mediterranean seas, as well as the Suez and Aqaba Gulfs.

On its land, the Suez Canal runs, as one of the major waterways in the world. Egypt has a foot in the Asian continent, though it belongs to the African continent, through which the River Nile runs, as the artery of life for Egypt's people.

Egypt is one of a few countries all over the world that has kept its name unchanged over history. Now, let us probe into the origin of this name.

In this connection, various explanations are provided. According to some Arab historians, this area was named “Misr” (the Arabic equivalent of Egypt) before the “Deluge” at the time of Prophet Noah when Nicraus, son of Misraim, son of Markable, son of Roible, son of Gheriab, son of Adam, peace be upon him, landed there.

In recognition of his father, Nicraus named it after him. Others maintain that Egypt was so named after Misr, son of Binsar, son of Hum, son of Noah who landed there after the Deluge. During the Pharaonic era, Egypt was known by several names such as “ Kimpit”, i.e. “black land” as distinct from yellow desert land or red mountainous land, and as “Thimera” or Thamir', i.e. “fertile black land”.

Egypt and Memphis were also known as “Hiko Ptah” or “Ko Ptah" i.e. "land of the god Ptah”. It was from these names that the Greeks derived the Greek word “Aigyptus” from which the current name of Egypt was in turn derived.

Lexically, the Arabic word for Egypt “Misr” means an across-the-border country, rich with treasures or an urban area.

More important is that Egypt was explicitly mentioned several times in the Holy Qura'n. In his masterpiece “ The ldentity of Egypt”, the eminent geographer Dr. Gamal Hemdan says, “Among the Arabs, Egypt occupies a unique position.

However, this unique position is further enhanced by its geographical location. Most outstanding about such location is that Egypt is as vital as the heart to the body, the show-pie and point of liaison between Arab-Asian and Arab-African countries.

” While it is understood that Egypt is a part of the Arab Mashreq (Orient) and that it combines a blend of both the Arab Mashreq and the Arab Maghreb (Oxidant), it is Egypt that introduced the Maghreb to the Mashreq geographically and historically.

Egypt is not only a geographical but also a historical and ethnic unit. By all standards, the Egyptians are a whole, united people. Thanks to its location, the Egyptian people intermingled with other races and nations who all melted into a homogeneous human entity that took part in all realms of human activity.

This face can be clearly evidenced by the historical achievements made throughout various eras of history. Egypt's map is constantly expanding and changing in urban and demographic terms. Generations after generations follow coping with new changes, all leaving their own imprint over years.

In view of the major events affecting Egypt and the world at large in the framework of a new world order already in the making with the advent of the 21st Century, Egypt pursues its forward march and cultural role.

This is now an essential feature of globalization and the communication and information revolution, whereby Egypt can easily cope with the hectic and rapid changes of the Third Millennium. Land Contour Location Egypt lies between latitudes 22° and 32° north of the equator and between longitudes 24° and 37° east of Greenwich line. Geographical Borders: Egypt is bounded as follows:

* To the north, by the Mediterranean with a 955-km-long coast. * To the east, by the Red Sea with a 1941-km-long coast. * To the northeast, by 265-km-long borders with Palestine and Israel.

* To the south, by 1280-km-long borders with Sudan. Area The Arab Republic of Egypt has a total area of about 1,002,000 km2 of which 55367 km2, i.e. 5.5 % are populated.

Cairo, the capital of the Arab Republic of Egypt, is the largest city in the Arab world and Africa in order of population estimated at 7.787 million and a total area of 2000 km2. Cairo is a time-honoured city, with an outstanding position among world capitals.

1- Nile Valley and Delta: It has an area of about 33,000 km2, i.e. less than 4 % of the total area of the country. It extends in the south from north of Wadi Halfa up to the Mediterranean coast in the north. It is divided into:

* Upper Egypt, extending from Wadi Halfa to the south of Cairo. * Lower Egypt (Nile Delta), extending from the north of Cairo to the Mediterranean.

* The River Nile, extending over 1532 km from Egypt's southern borders through two estuaries up to the Mediterranean.

The two estuaries are Damietta and Rosetta which embrace the fertile agricultural lands.

2- Western Desert: The Western Desert occupies an area of about 680,000 km2, i.e. 68% of Egypt's total area extending from the Nile Valley in the east to the Libyan borders in the west, and from the Mediterranean in the north to Egypt's southern borders that are divided into two sections:

a- The Northern Section: including the coastal plain, the northern plateau and the Great Depressions area, including Siwa Oasis, Qattara Depression, Natroun Valley and Baharia Oasis. b- The Southern Section: including Farafra, Kharga and Dakhla oases and al-Owainat to the extreme south.

3- Eastern Desert Its area is about 225,000 km2, i.e. 28% of Egypt's total area. The Eastern Desert is marked with the eastern mountains that range along the Red Sea with peaks that rise up to about 3000 feet above sea level. This desert is fraught with the Egyptian natural resources, including various ores such as gold, coal and oil.

4- Sinai Peninsula With an area of about 6100 km2, i.e. 6% of Egypt's total area, Sinai is shaped like a triangle whose base rests in the north and its apex in the south. It is bounded by the Mediterranean to the north, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east and the Gulf of Suez and Suez Canal to the west. In terms of terrain, Sinai is divided into three main sections:

- The Southern Section Involving extremely rough terrain. It is composed of high rise granite mountains. Here Mount Catherine rises about 2,637 metres above sea level thus making it the highest mountain top in Egypt. - The Central Section It comprises the central plateaus, known as at-Teeh Plateau, where valleys slope gradually towards the Mediterranean.

- The Northern Section - It comprises the area bounded by the Mediterranean to the west and at-Teeh Plateau to the south.

It is a plain area, where abundant rain water falls from southern heights and central plateaus.

Egypt lies within the dry tropical region, except for the northern parts that lie within the warm moderate region, with a semi-Mediterranean climate characterized by hot dry summers and moderate winters with little rain falls, potentially heavier along coastal areas.

Annual average temperature in Lower Egypt ranges from 20o centigrade during the day to 7o centigrade at night. In Upper Egypt, average temperature ranges from a maximum of 25o centigrade to a minimum of 17o centigrade.

Egypt's land area is about 238 million feddans, of which 8.2 million feddans are cultivated, while the remaining part consists of deserts, lakes and territorial water. Water Resources Egypt depends for its water supply on three fresh water sources, namely surface water from the Nile, rain and storm water and subterranean water, as well as some other sources.

Quantity of available water resources for the year 2005/ 06 showed 69.7 billion cubic metre, 85% used in agriculture, 9.5% in industry and 5.5% in potable water per annum.

The Arab Republic of Egypt possesses a huge wealth from major minerals, including oil, phosphate, iron, and manganese. The major products of stone quarries are represented in granite, basalt, marble, limestone, sand, and glass.

Ancient Egyptians were among the first nations to implement the systematic registration of birth and mortality rates in official registrations, now known as “The life Registration”.

The Egyptians were also keen on providing a lot of information by establishing a central archive named as “The Royal Archive” to preserve and store official documents.

Successive censuses conducted during the 20th Century show that Egypt's population is continuously increasing.

* According to the last estimates of population on 1-1-2006, Egypt's population is estimated at 76.480.426 million.

* The recent rapid increase of population is the result of the rise of population growth rate due to the rapid decrease of mortality rates than that of birth rates.

* Despite Egypt's relatively large area, the inhabited areas represent approximately 5.5% of Egypt's total surface area. The biggest governorate of a population increase is Cairo, at a rate of 10.7%, followed by Giza 8.64% and Sharqia 7.36%.

In January, 2006, the population in the Arab Republic of Egypt is estimated at 76,480,426, of whom 37,100,853 i.e. 51.1 % are males and 35,478,177 i.e. 48.9 % are females, and of whom 72,579,030 are at home and 3,91,396 are abroad.

- The population in urban areas is estimated at 31,949,689 i.e. 42.64 %, and in rural areas is estimated at 41,629,341 i.e. 57.36 % of total population.

B- Population from 6 years and below 10 years are estimated at about 5,043,247 i.e. 6.95 % of total population.

C- Population from 10 years and below 15 years are estimated at about 7,796,386 at a rate of 10.74 % of total population.

D- Population above 15 years and below 60 years are estimated at about 44,961,447, i.e. 61.95 % of total population.

E- Elderly population, i.e. above 60 years are estimated at about 4,553,694, i.e. 6.27 % of total population.

Egypt is almost the only country in the Arab and Middle East regions, whose elite of its sons have won the global Nobel Prize four times within 27 years, two of which are peace prizes (awarded to President Sadat in 1978 and Prof. Muhammad el Bara'dei in 2005), in literature to Egypt's laureate Naguib Mahfouz in 1988, and in chemistry to Professor Ahmed Zewail in 1999.

1- Sadat … The Hero of War and Peace He was born in Meet Abul-Kom village, Menoufia governorate on December 25, 1918.

He was one of the free officers of the July 1952 Revolution, who delivered the first statement in which royalty was terminated and the republican rule was declared. After the success of the Revolution, he assumed several positions, salient of which was vice president, from 1964 to 1966.

Then, he was chosen by President Gamal Abdel Nasser for the same position in 1969. After Nasser's death in 1970, Sadat became the third president of Egypt.

He led the October war in 1973, called for peace out of power, and made his historic visit to Israel that stunned the world in 1977. And in 1979, the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel was signed.

During his term in office, he adopted the economic open-door policy, and took the decision of resuming navigation in the Suez Canal in 1975.

He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 1978 for his persistent efforts to achieve peace in the Middle East.

He was assassinated on October 6, 1981, and was buried near his death place, close to the Unknown Soldier tomb.

2- Naguib Mahfouz … from Gamalia to Nobel Prize He is the most famous of the Arab Laureates known in the world, and the first to win the Nobel Prize in literature in 1988. Born on December 11,1911.

He was granted the Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1934. He spent his childhood in Cairo old quarter, which were the focus of attention in his literary works. Since 1959, he assumed several positions relevant to arts, till his retirement in 1971.

Most of his works were translated into different languages, and were recorded in the American Congress as one of the eminent writers in the world. Most of his 50 novels and short stories have been translated into 33 languages, salient of which are:

- Youm Katl Al-Za'im (the Day of A leader's Death) novel-1985. - Sabah el-Ward (Rosy Morning) short stories-1987.

The Arabic Language Academy prize on his description of Khan el-Khalili, the State Merit Award in literature in 1968, Order of the Republic, first class in 1972, and the Collar of the Nile.

3- Ahmed Zewail… Brilliant Success and Incessant Giving An outstanding Egyptian scientist who was granted many global awards for his tremendous scientific achievements, salient of which is Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1999. He was born in 1946 in Damanhour city.

He joined the Faculty of Sciences, Alexandria University, and was granted the Bachelor of Sciences degree in chemistry in 1967.

He worked as a tutor at the college, then MA in light science was conferred upon him. He travelled to the United States on a scholarship, and was granted PhD in Laser from Penslvania University.

Then, he worked as a researcher at California University (1974-1976), and moved to "Cultic" University which is the biggest scientific university in the United States.

He assumed several positions in the university until he became an associate professor of chemistry, which is the highest ranking university post in America. He published more than 350 researches in specialized scientific magazines such as Science and Nature magazines.

He works as a visiting professor at more than 10 universities in the world, besides the American University in Cairo.

He gave hundreds of lectures all over the world, and his name is on the Board of Honour in the United States, which comprises the most eminent characters who contributed to the American revival.

His name is the 18th of the 29 celebrities being the most important laser scientists in USA. He was granted many decorations and global awards for his pioneering researches in "Laser" and "Vimto" because of which he was awarded 31 prizes, amongst which are Max Blank in Germany, American "Walsh" and "Harion Haw" prizes, King Faissal Award in Sciences, German Hokst prize and Order of Merit of 1st class by President Mubarak in 1994.

He was elected a member at the American Academy of Sciences and Arts, and was awarded the Medal of the Dutch Academy of Sciences and Arts, and the Excellence Award of Leonardo Davenchi.

He was granted the Honorary PhD from Oxford University in England, and the AUC and Alexandria university in Egypt.

He won Benjamin Franklin Award on his discovery of the time unit "Vimto Second". Dr. Zewail won Nobel prize in chemistry in 1999 for his great achievement of studying and photographing atoms of the chemical reactions of various materials

4- Muhammad el-Baradei… The Diplomat and Peace Advocate He is the Chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

He was born on December 17,1942 and got the Bachelor of Law degree from Cairo University in 1962, then PhD in International Law from New York in 1974. He also got many Honorary PhDs from international universities and centres.

He started his career in the Egyptian diplomatic corps in 1964, as a member of Egypt's permanent delegation to the UN in both New York and Geneva. He also worked as Foreign Minister Counsellor from 1974 to 1978. He was appointed as Chief of the IAEA in December 1997, reappointed for a second term in September 2001, and is currently on his third term since September 2005.

Before that, he was a senior staff-member at the IAEA since 1984, as its Legal Counsellor, then the general director assistant of foreign relations affairs, 1993.

In 1980, he left the diplomatic corps to be a fellow of the UN Institute for Training and Research UNITAR, so as to be responsible for International Law programmes. From 1981 to 1987, he was a part- time professor of International Law at New York University, School of Law.