Egypt – General info

Location: Northeast Africa

Area: 1,001,450 sq km

Population: 71,236,000 (2006)

Population density: 71 per sq km

Capital: Cairo (El Kahira) – Population: 7,836,000 (2006)

Form of government: Presidential republic since 1953, constitution of 1971, emergency laws have been in force since 1981. Bicameral parliament (People’s Assembly and Shura Council). Independent since 1922 (former British protectorate)

Geography: Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north and Sudan to the south, Libya to the west and the Red Sea and Israel to the east. The Nile Delta is located in Lower Egypt and the Nile Valley in Upper Egypt. East of the Suez Canal lies the Sinai Peninsula. About 99% of the population lives in the delta of the Nile Valley, which is dominated by agriculture. Oases are the only remnants of the formerly fertile lowlands. The narrow coastal regions on the Mediterranean Sea and on the African side of the Red Sea are inhabited. The flood is dammed up by the Aswan Dam; mmt, which used to flood the Nile Valley.

Language: The official language is Arabic. French and English are widely spoken.

Religion
94% of the inhabitants are Muslims (almost exclusively Sunnis). 6% are Christian minorities.

Local time
CET + 1. The last Friday in April to the last Friday in September: CET + 2 (Daylight Saving Time in Egypt = Standard Time CET (Winter Time in Central Europe) + 2 hours). The difference to Central Europe is + 1 hour in winter and summer

Mains voltage
220 V, 50 Hz. In some rural areas, 110-380 V. Two-pin sockets are standard.

Egypt is mostly located in the subtropical dry belt with low amounts of rainfall. An exception is the Nile Delta and the approximately 700 km long coast of the Mediterranean, where there is often winter precipitation.

Egypt is divided into five climatically different weather zones:
Mediterranean and Nile Delta
the climate here is characterized by mild winters and very warm summers. The average daily temperatures are 17-20 degrees. In the night it will cool down to 8-11 degrees.

The northern regions around Alexandria have about 30 rainy days a year (mostly in winter). The highest temperatures are in spring. Summer and autumn are also very hot. The daily values vary from 28-32 degrees with maximum values around 45 degrees. At night, the temperature drops to 19-24 degrees. The humidity is 60-75% on an annual average, which makes the temperatures seem even higher. The water has a temperature of about 28 degrees in summer and 17 degrees in winter.

In the lower Nile Valley (from Cairo to Asyut) you will find rather mild winters. In summer, however, it is considerably hotter with low precipitation and a humidity of 40-60%. The average temperature is 18-22 degrees during the day and 4-9 degrees at night. The maximum temperatures will be 48 degrees.

In the upper Nile Valley, the winter months are rather mild, while spring and autumn are usually warm. The summer months, on the other hand, are very hot and dry. In Luxor, it rains on average 2 days per year. Maximum temperatures of 50 degrees have already been measured.
Red Sea Coast
Here, mostly mild to warm winters prevail with temperatures above 20 degrees, even at night. The summer is long, hot and extremely dry. The bathing temperatures in the sea are from 20-29 degrees.

The Sinai occupies a special position due to its geographical location. The weather here is different from the Egyptian mainland, with very cool temperatures in winter, which do not exceed 15 degrees C during the day at higher altitudes. At night it is quite cool with 5 degrees. In summer, however, temperatures rise to 32 degrees with humidity of 20-40%. It rains on 1-3 days a year.
Best time to visit Egypt
In the Luxor area, the best time is from November to March.

The best time to travel in the Cairo area is between October and April.

The best time to visit the Red Sea is from April to October.

Except for the banks of the Nile and the delta, Egypt is a very dry country. In the delta area and on the Nile, there are many waterfowl such as herons, cranes and Nile gauge; nse.

In the winter months, many Europeans join in; migratory birds. Birds of prey and carrion such as the kite, the lamb vulture and the hawk are also native.

In addition to the domesticated camels, larger mammals of the country are donkeys, sheep and goats as well as jackals, hyauml; feneks, wildcats and, in the mountains of the country, the ibex. Wild camels no longer exist. You can also encounter jackals and wild boars. In addition, the mongooses live here, which are the only ones to compete with the cobras.

In the desert you can find hares, springmauml; many species of lizards as well as scorpions. The Fenek is an elegant desert fox with huge ears. He is shy but also curious.

On the Nile is the auml; Egyptian cobra at home. Crocodiles still live on Lake Nasser. In the Nile and in the lakes on the delta coast, you can still find more than 160 different species of fish.

About 70 different plant species are endemic to Egypt.

Due to the dry conditions and intensive agricultural use, the flora of Egypt is largely composed of cultivated plants.

A more pronounced vegetation can be found in Egypt especially in the Nile Delta, in the Nile Valley and in the oases. The most common tree species is the date palm.

Native trees are also mulberry trees, tamarisks, acacias and carob trees.

Introduced tree species are cypress, elm, eucalyptus, mimosa and various fruit trees.

Especially on the alluvial soils of the delta area, a diverse flora thrives with vines, various vegetables and especially flowers such as lotus, jasmine and roses.

In the arid areas, half-grass and various thorn bush species can be found. The papyrus bush, which once grew on large parts of the banks of the Nile, now only grows in the far south of the country.

from 10,000 to 3,000 BC
The settlement of the Nile region takes place. Again and again, the Nile overflows its banks and leaves fertile soil behind. People live together in tribes. They organize agriculture together. Favourable climatic conditions and the ability to live together in an organised way allow a high culture to grow in Egypt.

Early period – approx. 3,000 to 2,700 BC
In the so-called early or prehistoric period, the rival tribes of Lower and Upper Egypt come together and unite. Memphis becomes the capital of the newly formed empire. During this time, the pharaoh dynasties were born. In the 1st and 2nd dynasties, papyrus, hieroglyphics (invention of writing) and calendars (with 365 days) were developed.

The Old Kingdom – ca. 2,700 to 2,200 BC
In the 3rd to 6th dynasties, there is a heyday. It is also known as the “Pyramid Age”. Among other things, the three pyramids of Giza were built in this age.

The First Intermediate Period – ca. 2,200 to 2,000 BC
The 7th to 11th dynasties are characterized by the decline of the influence of the pharaohs. Unrest causes the empire to disintegrate. Thebes becomes the capital of a sub-empire and gains considerably in importance.

ca. 2,000 to 1,600 BC
Mentuhotep II reunited the country. Egypt experiences a second period of prosperity (Middle Kingdom, 11th to 14th dynasty). Thebes is no longer a capital, but remains the cultural center. A large number of temples are built, but the pharaohs lose their position of power.

ca. 1,600 to 1,500 BC
The empire disintegrates again. Due to the internal insecurity, the Hyksos (Asian people) conquer the country. Now the Second Intermediate Period (14th to 17th Dynasty) begins.

New Kingdom – ca. 1,500 to 1,100 BC
The country is united. The 18th dynasty begins. In the New Kingdom (18th to 20th dynasties), Egypt becomes a great power and a cultural heyday begins. During this time, famous pharaohs such as Ramses II, Akhenaten with his wife Nefertiti or Queen Hatshepsut ruled the country. Many temples are being built in the Valley of the Kings.

Third Intermediate Period – ca. 1,100 to 700 BC
Egypt is divided into a northern and a southern empire. The Third Intermediate Period (21st to 24th Dynasty) begins. The country is now ruled by Libyan princes.

Late Period – 700 to 332 BC
From the 25th to the 30th dynasty there is another heyday. In the meantime, the Persians rule the country, but are expelled again.

332 BC
The country is conquered by Alexander the Great, he founds Alexandria.

332 to 30 BC
The Greeks gain supremacy in Egypt. Cleopatra tries to found a new empire. She allies herself with Julius Caesar. After Caesar’s assassination, she lives with his successor Marcus Antonius. She is declared an enemy by the Romans. The Romans defeat the Egyptians. Cleopatra commits suicide.

30 BC to 700 AD
Egypt becomes the Roman province and the granary of Rome. Christianity is gaining in importance. Coptinism is forming. New monasteries are built. Monasticism emerges.

7th to 16th centuries
The Arabs conquer Egypt and bring the Islamic faith with them. Islamic tribes are defending themselves against the crusades of the Christians.

16th to 17th centuries
The Turks conquer Egypt and it is incorporated into the Ottoman Empire.

1798 – 1805
Napoleon Bonaparte conquers Egypt. A few years later, he retired again.

1805 to 1849
Under Mohammed Ali, Egypt is industrialized.

1869
The Suez Canal is opened.

1914 – 1922
The British make Egypt a British protectorate.

1922 – 1952
Egypt is a parliamentary monarchy. The king was expelled by a coup d’état in 1952.

1953
Egypt becomes a republic.

1967
Egypt closes the Suez Canal to Israeli shipping. This leads to the Six-Day War between Israel and Egypt. Israel occupies Sinai.

1970
The Second Aswan High Dam is built. The Nasser reservoir is created from this.

from 1974
Peace negotiations with Israel take place with the result that an agreement is concluded on the return of the Israeli-occupied Sinai Peninsula.

1979
Egypt is excluded from the Arab League because of the peace treaty with Israel. Islamic fundamentalists criticize Egypt’s policies.

1981
President Sadat is assassinated. His successor, Mubarak, is keeping the agreements from the peace treaty with Israel and improving relations with the Arab states.

1992 – 1997
Islamic fundamentalists carry out attacks on civilians with the aim of establishing an Islamic state.

since 1997
Egypt is becoming the most important mediator in the Middle East conflict.

There is no such thing as Egyptian cuisine in the traditional sense. Most common dishes originally come from Arabic (Lebanese and Syrian) cuisine. That’s where the recipes for Baba Ghanouj or Salata Tahina come from. A regional speciality is the tameya, the Egyptian variant of falafel.

Egyptian cuisine is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine. Bechamel sauce, moussaka and stuffed vine leaves are often found on the Egyptian menu.

In Egyptian cuisine, the dishes are usually spicy. The desserts are almost always quite sweet. The dinner is extremely productive. You sit together in a large group for a long time.

Tea or thin coffee is drunk for breakfast. As a side dish, there are sweet pastries or white bread with tomatoes, cucumbers, sheep’s cheese or yoghurt. At lunchtime, usually only small meals of fresh vegetables or a few bites of meat are eaten together with pita bread (kebap).

Dinner often consists of an appetizer (mezze) with a variety of smaller bites. These consist of salads or stuffed vegetables. The main course is various fish or meat dishes (lamb, chicken, beef – but no pork in Islam). The rule applies a lot and quickly. The dessert consists of sweet cake or pudding or fresh fruit. Fruit juices or local beer are available to drink. The traditional drink is tea. Tea is drunk on every occasion.

It is still quite common to eat with your hand (the left hand must not touch the food). Outside, however, they always eat with European cutlery. At family dinners, you eat with cutlery or by hand.

To credibly signal to the host that you are full, you leave the dining table and sit down in the living room, which is usually next door. In the eyes of Europeans, this is certainly rude, but in Egypt it is completely normal.
Daily menu
Vegetables from the Nile Valley: Bamya, also known as okra, beans (ful) and falafel, tomatoes and flatbread and rice. Meat and poultry are expensive and are only served on festive days. Drinks, juices, karkade (red mallow tea), strong black tea with peppermint and of course water are available. Excellent wines are produced in the Nile Delta. We recommend the quaffable Stella Lager beer, produced in the only brewery in the country.
Food, Drink, Health
You can eat without worries in the better restaurants. Salads should be avoided, which are often washed with impure tap water. If you have an insensitive stomach, you should try a portion of kusheri (lentils with rice and noodles, roasted onions in a spicy tomato sauce with lots of garlic). Meat should always be well done.

On hot days, you should always drink a lot, up to 3 liters a day. Mineral water only from bottles with original cap.