It is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean Sea, on the east by Israel and the Red Sea, on the south by Sudan, and on the west by Libya. The country has a maximum length from north to south of about 1086 km (about 675 m) and a maximum width, near the southern border, of about 1255 km (about 780 m). It has a total area of about 1,001,450 sq km (about 386,662 sq m). Less than one-tenth of the land area of Egypt is settled or under cultivation, this consists of the valley and delta of the Nile, a number of desert oases, and land along the Suez Canal. More than 90 percent of the country consists of desert areas: In the west, the Libyan Desert, a part of the Sahara Desert which is also known as the Western Desert. The Libyan Desert includes a vast sandy expanse called the Great Sand Sea. Located here are several depressions with elevations below sea level, including the Qattara Depression, which has an area of about 18,000 sq km (about 7000 sq m) and reaches a depth of 133 m (436 ft) below sea level, the lowest point in Africa. Also found here are the oases of Siwa, Kharga, Baharia and Dakhla.
In the east the Arabian Desert, also called the Eastern Desert (which borders the Red Sea and the Gulf of Suez). Much of the Arabian Desert occupies a plateau that rises gradually east from the Nile Valley to elevations of about 600 m (about 2000 ft) in the east and is broken along the Red Sea coast by jagged peaks as high as about 2100 m (about 7000 ft) above sea level.
In the extreme south, along the border with Sudan, is the Nubian Desert, an extensive region of dunes and sandy plains.
The Sinai Peninsula consists of sandy desert in the north and rugged mountains in the south, with summits looming more than about 2100 m (about 7000 ft) above the Red Sea. Mount Catherine (Jabal Katrìnah - 2637 m/8652 ft), the highest elevation in Egypt, is in the Sinai Peninsula, as is Mount Sinai (Jabal Mosa), where, according to the Old Testament, Moses received the Ten Commandments.
The Nile enters Egypt from the Sudan and flows north for about 1545 km (about 960 m) to the Mediterranean Sea. For its entire length, from the southern border to Cairo, the Nile flows through a narrow valley lined by cliffs. Lake Nasser, the world's largest man-made reservoir and formed by the Aswan high dam, extends south across the Sudan border. The lake is about 480 km (about 300 m) long and is about 16 km (10 m) across at its widest point. About two-thirds of the lake lies in Egypt.
South of a point near the town of Idfu, the Nile Valley is rarely more than 3 km (2 m) wide. From Idfu to Cairo, the valley is about 23 km (about 14 m) in width, with most of the arable portion on the western side. In the vicinity of Cairo the valley merges with the delta, a fan-shaped plain, the perimeter of which occupies about 250 km (about 155 m) of the Mediterranean coastline. Silt deposited by the Rosetta (Rashid), Damietta (Dumyat), and other distributaries has made the delta the most fertile region in the country. However, the Aswan High Dam has reduced the flow of the Nile, causing the salty waters of the Mediterranean to erode land along the coast near the Nile.
A series of four shallow, brackish lakes extends along the seaward extremity of the delta. Another larger lake, Birkat Qarun, is situated inland in the desert north of the town of Al Fayoum.
Geographically and traditionally, the Nile Valley is divided into two regions, Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt, the former consisting of the delta area and the latter comprising the valley south of Cairo.
Although Egypt has about 2450 km (about 1520 m) of coastline, two-thirds of which are on the Red Sea, indentations suitable as harbours are confined to the delta. The Isthmus of Suez, which connects the Sinai Peninsula with the African mainland, is traversed from the Mediterranean to the Gulf of Suez by the Suez Canal.
Part of what makes Egypt one of the world's great travel destinations is the pulsing and influential modern Arab state that throbs beneath the surface. Ultimately, the best of the country is understood not so much under the shadow of its great monuments, splendid though they are, but in the call to prayer at sunset, in the chatter of hooves on tarmac in a rural village, or tea and talk with Egypt's garrulous residents in a random coffeehouse.
Location
Middle East, North Africa.
Time
GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Friday in April to last Thursday in September).
Area
1,002,000 sq km (386,874 sq miles). Population
81.7 million (2008 estimate). Population Density
81.5 per sq km. Capital
Cairo (El Qahira). Population: 18.3 million (2008 estimate). Geography
The Mediterranean Sea forms Egypt's northern border, bringing cooler weather to the seaboard city of Alexandria and providing a coastal getaway for Cairo's burgeoning city dwellers. To the east, lies the historic and mountainous Sinai Peninsula, significant to all three ‘religions of the book' - Judaism, Christianity and Islam; Sinai borders Israel and the Palestinian Territories, including the troubled Gaza Strip. To the south, beyond the great Aswan Dam and the now-tamed cataracts of the Nile River, the deserts of Egypt quietly roll into the deserts of Sudan while to the west, the Great Western Desert forms an almost seamless wilderness through Libya and beyond.
Sinai is divided from the main landmass of Africa by the country's busy shipping lane, the Suez Canal. For centuries, however, it was the River Nile, plied by felucca (traditional Nile sailing boats), that provided the main conduit for trade along the country's length. Railways and roads now compete for that distinction, but the Nile remains an important economic and cultural artery, contributing to the character of the settlements along the river's fertile shores from Sudan to the Mediterranean. The Nile perfuses the Delta north of Cairo, supporting 90% of the population in a flood land of cotton and rice-growing crops. The river's potency has been reduced since the building of the Aswan Dam, a building project of immense proportion that some argue has reduced the fecundity of the Nile Valley. On the positive side, the dam has at least provided the country with a safe and reliable electricity supply - and has had the side effect of keeping the crocodiles out.
Traditional home of the roaming Bedouin, most of Egypt's landmass is comprised of flat, mostly featureless desert, supportive of minimal vegetation. A few towns have grown up around the oases that dot the desert. Government
Republic.
Head of State
President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak since 1981.
Recent History
Hosni Mubarak is Egypt's longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world. President Mubarak was re-elected in 2005 for his fifth successive term. In 2005, a constitutional amendment was passed to allow for free and direct presidential elections to be contested by multiple candidates following pressure from the US and domestic political groups. In previous elections, Egyptians voted yes or no for a single candidate appointed by Parliament.
The only opposition organisation which has broad public support, the Muslim Brotherhood, is outlawed and cannot field candidates. Mr Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. He is a great survivor, having escaped no fewer than six assassination attempts. The president appoints the prime minister.
Parliamentary elections in 2007 were won comfortably by the governing National Democracy Party. The recent bombing in February 2009 in the bazaar in Cairo was an isolated incident in an otherwise stable political climate.
Language
Arabic is the official language. English and French are widely spoken. Religion
About 90% of the population are Muslim; the majority of the rest is Christian, including followers of the Coptic Christian faith. There is also a small Jewish minority. Electricity
Most areas 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Certain rural parts still use 110 volts AC. Mostly British-style three-pin plugs. Social Conventions
Islam in Egypt is not a religion reserved for Fridays and holidays - it is a shaping factor in all aspects of daily life. As such, many social conventions stem from the teachings of the Koran, the Muslim holy book. People are enjoined by their religion to be courteous and hospitable and they expect similar respect from visitors. Shaking hands is the normal greeting but men should wait for a woman to offer her hand before assuming it is acceptable. Dress should be conservative and women should not wear revealing clothes, particularly when in religious buildings and in towns (although Western style of dress is accepted at the main archaeological sites and in modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars in Cairo, Alexandria and other tourist destinations). Official or social functions and smart restaurants usually require more formal wear. Smoking is very common. Photography:
Tourists will have to pay a fee to take photographs inside pyramids, tombs and museums.Egyptian Pound (EGP; symbol E£) = 100 piastres. Notes are in denominations of E£200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 1, 50 piastres and 25 piastres. Coins are in denominations of 25, 20, 10 and 5 piastres.British pounds sterling, Euros and the US Dollar are accepted everywhere although change may be given in Egyptian pounds. Currency Exchange
Available at banks, official bureaux de change and most hotels. Banks often have better exchange rates than bureaux de change or hotels. All common international currencies are accepted. Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in all but the smallest hotels and restaurants throughout the country, except in the Western oases.
Traveller's Cheques
These are becoming less useful now that international ATMs are prevalent throughout the country. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take traveller's cheques in US Dollars, Euros or Pounds Sterling. 
Currency RestrictionsBanking Hours
Sun-Thurs 0830-1400.Exchange Rate Indicators
Date Apr 09 £1.00= E£8.25
$1.00= E£5.62
€1.00= E£7.47 Editor's Choice
Not surprisingly for a country that has hosted mass tourism for well over two centuries, there are plenty of accommodation options in the main tourist destinations in Egypt to suit all budgets, from resorts on the River Nile to campsites in the Sinai. There is less choice available in small rural towns or the towns of the Western oases and in the Sinai interior. The resorts and hotels along the Mediterranean coast cater mainly for a local, Egyptian clientele, while most package tourists from Europe flock to the Red Sea and Sinai coast. Most top end and mid-range hotels accept credit card payments, except in the Western Desert. Hotels are generally ranked using the one-to-five star system. Hotels
Top-end hotel accommodation in Egypt surprisingly represents the best value for money. In Cairo, there are some spectacular five-star hotels run by international chains, many of them on the banks of the Nile. In Alexandria, old colonial hotels on the corniche are convenient and have much charm. All cities and resorts offer a choice of mid-range hotels that offer business facilities and help with onward connections. Most require reservations several months in advance, particularly in the winter months. Camping/Caravanning
There are several places in the country to enjoy a night under canvas, particularly at budget-style resorts along the Sinai coast and during trips organised trips to the Sinai interior or the Western Desert. Egypt is not such a good place, however, for ad hoc camping and caravanning as there are many security restrictions in place to protect the country's tourist industry. There are a few official campsites that tourist offices in Egypt can advise about. Resorts
Egypt boasts some beautiful resorts set in landscaped gardens across the country. All the top resorts, at Sharm el-Sheik, Hurghada and Luxor, offer lavish accommodation for less than top-dollar prices. Many include international restaurants, spas and infinity pools, and they are a good place to watch belly dancing or other cultural entertainments. Most can arrange diving and snorkelling, horse- and camel-riding trips, and tours of the desert or to archaeological sites.
Guest Houses
All the main towns have smaller, cheap guesthouses, many of which are family-run and offer the chance to integrate more readily with Egyptian people. Standards vary considerably from simple but clean, to the very basic where bringing your own linen is advisable. Most guesthouses can offer tours and help with transport arrangements. In Cairo, inexpensive accommodation is concentrated in Downtown, above office buildings on and around Sharia Talaat Harb. All tend to be hot in summer.
Weather in Egypt
The Egyptian summer is hot and dry in most of the country, and humid in the Delta and along the Mediterranean Coast. In recent years the humidity has spread to Cairo, and the city swelters in August! Winter is mild with some rain, but usually it is bright, sunny days with cold nights.
During the summertime, sun protection is the most important single consideration for an Egypt trip, especially for the fair-skinned. Wearing a sunhat is essential. Cheap, and pure cotton, sunhats are made locally and available everywhere. Travel clothing should be light and comfortable, 100% cotton clothing is the best and robust shoes are a must! The climate of Egypt is characterized by a hot season from May to October and a cool season from October to May. Extreme temperatures during both seasons are moderated by the prevailing northern winds. -In the coastal region average annual temperatures range from a maximum of 37° C (99° F) to a minimum of 14° C (57° F). Wide variations of temperature occur in the deserts, ranging from a maximum of 46° C (114° F), during daylight hours, to a minimum of 6° C (42° F) after sunset. During the winter season desert temperatures often drop to 0° C (32° F).
The most humid area is along the Mediterranean coast, where the average annual rainfall is about 200mm. Precipitation decreases rapidly to the south; Cairo receives on average only about 29mm of rain each year, and in many desert locations it may rain only once in several years!
There are 5 days called Khamsin between March and April, when sandstorms can occur sporadically, blowing in different places according to the wind direction.
Winter (between October and May) weather is colder than most people anticipate, and cold winds blow over the desert at sunrise and sunset. Even when it is warm outside, it can be surprisingly cold inside the massive stone Temples. In winter, showers can fall everywhere, so bring a few items of light but warm clothing, so that you can cope with the cold early mornings and the occasional, and unseasonable, cold snap.
Bring one or two dressy outfits along for evenings out, especially for parties, and special occasions or just to get out of your tour clothes! If you are staying in a hotel or on a cruise boat, please be warned that luxury hotels and all the Nile Cruises have efficient, but surprisingly pricey laundry services. If you object to paying 12LE for laundry, you can wash out your T-shirts; just bring some detergent with you, as well as a few yards of clothing line.
Also bring a swimsuit, as most good hotels and cruise ships have nice, warm, swimming pools.
If you are heading out into the desert, you will get dry quickly, so make sure that you have a good stock of water with you. Egyptian mineral water is available everywhere at less than 3LE per bottle. Remember to cover your head at all times .
Shopping
No trip to Egypt is complete without a trip to Cairo's famous Khan-el Khalili bazaar where haggling for spices, copper and brass, perfume and trinkets has been refined into an art form. Don't miss Fishawi's tea house; in business for over 200 years, it is the ultimate place to people-watch.
Camel-buyingEgypt's six oases in the vast Western Desert offer a fascinating glimpse of Bedouin and Berber life, often with ancient ruins nearby. Don't miss the White Desert, an area of dazzling white, wind-blown rock forms scattered across the wilderness. Nile cruise
Plying the river between Luxor and Aswan, and generally lasting around three to five days, a boat ride is the quintessential Nile experience. Along the Nile, egrets flock to the water's edge and Egypt's ancient wonders unfold like a story book along the river bank. Hot-air ballooning
Luxor, strewn either side of the Nile, looks good from the ground, better from the river and superb from the air. Rise above the land of the Pharoahs in a hot-air balloon and take a god's-eye view of the colossal works of ancient mortals. Something fishy
A walk along the corniche in Alexandria is a good way to work up an appetite for one of the city's fabled fish suppers. The catch of the day, seasoned with exotic spices and dressed with a dozen mezze (small dishes), is a treat worth being hungry for. Diving
The Red Sea justly deserves its worldwide reputation for peerless underwater adventure. Teeming with a colourful penneth-of-all-sorts, the crystal waters are landscaped with coral and dramatic drop-offs. Head for Ras Mohamed National Par(http://www.rasmohamed.com/) for the underwater world at its best.
Egypt's spectacular coastline is accessible without a wetsuit. Simply wade out with a mask or snorkel or take a glass-bottomed boat from the shores of Sharm el-Sheik and the fish will come to you. Alternatively, soak up the rays from the shore and wait for the cocktails instead. Hiking
For centuries, pilgrims of different denominations have been making the journey up historic Mt Sinai to witness the sun rise across the desert landscape. If the three-hour hike sounds a bit ambitious, stay overnight at St Catherine Monastery, hire a camel and walk down in leisure.
Relive olden days
Aswan, the gateway to Africa, offers a fascinating glimpse of the fast disappearing Nubian culture. For hints of a more recent colonial past, take tea on the terrace of the Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie penned Death on the Nile. Golf
While it's not a sport readily associated with Egypt, the country is now making quite a name for itself and offers almost 20 courses. They range from locations within sight of Cairo's Pyramids to settings alongside the Red Sea.
Top Things To See
Landmarks of the atmospheric corners of Medieval Cairo include Midan Hussein Square with its tea houses and imposing Mosque of Sayyidna Al-Hussein, the Al-Azhar Mosque with the world's oldest university, the Museum of Islamic Art and the Citadel with its panoramic views of the sprawling city.Understandably one of the country's greatest attractions, the Egyptian Museum (http://www.egyptianmuseum.gov.eg/) houses over 130,000 exhibits, including Pharaonic and Byzantine art and sculpture, the Mummy Room and the celebrated Tutankhamun exhibition.
Great Pyramids of Giza
The pyramids are not among the world's most visited monuments for nothing. Few can fail to be awed by these great valedictions to the mortal world. For a magical introduction, attend the nightly sound and light show at Giza (http://www.sound-light.egypt.com/).Memphis
Few visitors know before arriving in Egypt that the country's Old Kingdom precedes the building of the pyramids by many centuries. Saqqara was the ancient capital's necropolis, crowned by the Step Pyramid. Nearby Dahshur has is famous for the Bent Pyramid and a huge field of royal tombs.
Straddling the Nile, Luxor is the site of the ancient city of Thebes. On the east bank lies the spectacular Temple of Karnak featuring epic statues, reliefs, obelisks and lotus-columned halls. With many other treasures, the town is a destination in its own right.
Valley of the Kings
On the West Bank of the Nile, burrowed into the dusty hillsides, the extravagantly painted tombs of kings, queens and nobles have kindled our imaginations for centuries. Tutankhamun, whose tomb rendered some of the world's greatest treasures, was actually a relatively minor king.
Aswan
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The relaxed, former frontier town of Aswan offers many attractions, including Elephantine Island in the middle of the Nile. Nearby is the Island of Plants upon which Lord Horatio Kitchener built a beautiful botanical garden in the 1890s. Aswan's Nubia Museum is another highlight.South of Aswan
The third largest in the world, Aswan Dam is built from 40,000,000 blocks of stone. It generates the country's power and controls the destructive flooding of the Nile. Visit the nearby Temple of Philae: UNESCO moved it stone by stone when Lake Nasser was created.Abu Simbel
Another remarkable UNESCO dam rescue project, the magnificent Sun Temple of Ramses II has had a chequered past. In the early 19th century, it was discovered almost totally buried in sand by the Swiss explorer, Jean-Louis Burckhardt (the same man who stumbled on Petra in Jordan).
Nile archaeological sites
Kom Ombo ('city of gold'), 30km (18 miles) north of Aswan is a largely Nubian settlement, known for its Temple of Haroeris and Sobek. Another common destination on Nile cruises is Edfu, famed for the largest and best-preserved Pharaonic Temple in Egypt, the Temple of Horus.
Alexandria
Egypt's second city has a French colonial atmosphere, felt as much in the delicious patisseries as in the 19th-century architecture. Other attractions include the Greco-Roman Museum, Roman Amphitheatre and 15th-century Fort Quait Bey built on the foundations of the fabled Pharos Lighthouse.El Alamein
A small coastal village 100km (60 miles) west of Alexandria, El Alamein was the scene of a decisive Allied victory, which determined the fate of Egypt and indeed that of the British Empire. Many visitors come to pay respects at the War Museum, Cemetery and Memorial. Suez Canal
The best way to see this great feat of modern engineering is by boat; the view from the Peace Bridge that crosses the canal near Isma'iliya, is a good second best. The sight of giant tankers plying the narrow channel between the Red Sea with the Mediterranean is simply surreal. Coptic Cairo
Cairo has a fascinating early Christian history. Visit the Coptic Museum (http://www.copticmuseum.gov.eg/), Hanging Church, Monastery of St George and the churches of St Sergius and St Barbara for some beautiful examples of Byzantine art.
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Climate
Egypt is a very large country - when it is chilly and wet in Alexandria, it can already be ravishingly hot in Awan.
The best time to visit the majority of sights, including the pyramids and the Valley of the Kings, is from February to April and October to November, when it is hot enough to know it's the ‘Land of the Sun', but not too hot to be enjoyable. At this time, the skies and sea are a perfect blue. The downside is that the weather is a poorly kept secret and these are the most popular times of the year for visitors.
In April, the hot, dusty Khamsin wind blows from the Sahara, making the touring of sights troublesome: during an intense sand storm, vision may be reduced to a few meters.The intensely hot, dry summers carry the threat of dehydration and heat exhaustion, confining the visitor indoors for much of the day. The winter, on the other hand, is mild and often overcast, leaving the desert and its ancient monuments looking lacklustre. Rainfall is negligible except on the coast.
Maps
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