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Egypt - an overview
Egypt is a country famous for its ancient civilization and some of the world's most amazing monuments, including the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. The southern city of Luxor also holds many ancient sites, such as the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Egypt is in the Northeast region of Africa. It has Libya to the West, Sudan to the South and the Gaza Strip and Israel to the North East of its borders. Mediterranean Sea and the Island of Cyprus are to the North whilst the Red Sea covers the eastern border.
The history and culture of Egypt can be traced back to around 10th Millennium BC, when Upper and Lower Egypt were unified under an Egyptian king called Menes beginning two and half thousand years of Pharonic times that saw the building of Egypt's finest monuments, from the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the twin temples of Abu Simbel to the Ptolemaic temples at Philae. Originally Egyptians were a hunter-gatherer race which, later settled as agriculturalists around 5,500 BC.
Egypt is one of the most populated countries in Africa and the Middle East. Majority of its people live near the banks of the River Nile, in an area of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable agricultural land is found. The large areas of the Sahara Desert are mainly inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with the majority spread across the densely-populated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta.
Egypt - getting there
Rail: - Operated by Egyptian National Railway, it provides direct access to Aswan, the Red Sea Cities and links to the Mediterranean Sea with trains running frequently from 5:30am to midnight. - Fares are inexpensive, but unless traveling with a tour, tickets need to be purchased from the main railway stations (in Cairo at the Ramses Station at Midan Ramses). - There is one other rail service (the only privately owned train) a sleeper train going from Cairo to Aswan and back again. It leaves Cairo at 7pm and arrives in Aswan at 9am. - Booking need to be made a week in advance through a travel agent or from Compagnie Internationale des Wagons Lits Egypte, 9 Sh Menes, Heliopolis, Tel: 0002 290 8802/4; 48 Sh Giza, Giza, Tel: 0002 348 7354. Air: - Many airlines fly into Egypt's major tourist destinations. - Egypt Air provides domestic air service to major tourist destinations. Road: - Air-conditioned buses provide links to most parts of Egypt to Cairo and Alexandria but the journeys can be very long and boring. There are non air-conditioned buses available at a cheaper rate but are not recommended as you will be crammed in sweltering conditions for long hours. - Taxis can be hailed on the street, they readily available and inexpensive, or arranged through the hotel. - Luxor, Aswan and Sharm el Sheikh (Namma Bay) can be viewed on foot easily or there are plenty of horse drawn carriages which are good for sightseeing or short distances.
Egypt - events
January International Nile Festival for Children Song
February International Egyptian Marathon Luxor International Fishing Competition Hurghada Cairo International Bridge Festival Camel Race Festival in Ismailia Cairo International Book Fair Festival of Perpendicular Sun on Abu Simbel
March Cairo International Festival for Children Cinema Akhbar El-Yom International Hockey Championship
April International Aero Rally Egypt International Sinai Bowling Championship World Cup Championship for Shooting
May No event has been organised this month
June Al-Ahram International Squash Competition Oscar Song Festival
July Al-Ahram International Tennis Championship International Documentary Film Festival in Ismailia
August Camel Race Competition In North Sinai Cairo International Song Festival Ismailia International Folklore Festival
September Arab Horse Festival in Al-Sharkia Alex. International Film Festival Mediterranean Travel Fair International Experimental Theatre Festival The Egyptian International Times Table Competition
October Pharaoh Rally Competition The Egyptian International Bowling Competition
November Festival of Tut Ankh Amon Tomb Discovery The Pharaohs Marathon Giza Arab Horse Festival