Sitting in the north-eastern corner of Africa and sharing borders with Sudan, Libya and Israel and the Palestinian Territories, much of Egypt’s vast land mass is covered by desert sands. Despite this, most of the population lives near the arable land of the mighty Nile River, which offers a thoroughfare for trade, fertile soil for agriculture and water for irrigation.
The Nile is not the only source of water in Egypt – with coastlines on the Mediterranean and Red Seas, Egypt has enough beaches and ports to provide trade routes, support commercial fishing and satisfy locals and tourists with diving, snorkelling and swimming.
Despite the oppressive heat and lack of farmable land, the deserts of Egypt are home to relatively small numbers of traditional Bedouin people, who typically live a nomadic lifestyle and earn an income through the sale of animals such as camels and goats.
The urban areas of Egypt are typically built-up, crowded and smoggy. Cairo, being the most populated city in Africa, is hot, crowded and often clogged with traffic. Yet the unmistakable buzz and vibrant vibe of this city makes it such an enthralling place to visit.
As Egypt becomes more modernised, a collision of the old and the new becomes more apparent. Ancient souqs, historic mosques and heritage buildings share the city with internet cafes, modern skyscrapers and 5 star hotels. In comparison, smaller towns and rural villages in agricultural areas tend to be slower paced, featuring modest, rustic housing, with locals living a more traditional lifestyle.
Egypt is what we call a transcontinental country. It sits in both Africa and Asia. However, the most significant part of Egypt is in Africa, which is why most consider it Africa. The other small piece of Egypt is in Asia.
The Nile River is one of the most significant geographical features of Egypt, providing the country with fertile land for agriculture and sustaining millions of people. The river flows from south to north, and the Nile Valley and Delta region is home to most of the country’s population and economic activities.
Cairo is fan-shaped, narrowest in the south, where the river valley is wedged between desert escarpments, and widest in the north, where the valley blends into the delta. Over the centuries the city expanded westward, as a receding river channel left land flood-free.
With a population of approximately 105,000,000 people, Egypt is located in the northeast corner of the African continent on the Mediterranean Sea. It is bordered to the northeast by Palestine and Israel, the Red Sea to the east, Sudan to the south and Libya to the west.
Egypt has an area of 1,002,450 km2 (387,050 sq mi) which makes it the 29th largest country in the world. The longest straight-line distance in Egypt from north to south is 1,420 km (880 mi), while that from east to west measures 1,275 km (792 mi).
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