As one of countries starting with E, Egypt is located in the northeastern part of Africa and is geographically part of Asia. The country is located on both the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. however, most tourists stay here in one of the many tourist resorts on the Red Sea. From here, various excursions are organized to one of the many historical highlights of the country. The Red Sea is known for its beautiful marine life.
The Nile has been the lifeblood of Egypt for thousands of years and this allowed the first ancient civilization in the world to develop here. The memories of this civilization that lived here between 3,200 BC and 342 BC can still be seen in the country. After this period, the country has known many rulers, including the Greeks, Romans and the Turks. After this, Egypt belonged to the Arab Empire for several centuries. This is the reason that Arabic is still used here. After having belonged to the Ottoman Empire for several centuries, it was first the French under the leadership of Napoleon Bonaparte and later the British who took over power here.
Later it was the British and the French who were jointly responsible for the construction of the Suez Canal and shortened the route to the east by many thousands of kilometers.
In 1952 Egypt became an independent country and, as in so many emerging democracies, this caused a lot of unrest and multiple coups. After nearly thirty years of rule by President Hosni Mubarak, who was seen by many as a dictator, riots broke out here in 2011, which would eventually mark the start of the Arab Spring.
Sights
The biggest attraction of the country are without a doubt the pyramids and in particular the three pyramids that are located at Giza, the pyramid of Cheops, that of Chephren and that of Mykerinos. In total there are more than thirty-five different pyramids scattered throughout the country. Next to the pyramids of Giza is the Great Sphinx of Giza. According to some archaeologists, this statue with the lion’s body and the human head is more than 5,000 older than the pyramids.
On the bank of the Nile not far from Cairo lies the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis. This ancient city includes the Temple of Ramses II. Near the city of Luxor is the Valley of the Kings. Several Pharaohs were buried here. The most famous pharaoh who lay here was Tutankhamun, who was discovered by the British researcher Howard Carter. Most of the tombs in this valley have been looted over the centuries.
In the extreme south of the former Upper Egypt is the temple complex of Abu Simbel (Abu Simbel). This temple complex has withstood the test of time well because it has been covered with sand for many centuries.
Throughout the country there are several museums that exhibit the ancient treasures of the country.
Those who have seen enough of Egyptian antiquity can go diving or snorkeling in the Red Sea. A so-called underwater safari. For those who do not dare to dive themselves, you can view the beautiful underwater life here from a glass bottom boat.
UNESCO
Egypt has a total of seven inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Five of these inscriptions date back to 1979. These were Memphis and its necropolis, including the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur, Ancient Thebes and its necropolis, the Nubian monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae, the historic districts of the capital Cairo and the endangered Abu Mena on the Mediterranean Sea. In 2002 the Saint Catherine area in the Sinai Mountains was added.
Finally, in 2005, the Wadi Al-Hitan, also known as the Whale Valley, was added to the list. In the valley are several whale skeletons of the first type of whales. Parts of the hind limbs can still be seen in these whales. In this area, it is the most important paleontological site in the world.
Climate
Egypt has a desert climate with very little rainfall throughout the year. The annual precipitation here is negligible in its entirety. Only in exceptional cases can you expect prolonged precipitation here. However, the chance that it snows here is almost as great.
Temperatures are quite high in the summer months. The average daytime temperature in the months of July and August is around thirty-five degrees Celsius. Outliers to forty degrees Celsius and higher are certainly no exception here. In the winter, the average daytime temperature here is still above twenty degrees Celsius, although it can cool down considerably in the evening and night.
The temperature of the Red Sea is above twenty degrees Celsius all year round, making it a popular place for divers and snorkelers. The temperature of the Mediterranean Sea is generally a few degrees lower.
The areas near the Red Sea are an ideal winter sun destination due to their high temperatures. The Khamsin wind occurs in Egypt. This wind blows warm dry air from the desert over the country, so that the temperature here can suddenly be up to twenty degrees higher.
Geography
Egypt is located in the northeast of Africa and to a small extent in Asia. The Sinai, a triangular peninsula that belongs to Egypt, is located on the Arabian Peninsula and belongs to Asia. The mountain Dzjebel Katherina is located on this peninsula, which is the highest point in the country at 2629 meters. Egypt has land borders with Israel, the Gaza Strip, Sudan and Libya. Egypt is located on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. The country consists for the most part of desert. The largest deserts in the country are the Sahara Desert, the Libyan Desert and the Sinai Desert. Oases can be found in several places in these deserts.
The Nile River has traditionally been the lifeblood of the country. Near this river, and especially in the Nile Delta, you will find all the major cities of the country. Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal is one of the most important canals in the world and has shortened the sailing route to many destinations. The Suez Canal separates Africa and Asia. Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in all of Africa. Nearly eight million people live in the city, and more than fifteen million people live in the Cairo metropolitan area. Other major cities in Egypt are Alexandria, Port Sais, Ismailia, Luxor and Suez.
The most popular tourist destinations in the country are on the Red Sea. The best known of these are Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab.
Travel advice
The travel advice for Egypt has been on the status “All travel to certain areas is discouraged” since the Arab Spring. This is mainly due to the many unrest in certain areas of the country. If you stay in one of the resorts on the Red Sea, you will not get much of this. It is true that some excursions can no longer be held or one must have received direct permission from the Egyptian government. The area in the Sinai desert and the Western desert is currently described as very dangerous.
There can be minefields in the coastal strip of Egypt, so it is advisable not to leave the beach of your resort and not to walk off the beaten track.
In the big cities and busy seaside resorts there is a lot of crime, tourists are regularly robbed of their belongings. The taxi drivers in Egypt are known as very rude and unfriendly.
Travel documents
If you are going to visit Egypt, you must be in possession of a passport that is valid for at least eight months on the date of departure from Egypt at the time of arrival in Egypt. In addition, you need a mandatory visa that you must apply for online in advance. It is advisable to apply for the visa for Egypt at least a week before departure. There are all kinds of visa sites that can help you apply for an Egypt visa. The handy thing is that they know how everything works and that in addition to using a credit card, you can also pay via the bank and sometimes also in other ways.
Info table
| Capital city | Cairo |
| Phone (country code) | 20 |
| Internet domain | .eg |
| Language(s) (official) | Arabic |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, English and French |
| Religion(s) | Islam |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+2 |
| Time difference summer | In Egypt time runs parallel with the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Egypt it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | no |
| Currencies | Egyptian pound |
