At a glance
In the fifth century BC Herodotus wrote of Egypt that 'nowhere are there so many marvellous things...nor in the world besides are to be seen so many things of unspeakable greatness' - and not too much has changed. The Sphinx, the Nile, ancient Luxor, the pyramids - Egypt's scope is glorious.
It's not just the Pharaonic monuments that have drawn travellers to this country since long before the birth of Christ - it's the legacy of the Greeks, Romans and early Christians, and the profusion of art and architecture accumulated from centuries of successive Islamic dynasties.
Fast Facts
- Full name:
- Arab Republic of Egypt
- Capital city:
- Cairo
- Area:
- 1,001,449 sq km / 386,660 sq miles
- Population:
- 69,500,000
- Time Zone:
- GMT/UTC +2 (Greenwich Mean Time)
- Language:
- Arabic (official)
- Religion:
- 94% Muslim, 6% Christian
- Currency:
- Egyptian pound
- Electricity:
- 220V 50Hz
- Electric plug details:
- European plug with two circular metal pins


