Egypt is
a transcontinental
country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest
corner of Asia, via a land bridge formed
by the Sinai Peninsula. It is the world's only
contiguous Eurafrasian nation and most of Egypt's territory of
1,010,000 square kilometres (390,000 sq mi) lies within the Nile Valley.
It is a Mediterranean country and is bordered by the Gaza
Strip and Israel to
the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to
the east, the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to
the south and Libya to
the west.
With over 88 million inhabitants, Egypt is the most
populous country in North Africa and the Arab World, the third-largest in Africa, and
the fifteenth-most populous in the world. The great majority of its people live
near the banks of the Nile River, an area of about 40,000 square
kilometres (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable land is
found. The large regions of the Sahara desert, which constitute most
of Egypt's territory, are sparsely inhabited. About half of Egypt's residents
live in urban areas, with most spread across the densely populated centres of
greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in
the Nile Delta.
Egypt
has one of the longest histories of any modern country, arising in
the tenth millennium BCE as one of the world's first nation
states. Considered a cradle of civilization, Ancient Egypt experienced
some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation,
organised religion and central government in history. Iconic monuments such as
the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx, as well the ruins
of Memphis, Thebes, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings,
reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of archaeological study and
popular interest worldwide. Egypt's rich cultural heritage is an integral part
of its national identity, having endured and at times assimilated various
foreign influences, including Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, and
European.
Modern
Egypt is considered to be a regional and middle power, with
significant cultural, political, and military influence in North Africa,
the Middle East and the Muslim world. Its economy
is one of the largest and most diversified in the Middle East, with sectors
such as tourism, agriculture, industry and services at almost equal production
levels.
