Egypt is a Middle Eastern country located in the northeast corner of Africa. A small part of Egypt, called the Sinai Peninsula, is located in Asia. Deserts cover most of Egypt, so it gets little rain, but the longest river in the world, the Nile River, flows through the desert and is key to living for many Egyptians. Almost all of Egypts population, about 99%, is located near the Nile or along the Suez Canal, another body of water important to Egyptian life, although together they cover only four percent of Egypts total land. The largest city, Cairo, has a population of about 6 million.
About 10 million people live in the Cairo metropolitan area. Alexandria, a port city, is the second largest. Egyptian cities are extremely crowded and have inadequate public transportation, causing lots of traffic. They do have crowded streetcars and trains, though. Many Egyptians consider themselves Arabs. The Bedouins, who are nomads, make up a distinct ethnic minority among the Arab population. Most have settled down on farms, but some tribes still wander. The major non-Arab minority are the Nubians. They originally lived in villages along the Nile in northern Sudan and the very bottom of Egypt, called the Nubian Valley.
When the Aswan High Dam was constructed in the 1960s, it forced the Nubians to move higher up on the Nile. Arabic is the official language of Egypt. Regional Arabic dialects have their own variations of sounds and words. The most widely used dialect is that of Cairos. The Bedouin dialect is different from the settled residents of the Nile Valley. Some people in desert villages even speak Berber. Many educated Egyptians also speak English or French in addition to Arabic. Egyptian city life is much different than its village life.
City residents deal with normal city problems such as housing shortages and traffic. Most of city residents live in poverty, although others enjoy special conveniences and services. Villagers regularly live much like their ancestors did hundreds of years ago, getting by growing crops and tending animals. Egyptian cities have a wide range of wealth. Good-looking residential areas exist near widespread slums. Lack of satisfactory housing is a major problem. Many people live together in small apartments. Others build makeshift huts on land that belongs to others, or on roofs of apartments.
Some of Cairos poorest citizens take shelter in historic tombs on the outskirts of the city, in a place call the City of the Dead. Cities provide many jobs. Educated Egyptians work as businessmen and government workers. Uneducated citizens find jobs at factories or as unskilled laborers. The majority of the population are peasants living in rural areas call fellahin. The fellahin farm small plots of land owned by someone else or tend animals. Some of Egypts rural people are Bedouin nomads who wander the desert with their herds of camels, goats, and sheep. The fellahin usually live in small huts made up of mud bricks with straw roofs.
In southern Egypt, some houses are made of stone. Most huts have between one and three rooms and a courtyard for the animals. Most homes are unfurnished and have only a few mats, benches, a low table, some clay pots, wooden dishes, and a copper kettle. Each family member of a village has to perform certain duties. The husband organizes the planting, weeding, and harvesting of crops. The wife cooks, carries water, and helps in the fields. Children watch after the animals and help bring the water for the fields. Egyptian villages are distinguished by a strong sense of community.
Villagers come together to celebrate feasts, festivals, marriages, and births. Islam, the major Egyptian religion, provides a strong unifying bond. 90 percent of Egyptians are Muslims, or followers of Islam. The follow the Sunni, or orthodox, branch of Islam. Mosques, which are Islamic houses of worship, serve as places of both religious and social life Soccer is a major point of recreation in Egypt. Many people attend matches or watch their favorite teams on television. The most common recreation, though, is going to the bazaar, or outdoor marketplace, and socializing.
The make purchases with friends and sit and talk over a cup of coffee or tea. Islam is very important to Egyptian life. Religious duties include praying five times a day, giving money or goods to the poor, called almsgiving, and, if possible, making a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the sacred city of Islam. Islamic traditions also affect government and law. For example, the government collects contributions from the wealthy and gives the money to the poor to fulfill the almsgiving requirement. Less than half of Egypts adult population can read or write. Illiteracy is at its most in rural areas.
The government is making an effort to improve the quality and availability of education. According to law, all children from 6 to 14 must attend school, but attendance is only demanded of children 6 to 12. About 85 percent of this group actually go to school. About half the children who graduate from elementary school go on to high school, and about 20 percent go past high school. There is a lack of funds for schools, causing there to be a shortage of teachers and school buildings, especially in rural parts. Elementary and high schools are free in Egypt. Egypt only has 12 universities, which train their students very well.
