Egypt Facts & Geography
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Area:
1,002,450 km2
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Location:
In northern Africa; east of Libya, north of Sudan, west of the Red Sea, and south of the Mediterranean Sea. Egypt links two continents, stretching across the northeastern corner of Africa and the southwestern edge of Asia.
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Capital:
Cairo
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Country Code:
002
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Country Population:
more than 100,000,000
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Currency:
Egyptian pound (EGP)
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Drives on the:
Right
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Electricity:
220 - 240 V (German, French and Russian configuration)
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Official Language:
Arabic
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Religion:
Islam is the predominant religion. All types of Christianity are also represented.
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Time Zone:
EET (UTC+2)
Egypt Geography
The geography of Egypt can be divided into four different regions: the Nile Valley and Delta, the Western Desert, the Eastern Desert and the Sinai Peninsula. Despite covering only about 6% of the total area of Egypt, the Nile Valley and Delta are the most important regions in the country where the majority of Egypt’s population lives.
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The Western Desert:
covers an area of some 700,000 square kilometers which makes up approximately two-thirds of Egypt’s total land area. It is home to many oases including Siwa, Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharijah, the largest oasis in the country.
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The Eastern Desert:
is relatively mountainous with the most prominent feature being a chain of rugged mountains known as the Red Sea Hills. Some of these hills reach altitudes of 900 m above sea level. While this area of Egypt is essentially uninhabited, it is a haven for many of the country’s natural resources including coal, gems and oil.
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The Sinai Peninsula:
is a triangularly shaped plateau that is linked to the Egyptian mainland at the Gulf of Suez. The Peninsula is divided into three sections, a southern section, a middle section and a northern section. The southern section features a geological extension of the Red Sea Hills and houses Mount Catherine, the country’s tallest peak at 2,629 m. Mount Sinai, the biblical place where Moses received the Ten Commandments is near Mount Catherine. The northern section is a flat, sandy coastal plain.
Egypt links two continents, stretching across the northeastern corner of Africa and the southwestern edge of Asia. Bordered by the Mediterranean, the Red Sea and the fabled Nile River. Egypt is a land bustling with life, sound, visual beauty and excitement.