Egypt

Egypt, the Arab Republic of Egypt, cradles one of the world’s oldest civilizations along the Nile River, blending ancient wonders with modern vibrancy in North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula. Bordered by the Mediterranean, Red Sea, Libya, Sudan, and Israel, it spans deserts and deltas, with a population of ~114 million and capital in Cairo. History spans pharaonic dynasties (e.g., pyramids built ~2600 BCE), Greco-Roman eras, Islamic caliphates, and 1952 revolution; today, it’s a republic under President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi amid economic reforms. Culture thrives on Coptic Christianity (10%), Islam (90%), Nile-fed cuisine like koshari and ful medames, and festivals like Sham El Nessim; tourism fuels 12% of GDP.

Top tour spots: Giza Pyramids (Great Sphinx & Khufu), Luxor (Karnak Temple & Valley of the Kings), Cairo (Egyptian Museum & Khan el-Khalili), Aswan (Philae Temple & Nile felucca), Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandrina & Catacombs), and Red Sea (Sharm El Sheikh diving). Best visited October–April (mild weather);