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Extensible Markup Language | 1995-06-15 | 5KB | 19 lines

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?> <!DOCTYPE card PUBLIC "-//Apple, Inc.//DTD card V 2.0//EN" "" > <card> <id>16956</id> <filler1>0</filler1> <cantDelete> <false /> </cantDelete> <showPict> <true /> </showPict> <dontSearch> <false /> </dontSearch> <owner>5472</owner> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet_3106.css" /> <content> <layer>background</layer> <id>31</id> <text>EGYPTOfficial name: Jumhuriyat Misr al-ΓÇÖArabiya (Arab Republic of Egypt)Member of: UN, OAU, Arab LeagueArea: 997 739 km2 (385 229 sq mi)Population: 57110000 (1993 est)Capital: Cairo (El-Qahira) 13300000 (city 6663000; El-Giza 2156000; Shubra El-Kheima 811000; 1991 est)Other major cities: Alexandria (El-Iskandariyah) 3295000, Port Said (Bur SaΓÇÖid) 449000, El-Mahallah El-Kubra 385000, Suez (El Suweis) 376000 (1991 est)Language: Arabic (official)Religions: Sunni Islam (90%), Coptic Christian (7%)GOVERNMENTEvery five years, 454 members are elected by universal adult suffrage to the Majlis (PeopleΓÇÖs Assembly); up to 10 additional members are appointed by the President, who is nominated by the Assembly and confirmed by referendum for a six-year term. The President appoints a Prime Minister and other Ministers.GEOGRAPHYDesert covers more than 90% of Egypt. The Western Desert, which stretches into Libya and Sudan, is low-lying. The Eastern Desert is divided by wadis and ends in the southeast in mountains beside the Red Sea. Most Egyptians live in the Nile River valley and delta, intensively cultivated lands that rely on irrigation by the annual flood of the Nile. East of the Suez Canal is the Sinai Peninsula, which culminates in Mount Catherine (Jabal Katrina) at 2642 m (8668 ft). Climate: Egyptian winters are mild and summers are hot and arid. Alexandria has the highest rainfall total ΓÇô 200 mm (8 in) ΓÇô while the area beside the Red Sea receives virtually no rain.ECONOMYOver one third of the labor force is involved in agriculture, producing maize, wheat, rice and vegetables for the domestic market and cotton and dates mainly for export. Petroleum reserves (small by Middle Eastern standards), canal tolls and tourism are important foreign-currency earners. However, tourism has suffered a major decline since 1993 owing to the activities of militant Islamic fundamentalists. The economy is held back by rapid population growth and by the demands of a large public sector and food subsidies. Currency: Egyptian pound.HISTORYFrom 3100 to 322 bc, Egypt was ruled by 30 dynasties of pharaohs. The country then formed part of the Ptolemaic kingdom, the Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. The Arabs invaded (639ΓÇô42), and gradually transformed Egypt into an Arabic Islamic society, a province of the Abbasid caliphate. A rival caliphate was set up by the Fatamid dynasty in Cairo (973ΓÇô1171). Mamluk armies, originally Turkish slaves, founded an independent sultanate (1250). In 1517 Egypt became part of the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire. After a French invasion (1798ΓÇô1801), the Ottoman viceroy Mehemet Ali (1769ΓÇô1849) made Egypt strong and established a dynasty that lasted until 1953. His successors gained territory and encouraged the construction of the Suez Canal, but they bankrupted Egypt. The UK, a major creditor, occupied Egypt (1882) and established a protectorate (1914ΓÇô22).The corrupt regime of King Farouk was toppled in a military coup (1952) and a republic was established (1953). The radical Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918ΓÇô70) became president in 1954. He nationalized the Suez Canal and made Egypt the leader of Arab nationalism. Nasser was twice defeated by Israel in Middle East wars, but his successor, President Anwar Sadat, made peace with Israel and was ostracized by the Arab world. Since SadatΓÇÖs assassination (1981), Egypt has regained its place in the Arab fold. The prominent role played by Egypt in the coalition against Saddam HusseinΓÇÖs Iraq (1991) confirmed Egypt as one of the leaders of the Arab world. In the 1990s rising violence has accompanied the growth of militant Islamic fundamentalism.</text> </content> <name>Egypt</name> <script></script> </card>