Egypt

de bene esse: literally, of well-being, morally acceptable but subject to future validation or exception

The Egypt flag has horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin with a shield, scroll has name in Arabic); design is based on the Arab Liberation flag; similar to the flags of Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.

Source: CIA World Factbook, 2007

 

Population: 80,471,869 (July 2010 estimate)
Capital: Cairo
Area: 386,662 square miles (1,001,450 sq km)
Coastline: 1,522 miles (2,450 km)
Highest Point: Mount Catherine at 8,625 feet (2,629 m)
Lowest Point: Qattara Depression at -436 feet (-133 m)

Egypt is a country located in northern Africa along the Mediterranean and Red Seas. Egypt is known for its ancient history, desert landscapes and large pyramids. Most recently however, the country has been in the news due to severe civil unrest that began in late January 2011. Protests began occurring in Cairo and other major cities on January 25. The protest is against poverty, unemployment and the government of President Hosni Mubarak. The protests continued for weeks and eventually led to Mubarak's stepping down from office.

History of Egypt
Egypt is known for its long and ancient history. According to the U.S. Department of State, Egypt has been a unified region for over 5,000 years and there is evidence of settlement prior to that. By 3100 B.C.E., Egypt was controlled by a ruler named Mena and he began the cycle of rule by Egypt's various pharaohs. Egypt's Pyramids of Giza were built during the 4th dynasty and ancient Egypt was height from 1567-1085 B.C.E.

The last of Egypt's pharaoh's was dethroned during a Persian invasion of the country in 525 B.C.E. but in 322 B.C.E. it was conquered by Alexander the Great. In 642 C.E., Arab forces invaded and took control of the area and began to introduce the Arabic language which still exists in Egypt today.

In 1517, the Ottoman Turks entered and took control of Egypt which lasted until 1882 except for a short time when Napoleon's forces took control of it. Beginning in 1863, Cairo began to grow into a modern city and Ismail took control of the country in that year and remained in power until 1879. In 1869, the Suez Canal was built.

Ottoman rule in Egypt ended in 1882 after the British stepped in to end a revolt against the Ottomans. They then occupied the area until 1922, when the United Kingdom declared Egypt independent. During World War II, the U.K. used Egypt as an operations base. Social instability began in 1952 when three different political forces began to clash over control of the region as well as the Suez Canal. In July 1952, the Egyptian government was overthrown. On June 19, 1953, Egypt was declared a republic with Lt. Col. Gamal Abdel Nasser as its leader.

Nasser controlled Egypt until his death in 1970, at which time President Anwar el-Sadat was elected. In 1973, Egypt entered a war with Israel and in 1978 the two countries signed the Camp David Accords which later led to a peace treaty between them. In 1981, Sadat was assassinated and Hosni Mubarak was elected as president shortly thereafter.

Throughout the rest of the 1980s and into the 1990s, Egypt's political progress slowed and there were a number of economic reforms aimed at expanding the private sector, while reducing the public. In January 2011 protests against Mubarak's government was followed by the ousting of Morsi in 2013 and Egypt remains socially unstable.