History, Egypt

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In Arabic Egypt is مصر (Mişr) which means literally a country or a state. For the origin of the name Egypt, see Aegyptus. The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 BC and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 BC, who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. In 1952 Gamal Abdel Nasser assumed power and nationalized the Suez Canal leading to the 1956 Suez Crisis. Between 1958 and 1961 Egypt was in a union with Syria known as the United Arab Republic.

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General Tips about Egypt

» Required travel documents for Egypt
» Electric power
» Area code to Egypt
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» Sharm El Sheik (Sinai)
» Sidi Abdel Rahman
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» The Monastery Of St Simeon (Deir Amba Sama'an)
» The Unfinished Obelisk
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» The Aga Khan Mausoleum
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» Western Desert
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» Dahab, Egypt
» Sinai desert, Egypt
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» Abu Simbel, Egypt
» Egypt
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» Temple of Kom Ombo
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» Winter Palace Hotel in Luxor
» Hurghada
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