Climate

Egypt does not receive much rainfall except in the winter months. South of Cairo, rainfall averages only around 2 to 5 mm (0.1 to 0.2 in) per year and at intervals of many years. On a very thin strip of the northern coast the rainfall can be as high as 410 mm (16 in), with most of the rainfall between October and March. Snow falls on Sinai’s mountains and some of the north coastal cities such as Damietta, Baltim, Sidi Barrany, etc. and rarely in Alexandria, frost is also known in mid-Sinai and mid-Egypt.

Temperatures average between 80 °F (27 °C) and 90 °F (32 °C) in summer, and up to 109 °F (43 °C) on the Red Sea coast. Temperatures average between 55 °F (13 °C) and 70 °F (21 °C) in winter. A steady wind from the northwest helps hold down the temperature near the Mediterranean coast. The Khamaseen is a wind that blows from the south in Egypt in spring, bringing sand and dust, and sometimes raises the temperature in the desert to more than 100 °F (38 °C).

Every year, a predictable flooding of the Nile replenishes Egypt’s soil. This gives the country consistent harvest throughout the year. Many know this event as The Gift of the Nile.

The rise in sea levels due to global warming threatens Egypt’s densely populated coastal strip and could have grave consequences for the country’s economy, agriculture and industry. Combined with growing demographic pressures, a rise in sea levels could turn millions of Egyptians into environmental refugees by the end of the century, according to climate experts.

Language

The “Koiné” dialect of the Greek language was important in Hellenistic Alexandria, and was used in the philosophy and science of that culture, and was later studied by Arabic scholars.

Arabic came to Egypt in the seventh century and Egyptian Arabic has since become the modern speech of the country. Of the many varieties of Arabic, it is the most widely spoken second dialect, probably due to the influence of Egyptian cinema throughout the Arabic-speaking world.

In the Upper Nile Valley, around Kom Ombo and Aswan, there are about 300,000 speakers of Nubian languages, mainly Nobiin, but also Kenuzi-Dongola. The Berber languages are represented by Siwi, spoken by about 5,000 around the Siwa Oasis. There are over a million speakers of the Domari language (an Indo-Aryan language related to Romany), mostly living north of Cairo, and there are about 60,000 Greek speakers in Alexandria. Approximately 77,000 speakers of Bedawi (a Beja language) live in the Eastern Desert.

Egyptians

Egyptians is the name of the nationality and Mediterranean North African ethnic group native to Egypt.

Egyptian identity is closely tied to the Geography of Egypt, dominated by the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to the Mediterranean Sea and enclosed by desert both to the east and to the west. This unique geography has been the basis of the development of Egyptian society since antiquity.

The daily language of the Egyptians is the local variety of Arabic, known as Egyptian Arabic or Masri. Egyptians are predominantly adherents of Sunni Islam with a Shia minority and a significant proportion who follow native Sufi orders. A sizable minority of Egyptians belong to the Coptic Orthodox Church, whose liturgical language, Coptic, is the last stage of the indigenous Egyptian language. The national identity of Egyptians as it developed in the 19th to 20th centuries consists of overlapping or conflicting ideologies, secular Egyptian nationalism (also known as “Pharaonism”), secular Arab nationalism (including pan-Arabism), and Islamism.

New Valley

New Valley (ar. الوادى الجديد = Al-Wadi al-Dżadid) in the province gubernatorska (muhafaza) in Egypt, in south-western part of the country, and this is the largest surface muhafaza Egypt. Is the administrative capital of Charge. The population numbers 172 939 inhabitants on the surface of 376 505 km2.

Hatszepsut

Hatszepsut – faraon, władczyni starożytnego Egiptu z XVIII dynastii, z okresu Nowego Państwa. Panowała prawdopodobnie w latach 1503 p.n.e. do 1482 p.n.e., lub 1479 p.n.e. do 1458 p.n.e., lub 1472 p.n.e. do 1450 p.n.e.

Córka Totmesa I i królowej Ahmes, siostra i żona Totmesa II, z którym rywalizowała o sukcesję. Po śmierci Totmesa II objęła regencję w imieniu małoletniego Totmesa III. Prawdopodobnie w drugim lub trzecim roku regencji ogłosiła się królem i przyjęła, jako pierwsza kobieta w historii Egiptu, tytuł faraona, wywodząc swe prawo do tronu na podstawie, jak sama stwierdziła, współrządów ze swym ojcem, Totmesem I. Jej zasługą był znaczny wzrost gospodarczy kraju. Uważana za pokojowo nastawioną władczynię, jedną z największych królowych w historii.

Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt, with the population over 16 million people and one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East (which includes the regions conveniently) – 13, it is also the largest city in the world. Situated on the River Nile, Cairo is famous for its own history – preserved in the great medieval Islamic city and in Old Cairo – and from an ancient, faraonistycznej history of the country, which represents. No trip to Cairo would not be complete without, for example, visits to the Giza pyramids in Saqqara located next to or in the Egyptian Museum in the city center. Despite strong links with the past, Cairo is also home to live modern society.

How przylecisz to Cairo, Egypt oniemiejesz looking out the window and see the contrast of the environment. With one side of the plane you will see endless dry desert, which appears to be infinite, on the other hand, there is a busy city, which looks like an oasis of contemporary. Travelers from all over the world is still an cudownymi starożytnościami Egypt for thousands of years. Although there are still those of antiquity today, a visit to Cairo, Egypt is more than the baptism in the past as it also includes a number of everyday comfort, each of which will certainly enjoy.

Simply walk in the downtown and older residential parts of the walls inside the city, where craftsmen work on the sidewalks outside their homes, is also a real pleasure. It’s easy to meet real Kairczyków who are willing to discuss anything with you. Some of them are trying to lure you into their stores carpets; others are really interested and curious to talk to.

If you are hungry, certainly try to taste the most popular Egyptian dishes, Koshray. Koshray is a traditional Egyptian meal that consists of a combination smakowitego pasta, spaghetti, rice, black lentils, pea pisklęcych, czosnkowego sauce pikantnego tomato sauce and chili sauce, all covered with fried onions.

Visiting the pyramids and in Sphinx is a necessity since these symbols are points indicative exciting history of the country. You should, however, aggressive kindness prods Egyptian camels and police officers, who may try to earn a few Egyptian pounds on you (bahshis have referred to, or gratuity) for small uses. To avoid this, just ask another tourist-friendly, to do a photo with you, instead of one of the local. While in the city will first visit the museum before you go see the pyramids, because this will help you appreciate the culture of ancient Egypt. It is not recommended Tour pyramids on Friday, due to mass at noon at the time of 12:00-13:00, because if the pyramid is closed.

Kitchen

Ägypten ist mittlerweile sehr auf die Touristen eingestellt, daher finden Sie auch an fast jeder Ecke in vom Tourismus stark frequentierten Städten wie Kairo, Luxor, Hurghada oder Sharm el Sheikh eine internationale Küche. Die reicht vom Italiener bis hin zum McDonald`s Restaurant. Lassen Sie es sich aber nicht nehmen, die traditionelle Küche in Ägypten auszuprobieren, denn Ägypten hat eine wirklich außergewöhnliche Esskultur zu bieten.

Die ägyptische Küche hat sich über die Jahrtausende entwickelt. Da Fleisch schon im Alten Ägypten allein aus Kostengründen nicht alltäglich auf dem Speiseplan stand, hat sich eine vielfältige und hervorragende vegetarische Küche entwickelt. Diese oft schlichten, aber sehr schmackhaften Gerichte bekommen Sie noch heute in vielen Restaurants als Vorspeise bzw. Beilage zu Fleischgerichten gereicht. Die einzelnen Vorspeisen sind immer recht klein gehalten, doch bietet sich dem Gast oftmals eine große Auswahl dieser kleinen Mezze, wie die Vorspeisen hier auch oftmals genannt werden. Die Speisen bestehen hauptsächlich aus Gemüse und Olivenöl und sind aufgrund Ihrer ungesättigten Fettsäuren, Vitamin E und effektiven Fettbegleitstoffen sehr nahrhaft.

Tahina (eine ölige Sesampaste), Hummus (Kichererbsenpüree) und Baba Ghannug (Sesamsauce mit Auberginen) sind die beliebtesten Speisen in Ägypten.

Bei Fleischgerichten handelt es sich zumeist um Lamm, Geflügel, Kamel oder Rind, Schwein ist für Moslems natürlich tabu. Ein beliebtes und sehr bekanntes Fleischgericht ist Kofta (gehacktes Fleisch, zumeist aus Lamm).

Bei den Nachspeisen mögen es die Ägypter meist süß, aber auch Obst kommt nicht zu kurz (Äpfel, Bananen, Datteln usw.).

Identity

The Egyptian Nile Valley was home to one of the oldest cultures in the world, spanning three thousand years of continuous history. When Egypt fell under a series of foreign occupations after 343 BC, each left an indelible mark on the country’s cultural landscape. Egyptian identity evolved in the span of this long period of occupation to accommodate, in principle, two new religions, Christianity and Islam; and a new language, Arabic, and its spoken descendant, Egyptian Arabic.^[18] The degree to which Egyptians identify with each layer of Egypt’s history in articulating a sense of collective identity can vary.

Questions of identity came to fore in the last century as Egypt sought to free itself from foreign occupation for the first time in two thousand years. Three chief ideologies came to head: ethno-territorial Egyptian nationalism, secular Arab nationalism and pan-Arabism, and Islamism. Egyptian nationalism predates its Arab counterpart by many decades, having roots in the nineteenth century and becoming the dominant mode of expression of Egyptian anti-colonial activists and intellectuals until the early 20th century.Arab nationalism reached a peak under Nasser but was once again relegated under Sadat; meanwhile, the ideology espoused by radical muslim groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood is present in small segments of the lower-middle strata of Egyptian society.

Egyptian Museum

More than 120,000 relics from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history are housed in this remarkable museum. Beyond arranging the exhibits chronologically, little has been done to present any sort of context to the exhibitions but the museum’s eccentricity is part of its charm; accidentally stumbling across treasures in somewhat musty rooms is half the fun.

When to Go

Everywhere south of Cairo is uncomfortably hot in the summer months (June-August), especially Luxor and Aswan where daytime temperatures soar up to 40°C (104°F). In Cairo the combination of heat, dust, pollution, noise and crush makes walking the city streets a real test of endurance. On the other hand, a scorching sun might be exactly what’s wanted for a week or two of slow roasting on the beaches of southern Sinai, the Alexandrian coast or the Red Sea – just be prepared to fight for hotel rooms.

When visiting somewhere such as Luxor, winter is easily the most comfortable time. Cairo isn’t quite as pleasant, with often overcast skies and chilly evenings, while up on the Mediterranean coast Alexandria is subject to frequent downpours resulting in flooded, muddy streets. Even Sinai’s beaches are a little too chilly for sunbathing in January. March to May or September to November is the best time to enjoy the warm days without the crush of bodies on the beaches.

Most of Egypt’s religious and state holidays should not seriously disrupt any travel plans. Buses, though, may be fully booked around the two eids (Islamic feasts) and on Sham an-Nessim . Throughout Ramadan , the Muslim month of fasting, many cafes and restaurants are closed during the day, while bars cease business completely for the duration. Offices also operate at reduced and very erratic hours.