Key facts about Egypt

About Egypt:

 

• Location: Egypt is a transcontinental country situated in northeastern Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Western Asia (Middle East).
• Capital: Cairo
• Boundaries:
  • The country borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea to the east.
  • It is bordered by Libya in the west, the Palestinian territory (Gaza Strip) and Israel in the northeast, and Sudan in the south.
  • It shares maritime borders with Cyprus, Turkey and Greece in the Mediterranean Sea, and with Jordan and Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea.
• Independence: Modern Egypt became independent in 1922.
• Population: With 12 million inhabitants (2021), Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world.
• Language: Spoken language is Modern Standard Arabic; the colloquial language is the Egyptian-Arabic dialect (Masri).
• Religion: Islam is the dominant religion in Egypt with an estimated 85-90% of the population is Sunni Muslim.
• Major rivers: The famous River Nile is the only river that flows in Egypt throughout the year. Around 98% of the country's population resides in the Nile River Valley.
• Suez Canal:
  • It is a 30 km (120 miles)-long artificial sea-level waterway located in Egypt.
  • It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea.
  • It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
  • It is one of the world’s most heavily used shipping lanes.

 

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Q1) What is the Suez Canal?

 

It is a 30 km (120 miles)-long artificial sea-level waterway located in Egypt. It connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, a northern branch of the Red Sea. It provides the shortest maritime route between Europe and the lands lying around the Indian and western Pacific oceans.

 

Source: Modi arrives in Egypt on two-day state visit, first by an Indian PM in 26 years