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Egypt Travel GuideINTRODUCTION The North African nation of Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea to the north and east, and Libya to the west. In the Sahara, Egypt's current capital is Cairo, although it has had many different ones over a period of more than 5,000 years. HISTORY The ancient Egyptian civilization was established in 3150 BC. This was a time of dynastic control and cultural flourishing during the next 3 millennia. All of Egypt's pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom period circa 2700-2200 BC. Egypt fell into Persian control in 343 BC. It was later in Byzantine rule and in 639 AD, was invaded by Muslim Arabs. This Muslim culture remained strong, but was briefly influenced by the French when they invaded for a short time in 1798. Continuing to be a place of contention, civil wars broke out between the Ottoman Turks, the Mamluks, and Albanian mercenaries. In 1805, the Albanian Muhammed Ali took over as the Ottoman Viceroy. His reign is marked by a large campaign of public works and modernization. The government fell into European debt and was taken over by the United Kingdom in 1882. Between 1882 and 1906, the Egyptian Nationalist Movement gained influence. Constant revolts led to Egyptian Independence in 1922. Political unrest continued until the Egyptian Republic was established in 1953. During the 70s, Egypt fought with Israel over the Sinai Peninsula. Peace was established with Israel in 1978. Recently, Egypt has continued to grow in their democratic society. Demonstrations and uprisings demanding the overthrow of President Mubarak began in Egypt at the end of January, 2011. After a series of resulting conflicts between Mubarak supporters and protestors, Mubarak resigned in mid-February, 2011. As of March 29, 2011 the US State Department has urged US travelers to consider the risks of traveling to Egypt in light of the Egyptian government’s continued efforts to rebuild security and public safety policies. Until the police force is fully restored travelers should be aware that police response to emergencies and to US citizens has been diminished. Additionally, curfew hours of 2am to 5am remain in place. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO Capital: Cairo Climate: Being a country with harsh deserts, expect Egypt to be hot. It will cool down in winter, and can get quite cold inland. Time Zone: UTC+2 (DST) Languages: Arabic, English, and French Power: 220V, 50 Hz Currency: Egyptian Pound ATTRACTIONS The ancient kingdoms of Egypt and the monuments built by their pharaohs still attract visitors from around the world today. The Great Pyramids of Giza remain the largest stone structures ever created by man, and can be seen from high in the Earth's atmosphere. Egypt is a prominent figure in Arabic culture and is home to the Nile River. The city of Sharm el Sheik, situated on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, is a very popular tourist destination on the Red Sea. Main attractions here include:
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