Egypt

Economic Activities

A key trend in Egypt today is urbanization—the movement of rural people to the nation's cities. For nearly half a century, the urban population has been growing at the rate of about 4 percent annually. Cairo's metropolitan population, for example, grew from 2.1 million in 1947 to an estimated 16 million in 2007. Population Growth A second key trend is rapid population growth throughout the nation. Egypt's overall population is growing at an annual rate of 1.5 percent, lower than in previous years, but still faster than other countries in the Arab world. Feeding, housing, educating, and providing other services for this fast-growing population strain the economy. But stemming population growth is not easy. Many Egyptians need the labor and income of every member of their large families. They resist government efforts to limit family size. One of the major problems of Egypt's population growth is that it is outstripping the country's food supply. In 1960 Egypt produced nearly all its own food. Today, it imports more than one half of the food its people eat. The fertile land along the Nile is already intensively farmed. The Egyptian government has plans to increase the amount of arable land by irrigating farther into the desert, but this land will not be as naturally fertile as the soil in the Nile River valley. Large amounts of money will have to be spent on chemical fertilizers. Global Trade Patterns In the past, Egypt's economy depended on a single export: cotton. When international cotton prices were high, Egypt's economy prospered; when they fell, Egypt faced potential economic disaster. Now oil and petroleum products have taken first place among Egyptian exports. This change has not solved Egypt's economic problems. The country is still dependent upon the export of raw materials rather than manufactured goods. Most experts agree that to prosper, Egypt needs an industrial base that will provide much-needed jobs and produce goods for sale abroad. Obstacles to Development Efforts to promote industrialization began in the late 1950s and increased in the 1960s. But several factors have limited the growth of industries. One factor is the country's limited number of skilled workers. Although Egypt has the largest pool of educated people in the Arab world, it frequently loses these professionals to wealthier countries, where salaries are much higher. A second major challenge facing Egypt is lack of capital—money that is invested in building and supporting new industries. Average annual per capita GDP in Egypt is about $1,250, compared with about $7,000 in Saudi Arabia or $33,900 in the United States. With relatively low incomes, few Egyptians have money left over, after paying for their basic needs of food and housing, to invest in new factories or industries. Lacking the oil reserves of some of its more fortunate neighbors, Egypt depends heavily on aid from Western and other Arab nations.

Of Egypt's many invaders over the centuries, the invaders who had the most influence over the present culture were the __________.

Arabs.

Before the Aswan High Dam was built, farmers used __________ to fertilize their fields.

Basin irrigation.

Understanding the Past

Cities and their attractions have been a part of Egyptian life for well over 5,000 years. The civilization of the ancient Egyptians was unique and long-lasting. They were among the first people in the world to set up an organized government and religion and to invent a written language. Ancient Egypt Among the accomplishments of the ancient Egyptians was the building of the world-famous pyramids, southwest of Cairo. The pyramids were built as tombs for the pharaohs, the rulers of ancient Egypt. Egyptians believed that a person's spirit might need to return to its body after death. Therefore, they preserved the bodies of the pharaohs in a process known as mummification. Egyptians also believed that a person's spirit might need nourishment and assistance in the afterlife. They placed many useful objects, including food, furniture, jewelry, and gold in the pharaohs' tombs. Cultural Change The location of this rich kingdom at the crossroads of Asia, Africa, and Europe made it a tempting target for waves of invaders. Over the centuries, Egypt was ruled by Greek conquerors as well as by Roman conquerors. They brought the Greek language and Roman customs to the ancient land. When the Arabs conquered Egypt in AD 642, Arabic became Egypt's official language and Islam its official religion. Today, more than 90 percent of Egyptians are Muslims. Most of the remaining minority are Copts, a very old Christian sect. For more than one thousand years Egypt was ruled as part of various Muslim empires. The last of these was that of the Ottoman Turks. European Interventions By the late 1700s, the Ottoman Turks' power was in decline, and European nations began to intervene in Egyptian affairs. The Suez Canal, which linked the Mediterranean and Red seas, opened in 1869 and made Egypt a vital link between Britain and its eastern colonies in Asia. In 1875, when Egypt's ruler faced heavy debts, Great Britain gladly purchased Egypt's share of ownership in the Suez Canal. In 1879 Egyptian nationalists revolted, determined to regain control of the canal. Nationalists are people who want to form an independent nation to protect their common culture and interests. Britain responded by invading Egypt and defeating the new government in 1882. British troops remained in Egypt for decades. Following World War I, Egyptian nationalists again pushed for independence. In 1922 Britain agreed to their demands. But, in effect, the British continued to control Egypt, and Egyptian rulers had little power. Independent Egypt In 1952 a group of nationalist army officers overthrew the government of Egypt. Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser emerged as the new ruler. Nasser was determined to end Western domination of Egypt, modernize the country, and make it a major influence in world politics. In 1956 Nasser seized control of the Suez Canal, creating an international crisis. Israel, Britain, and France jointly invaded Egypt in an attempt to retake the waterway. Both the United States and the Soviet Union supported a United Nations resolution demanding a cease-fire and the withdrawal of outside forces from Egyptian territory. This action forced the Western nations to call off the attack. Nasser held the canal, and the British left Egypt in 1957. For the first time in more than two thousand years, Egypt was ruled solely by Egyptians. Nasser formed close ties with the Soviet Union, the major Communist nation at that time. Helped by Soviet money and experts, the Egyptians implemented Nasser's many modernization projects. Under Nasser, industry was developed, and Egypt's dependence on cotton, its main export crop, was reduced. When Nasser died in 1970, Anwar Sadat became president of Egypt. Sadat ended Egypt's alliance with the Soviet Union and forged new ties with the West. Cooperation and Conflict After World War II, Egypt developed closer links with the Arab Middle East. The main cause of this trend was the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. The Arabs were united in their opposition to the existence of Israel. Egypt took a major role in the 1948, 1967, and 1973 wars with Israel but suffered defeat in all three. In 1967 it lost control of the Sinai Peninsula to Israel. When Egypt was defeated for the third time in 1973, Sadat decided to seek a permanent peace with Israel. In 1979 Egypt became the first Arab nation to recognize Israel's right to exist. In return, Israel agreed to return the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt by 1982. Sadat's peace treaty with Israel was harshly criticized by other Muslim nations, who believed he had betrayed the Arab cause. In 1981 Sadat was assassinated. His successor, Hosni Mubarak, continues to honor the Egypt-Israeli peace treaty.

Physical Characteristics

Egypt is a land of wide, forbidding deserts divided by a single large river, the Nile. Without that river, all of Egypt would be desert. For this reason, Egypt is sometimes referred to as the Gift of the Nile. The Nile River The Nile is the world's longest river. It begins in Central Africa and flows northward for 4,160 miles (6,695 km) before it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. On its way, it runs through Egypt from south to north. As it nears the end of its course, the Nile forks into two major branches. Between these two branches is an area known as the Nile Delta. A delta is land formed by soil in the water that is dropped as the river slows and enters the sea. The delta, which has been enriched by the Nile for centuries, is astoundingly fertile. The fellaheen, as Egyptian peasants are called, grow impressive crops without the aid of modern machinery. Like other Egyptian farmers, they rarely even use plows. With a population of 68 million people, Egypt relies on human labor rather than on machines to farm. About 99 percent of Egypt's people live either in the Nile Valley or the delta region. Along the Nile's cultivated banks, population density averages about 2,700 people per square mile (1,100 per sq km). Egypt's two largest cities are Cairo, the capital, which straddles the Nile, and Alexandria, a major seaport and resort on the Mediterranean Sea. The Desert Regions On either side of the Nile Valley are harsh wastelands. On the west is the Libyan Desert. On the east is the Arabian Desert. The Sinai (SY ny) Peninsula, located in Southwest Asia to the east of the Suez Canal, is part of Egypt's eastern desert region. Strong winds blow constantly across the Sahara. In the early summer a special wind, known in Egypt as the khamsin (kam SEEN), creates sandstorms that blow hot air, dust, and grit into the Nile Valley. In bad years the khamsin blows so hard that the Egyptian sky turns orange with flying sand. Oases, due to the presence of water, are the only arable land in the desert. But the desert does hold some resources. Phosphates, for example, which are used to make fertilizer, are extracted from the desert, as is some oil.

Which statement about Egypt's agriculture is NOT true?

Farmers use modern agricultural methods.

What is one major problem caused by Egypt's rapid population growth?

Feeding people.

The ancient Egyptians did NOT have _________.

Flood control.

Which statement about the Nile River valley is NOT true?

It empties into the Red Sea.

The water from the dam and reservoir has made soil of the river delta _________.

Less naturally fertile.

Egypt's __________ made it a goal of conquering armies for centuries.

Location.

How do physical characteristics influence where people live in Egypt?

Most people live near the Nile because it provides water and fertile land.

In the past, Egypt's economy depended on __________.

One cash crop.

Patterns of Settlement

Over half of Egypt's population lives in rural areas. Yet, Egypt's urban areas have grown in recent decades, as more and more people have moved from rural villages to cities. In some respects, village life in Egypt has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. The fellaheen live in small, low houses made of sun-dried mud bricks. These houses are often formed of rooms clustered around a central courtyard. If rural families can afford to, they keep domestic animals, such as chickens, goats, and donkeys, which provide food and transportation. Life in the cities, however, has changed rapidly in recent times. After all, Cairo and Alexandria offer millions of people opportunities for jobs, schooling, culture, and entertainment. These opportunities constantly attract people from rural communities. Unfortunately, the cities cannot comfortably hold all the people who move to them. New arrivals from the countryside are often unable to find jobs or housing. Unwilling to return to their villages, they live in tents and other makeshift shelters. Cairo in particular has become a striking blend of new and old, rich and poor. Only blocks away from modern department stores that display the latest Paris fashions are the traditional open-air markets, or bazaars.

All statements about life in Cairo and Alexandria are true EXCEPT __________.

People can find work and places to live.

All statements about the life in Cairo and Alexandria are true EXCEPT__________.

People can find work and places to live.

With the perennial irrigation system, farmers can __________.

Plant two or three crops.

How have recent changes in Egypt affected its economy?

Rapid population growth has strained the economy. Industrialization is hampered by the limited number of skilled workers and lack of capital.

Introduction

The nation of Egypt has a vital location: the northeast corner of Africa, where travelers and goods pass between two continents. It is large—about one-and-a-half times the size of Texas. It is also one of the most populous nations in Africa. These three factors—strategic location, size, and population—make Egypt a power to be respected in world affairs.

Why did Israel, Britain, and France jointly invade Egypt in 1956?

The new ruler, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, had seized control of the Suez Canal, creating an international crisis.

Why did President Nasser want to build a dam and reservoir to control the Nile floodwaters?

To improve life for people in rural and urban areas.

Why did Egyptian nationalists revolt in 1952?

To rid Egypt of Western control.

The bazaars that are seen in Cairo are __________.

Traditional open-air markets.

What two major factors limit the growth of industry in Egypt?

Unskilled workers and weak investment.

What two major factors limit the growth of the industry in Egypt?

Unskilled workers and weak investment.

Controlling the Nile

Until recently, the Nile River flooded every year, refreshing the fields with water and silt that formed a rich, fertile soil. Egypt's farmers have long built walls around their fields to trap this water and silt. This form of irrigation, basin irrigation, was good for growing crops, but it did not work year-round. And it could not control heavy flooding, which often brought disaster. During the 1960s, President Nasser undertook an enormous new water project. He started building a dam that would store Nile floodwaters in a vast reservoir—a natural or artificial lake used to store water for human needs. The waters of Lake Nasser, as the reservoir was called, would be the basis of a perennial irrigation system—one that provides water for agriculture all through the year. The reservoir could also be tapped to provide extra water for Cairo and to generate electricity for modern industries. The Aswan High Dam was completed in 1970. It promptly ended flooding of the Nile and permitted Egyptian farmers to plant two or three crops every year. Lake Nasser's irrigation water has also allowed more and more desert to be reclaimed for farming. The dam has also caused some problems. Floodwaters no longer carry silt to fertilize the land on the banks of the Nile. Farmers now are forced to use chemical fertilizers to make up for the lack of natural fertilization. Another problem caused by the dam is that perennial irrigation makes salt build up in the soil. Some 35 percent of Egyptian farmlands now suffer from a high salt content. Solving this new problem would involve installing huge drainage systems and would cost a great amount of money.

Review:

fellaheen - Egyptian peasants delta - the land that forms at the mouth of some rivers by soil that is dropped as the river slows and enters the sea reservoir - a natural or artificial lake used to collect water for human needs basin irrigation - a system by which water and silt were controlled by embankments and time-released to irrigate farmlands perennial irrigation - an agricultural method that provides necessary water to the land throughout the year capital - wealth in the form of money or property owned or used in business

What trends can be observed in Egypt today?

urbanization and rapid population growth