Egypt is home to one of history’s first great civilizations. Situated at the northeastern most point of Africa, Egypt has long acted as a bridge between cultures of the Middle East and Mediterranean Basin and the peoples of Africa. Egypt’s nearly 80 million inhabitants rub shoulders with history daily, from the Pyramids and Sphinx of Ancient Egypt, to Roman ruins, from Fatimid mosques, and the ancient Khan el-Khalili market, to modern marvels such as the Aswan Dam. Here, visitors have the opportunity to experience life in a Muslim country and experience unique heritage and traditions of Egypt. Whether enjoying an evening falucca ride down the Nile, exploring a desert oasis, or wandering through ancient markets, each experience in Egypt offers rich insight into its remarkable culture. With its rich culture and exceptional history, Egypt offers unbeatable cross-cultural learning experiences for study abroad students.

Geography

Egypt’s unique landscape is visible even from space- a thin ribbon of green running through a vast desert plain. Ninety-nine percent of Egypt’s population live along the Nile valley and delta, a necessity as rainfall south of Cairo averages less than .2 inches per year. Roughly the size of California and Texas combined, this trans-continental nation stretches across the Sinai Peninsula, the narrow strip of land joining Asia and Africa, and is known for its sunny, hot summers and mild winters.  

Religion and Culture

Five times a day, the Adhan, or call to prayer, ripples out from minarets all over Egypt. Islam is the state religion of Egypt, where 90% of the population is Muslim, and permeates nearly every corner of Egyptian life. Egypt is a regional heavyweight not only in politics but also in religious learning as well. Al-Azhar University , the second-oldest degree-granting university in the world, was founded in  970 in Cairo, and remains a center Islamic and thought to this day. Egypt is also home to a sizable Christian minority, with about 10% of the population belonging to the Coptic Christian Church of Alexandria, and a Shia minority.

With the largest film and television industry in the Arab world, a booming music industry, and more Nobel Laureates than any other nation in Africa or the Arab world Egyptian culture is hugely influential in North Africa and the Middle East. As its monumental architecture spanning the ages can attest, Egypt has long been a strong center for cultural exchange for centuries, and remains as vibrant as ever.

Growth and Development

Egypt has been rated as one of the most quickly reforming economies in the world. After recent efforts at trade and market reforms, including a dramatic reduction of tariffs in 2003 and large decrease in business taxes in 2005, Egypt’s formerly-stagnant economy has been growing steadily. The Egyptian economy is based primarily on agriculture, tourism, and industry, and is located largely in Cairo. This megacity and the nation’s capital is one of the largest, most densely inhabited urbanized areas in the world. Other major urban areas, such as Alexandria, are located on the Nile Delta.

Cairo

AMIDEAST’s programs are based in Cairo, Egypt’s bustling capital and the largest metropolitan area in Africa. Situated at the place where the Nile River flows out of the desert onto the fertile Nile delta, Cairo is an ancient, yet cosmopolitan city of about 7 million people. Because of the strategic importance of this location, the land Cairo occupies has been settled and resettled by various people since 100 AD. Subsequently the occupying forces of the Romans, Umayyad, Abbasids, Fatimids, Ottomans, and British have each added their own particular touches to the architecture of the city, helping to create the many different quarters of modern Cairo.

In addition to government offices, Cairo is home to Egypt’s most prestigious academic institutions and numerous non-governmental and international organizations, including ISESCO (the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Al-Azhar University, the second oldest degree-granting university in the world, was founded here in 970, and is joined in by such prestigious institutions as Cairo University, American University of Cairo, and Ain Shams University.