16 Fun Facts about Egypt
1. Where even is Egypt?
Bordered partly by the Mediterranean and Red Sea, Egypt borders Africa and the Middle East, sitting between the Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya and Sudan.
2. The population of Egypt is massive.
The population was 102,334,404 in 2020.
3. Do people speak English in Egypt?
Arabic is the official language, although English and French are understood by many Egyptians.
Flag of Egypt
4. What’s the capital city?
Cairo is the capital city of Egypt.
5. Time to change up the cash!
Egypt’s currency is the ‘Egyptian pound’.
6. Desert makes up much of Egypt.
The Sahara and Libyan Desert make up a large part of this country.
7. The Sinai stretches out a fair distance!
Triangular in shape, the Sinai Peninsula has an area of 23,500 square miles (61,000 square kilometers) and spans across two continents, Africa and Asia.
8. There are plenty of peaks in Egypt.
Standing at 2,629 meters (8625 feet), Mount Catherine is the highest mountain in Egypt.
9. The Nile is truly massive.
One of the longest rivers in the world runs through Egypt, the River Nile; it’s 4,258 miles (6,853 kilometers) long!
View of Mohammad Ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt
10. Much of Egypt is naturally dangerous.
Egypt experiences natural dangers such as droughts, dust and sand storms, flash floods, earthquakes, landslides and windstorms (known as ‘khamsin’).
11. Pyramids are mainly designed for reflective purposes.
The Pyramids were built to have smooth, angled sides, symbolizing the rays of the Sun; their distinct design was a way to help the king’s soul ascend to heaven and join the gods, particularly the Sun god Ra.
12. What’s the oldest pyramid in Egypt?
Located in an ancient burial ground called Saqqara, the Step Pyramid is the oldest known pyramid in Egypt and was built around 2630 BC.
The Sphinx and Great Pyramid of Egypt, Cairo, Egypt
13. There are record-breaking pyramids here.
The Great Pyramid (one of three collectively called the Great Pyramids of Giza), built in 2584 BC and located just outside of modern-day Cairo on the west bank of the River Nile, is the largest pyramid in the world and stands at 147 meters (481.4 feet).
14. The pyramids took a long time to build.
For twenty years, one hundred thousand people worked on the Great Pyramid’s structure for three months of each year during the Nile’s annual flood when it was impossible to farm the land and most of the population was unemployed.
15. King Tut was a young monarch.
The prominent ancient Egyptian pharaoh, Tutankhamun, was only eight or nine when he became ruler of his country; it had been estimated that he ruled from 1333 BC to 1324 BC.
King Tutankhamun’s death mask
16. Want to call Egypt? It’s easy.
Want to call your family or friends in Egypt? You’ll need to use the international dialing code +20.
FAQs about Egypt
Can you drink alcohol in Egypt?
Yes, however, you need to be very careful to drink around the holy month, Ramadan - you’ll also need to be over 21 to drink here.
What religion is most commonplace in Egypt?
Much of Egypt is Muslim, however, there are Christians and Jewish people living here.
Do you need to wear a hijab in Egypt?
While it is customary for women to wear the hijab in Egypt, tourists are under no obligation to follow suit.
Do you know any fun facts about Egypt? Share them in the comments below!
Want to learn more? Check out these interesting facts about Ancient Egypt.
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This page was last modified on September 19, 2021. Suggest an edit
