Country Name: Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic:
Gomhoriyat Misr El-Arabiyah
Location: Northern Africa, bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00
E
Map references: Africa
Time Zone: GMT/UTC +2 hours (daylight
saving time observed late April-30 September)
Area: total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than
three times the size of New Mexico
Land boundaries: total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km,
Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km
Coastline: 2,450 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to
the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
Climate: desert; hot, dry summers
with moderate winters
Telephone Area Code (of Greater Cairo):
02
Egypt Country Code: 20
People: Egyptians 99%; Greek, Nubian,
Armenian, Sudanese, other European (primarily Italian and French)
Main language: Egyptian Arabic
Climate of Cairo
=============
Cairo has only two seasons: summer and 'not-summer'. Given the choice,
you're far better off visiting during 'not-summer', a period that
stretches roughly from September to April or May. January and February
(10-20°C/50-68°F) can be overcast with the occasional shower, but the
months immediately either side are comfortably warm, with daytime
temperatures leavened by breezes. Between March and April, Cairo is
occasionally subject to the khamseen, a dry and very dusty wind storm
which blows in from the parched Western Desert at up to 150kph (93mph).
During summer the city is insufferably hot (35-38°C/95-100°F) and
grimy, though the relatively low humidity makes the heat bearable.
Well-heeled Cairenes tend to sit out the summer up on the coast in
Alexandria.
It's also worth considering
the timing of the various Muslim festivals when planning your trip.
During Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting, many businesses work
half-days, museums and tourist sites shut early and many restaurants
only open after sundown.
More on Cairo
=============
Cairo is a home to more than 16 million Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and
others from different countries and cultures in the world.
Cairo, the largest city in
Africa, is said to contain more people per square kilometre than
anywhere else in the world, although a transient population makes
official figures difficult to obtain. To the visitor however, the first
impression makes the statement seem very real. There are people
everywhere and traffic at a standstill with pedestrians strolling
between lines of motorists.
Population: 16.5
million
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