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This page contains some useful information about Egypt, its history and culture, we hope you will find it useful and interesting.

Egypt Information

People of Egypt
The Nile Valley, the Nile Delta, the Suez Canal region, and the northern coastal region of the Sinai Peninsula are the areas which are mainly inhabited. Besides this, small groups of people also live in the oases of the Libyan Desert and in the oil-drilling and mining towns of the Arabian Desert. Most Egyptians are descendants of the ancient Egyptians, a race who had originated in north-eastern Africa. Besides this, a small group of nomadic Bedouins also exist in Egypt. The ancestors of the Egyptians were made up of many races and ethnic groups, but today, the population is relatively uniform in terms of language and religion

Economy of Egypt
Despite the fact that Egypt had only 5 percent of fertile soil, the economy was mainly based on farming. The country was an exporter of cereals for a long time and it is in the 19th century that it started concentrating on the growth of cotton. Even today, cotton is considered to be an important cash crop. In the 1930s, the country began to set up industries and in the 1960s, many of the industries were brought under the control of the government. In the late 20th century, revenue-generating sources included tourism, oil production, and remittances from the 3 million Egyptians working in the Persian

Egypt's dependence on the Nile
Water is fundamental to man’s existence. As a living being, man cannot survive for long without it. Throughout history, this basic requirement for water has led developing communities to centralise along waterways due to the power and life sustaining qualities that water provides.

Runoff from hills, mountains, and plains, flowing across watersheds, and channelling water into nearby ponds, lakes, and rivers provides the moisture required to produce crops and support both animal and plant life on which man feeds. Rivers provide the means to transport grains, minerals, materials, products from one region to another. Thereby, communities located along waterways often become centres of trade and finance. To townsfolk living on the banks of a river, the river also functions as a centre of social life, offering both romance and recreation. In looking back in history, the importance of water to a society’s prosperity has not changed much in time. Just as modern societies are often influenced by man’s dependence on water for the sustenance of life, Ancient Egypt was as well.

In ancient times, Egyptian society depended upon the Nile River for its existence. Society flourished for approximately 3000 years because of the Egyptian people’s ability to harness the power of the river for agricultural purposes, social events, community projects, religious purposes. The central importance of the river in the Ancient Egyptian’s daily life is evident in history and is reflected in their art, religion, writings, politics, and social life. The river shaped nearly every facet of their existence.

The ancient Egyptians were a religious people. Two of the earliest religious cults were sun and nature. As an agricultural society, they depended upon the cyclical nature of the Nile floods to replenish the lands with fertile topsoil and they depended upon the sun to help produce a bountiful harvest. Witnessing the natural processes of the earth likely influenced their beliefs in the afterlife.

Tombs and Pyramids
The Egyptian attitude to the afterlife is unique in that they view the deceased as beginning a journey outward. In their tombs, devoted to aid the departed on his journey, we are able to reconstruct aspects of daily life and the food of Egypt. Mummification preserved the deceased, and as long as the mummy existed, it was given its portion of furniture, statues, paintings and food for its 'eternal home.' Pottery vessels were used for food offerings which were sealed into the tombs, preserving the foods. The tombs were filled with hieroglyphics and with drawings that often represent agricultural practices, butchering methods, any aspect of daily life.

Arts, Culture and Music of Egypt
Egypt is heavily into music and dance. The country's belly- dance has gained recognition across the world. Apart from this, specific dance troupes specialize in modern adaptations of folk dances. As far as music is concerned, many eminent singers have made a name for themselves...for instance, Sayyid Darwish who composed operas, and popular songs, was the leading figure in Egyptian music in the early 20th century. Other singers include Umm Kulthum and Layla Murad, Muhammad Abd 'al-Wahhab, and Abd al-Halim Hafiz.

Aspects of Cooking in Egypt
Egyptian food was cooked in simple clay pots, using wooden utensils and stored in jars. Fish and meat had to be especially prepared for storage. One common method, evidenced in frescoes, was salting. Another was hanging the fish in the sun to bake them dry. Egypt developed a thriving trade in dried and salted fish.

In ordinary families the cooking was done by the housewife, but larger households employed servants to work in the kitchen and a chef - usually a man - to do the cooking. The Egyptians had ovens, and knew how to boil roast, and fry food. There were few kitchen tools: pestles, mortars, and sieves. Archaeologists have unearthed early mortars with rubbing stones that would probably have been use to separate the chaff from the grain.

Bread was the staple food of most Egyptians. By the 12th century in Egypt, there were bread stalls in the larger villages. Though the poor ate mostly flatbread, the rich had a choice of almost forty types of breads and pastries.

Ancient Roots - Today's Egyptian Food
The variety of Egyptian recipes is extensive, and utilizes many types of food. With a history of foreign trade, of invasions and the domination of other cultures, (Roman, Greek, Arab among them) Egypt has adopted many ways of preparing food. The influences came mainly from Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Palestine, and other Mediterranean countries, but even those were modified in Egypt to a great extent, adapting them to suit Egyptian customs, and tastes to make these foods uniquely Egyptian. The dishes are simple and hearty, made with naturally ripened fruits and vegetables and seasoned with fresh spices. The food in the south, closely linked to North African cuisine, is zestier than that found in the north, but neither is especially hot.

But we must remember that the early Egyptians were accomplished agriculturists. They cultivated pistachios, pine nuts, almonds, hazelnuts, and walnuts, still popular food today. From their orchards came apples, apricots, grapes, melons, quinces, and pomegranates. To this day, Egyptians love vegetables. Ancient gardens featured lettuce, peas, cucumbers, beets, beans, herbs, and greens. Pharaohs thought of mushrooms as a special delicacy.

Egyptian cuisine is known for flavour and its use of fresh ingredients. The staple in every Arab's diet is a bread called Aish (means life), which is a darker form of the Pita bread in the Greek culture. Fava beans are also important in the diet. At an Arab meal, one would expect to have a soup, meat, vegetable stew, bread, salad, and rice or pasta. Their desserts aren't rich like those of many other Arab countries, similar cuisine as it is and most dishes have the same name all over the middle east, mostly fruit is served after a meal. Egypt's cuisine includes bean stew and falafel with veal, lamb and pigeon which is also popular.