Egypt history, language and culture

Egypt’s history is one of the richest, oldest and most varied of any country in the world, ever since the creation of the powerful kingdom in around 3180 BC.

The pre-Hellenic period is distinguished by Kingdoms (Old, Middle and New) and divided into dynasties, including the IVth dynasty with the construction of the Great Pyramid, and Tutankhamun’s rule briefly during the XVIIIth dynasty. The Pharaonic period was brought to an end by Alexander the Great, in 332 BC.

From the middle of the fourth century, Egypt became part of the Eastern Empire, and the Fatamids gained control of the country in the late 10th century.

The arrival of Napoleon in AD 1798 brought Egypt once more into violent contact with a European power. By 1805, however, the struggle for independence had been won, with Muhammad Ali being recognised as Sultan.

The Suez Canal was opened in 1869; British occupation lasted from 1882 - 1936. Thereafter, Egypt was formally independent but severely constrained by the British.

The 1952 revolution, led by Colonel Nasser, took the Suez Canal into public ownership which led to the Suez Crisis of 1956, in which a combined Anglo-French-Israeli military operation attempted to depose Nasser. It failed, which greatly enhanced Nasser's standing.

The defeat of Arab forces by Israel in the 1967 Six Day War deprived Egypt of the Sinai Peninsula and the Gaza Strip, recovered only after another defeat by the Israelis in the Yom Kippur War of 1973 and the subsequent Egyptian-Israeli peace initiative, which culminated in the 1979 Camp David accord.

The treaty was signed on the Egyptian side by Nasser's successor, Anwar El-Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. Sadat was succeeded by his deputy, Hosni Mubarak after winning a fifth term of office in 2005. In response to mass protests, Mubarak stepped down in January 2011 and appointed Ahmed Shafik as the new Prime Minister. Shafik resigned in March 2011 and the country is currently under military rule.

Egypt culture

Religion:
About 90% of the population are Muslim; the majority of the rest is Christian, including followers of the Coptic Christian faith. There is also a small Jewish minority.

Social conventions:
Islam is not merely for Fridays and holidays. The religion is part of all aspects of daily life with many social conventions stemming from the teachings of the Koran, the Muslim holy book. Hospitality is a significant element, especially to visitors. Shaking hands is the normal greeting but male visitors should wait for a woman to offer her hand before assuming it is acceptable (and vice versa).

Dress should be conservative and women should avoid wearing revealing clothes, covering upper arms and legs. This is particularly important when visiting religious buildings (when hair should be covered) and conservative towns. Standards can be relaxed when in modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars in Cairo, Alexandria and other tourist resorts. Official or social functions and smart restaurants usually require more formal wear. Smoking is very common, with few restrictions in public places.

Photography: Tourists will have to pay a fee to take photographs inside pyramids, tombs and museums. Ask permission when taking pictures of someone, especially women. Some traditionally-dressed locals demand money when they ‘pose’ outside historic sites, especially temples and pyramids.

Language in Egypt

Arabic is the official language. English and French are widely spoken.