| | Capital: CairoLocation: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai PeninsulaGeography: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees. Terrain - vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and deltaClimate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate wintersNatural Hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstormsLanguage: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classesCurrency: Egyptian pound (EGP) |
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