communities.
Those that do exist are very
CAIRO CITY
Cairo’s Flag- The white band represents the
bloodlessness of the war. The black band at
the bottom symbolizes the end of the
oppression of the Egyptian people from the
monarchy. The flag also features the gold
outline of the Falcon of Saladin, the national
emblem.
Cairo city, is the capital of Egypt , and one of
the largest cities in Africa .
It was founded in 2,000 B.C and ruled by
King Menes who united Upper and lower
Egypt. Cairo itself was establishes as the city
of Fustat by the Fatimids in the 10 th century.
The 12th century brought Saladin.
Then in the mid-13 th century, the Mamluks
seized control of Egypt. Under them Cairo
became an important Centre of Islamic
learning.
Cairo has stood for more than 1000years on
the same site on the banks of the Nile, it is
also the gateway to the Nile Delta where the
lower Nile separates into the Rosetta and
Damietta branches.
CHARACTER OF THE CITY- Cairo is a
place of physical contrast. Along the well-
irrigated shoreline, lush vegetation shares the
landscape with tall skyscrapers. In the older
inland quarters to the east, however, beneath
the foothills of the Eastern desert and the
rocky promontories of the Muqattam hills and
the Al-Jabal al-Ahmar, brown and others are
the dominant hues of land and buildings
CITY CITE- Cairo is fan-shaped, narrowest
in the south, where the river valley is wedged
between desert escarpments, and widest in
the north, where the valley blends into the
delta.
POPULATION DENSITY- Cairo itself
has a population density of 19,376 people per
square kilometer (50,180/sq mi), which ranks
37th in the world.
DEMOGRAPHICS- Cairo is a very
homogeneous city with very few minority
small and are not concentrated in specific
neighborhoods. The few ethnic minorities
include Nubians and northern Sudanese,
along with refugees from other parts of
Africa. There are more foreigners from the
United States, the United Kingdom, and
several Arab countries.Arabic is the most
widely spoken language in Cairo, although
many educated Cairenes speak English,
Italian or French. Egypt has a very young
population. 75% of Egyptians are under the
age of 25, and just 3% are over the age of 65,
which makes it one of the youngest countries.
Cairo has an older population compared to
the national average, however, with 36% of
the people under the age of 15.
RELIGION- 90-94 % Muslim, most of the
rest are Coptic Christian. Most Muslims are
Sunni, though no specific percentages seem
to be available. While Copts make up the
largest percentage of Christians, there is a
small, declining number of Catholics, and
apparently an increasing number of
protestants, mostly Episcopal.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
My homeland, my homeland, my homeland,
My love and my heart are for thee.
(repeat previous two lines)
Egypt! O mother of all lands,
My hope and my ambition,
How can one count
The blessings of the Nile for mankind?
Egypt! Most precious jewel,
Shining on the brow of eternity!
O my homeland, be for ever free,
Safe from every foe!
Egypt! Noble are thy children,
Loyal, and guardians of thy soil.
In war and peace
We give our lives for thy sake.
CHORUS (without repeats)
CLIMATE- Cairo has only two seasons:
Summer and Winter.
Six months of summer from May to October
and also six months of winter from November
to April.
LIFE EXPECTANCY- The average life
expectancy is 60 to 65 for males, and 63 to
68 for females.
LANGUAGE- Arabic with an Egyptian
dialect, though a significant percentage of the
educated population are capable in English,
French and/or Italian.
MOST NOTABLE CITES
1.EL-AZHAR MOSQUE AL AZHAR- El-
Azhar Mosque Al Azhar Mosque was the first
Islamic University built in Cairo. It was
constructed around 1,000 years ago and it was
the official mosque for Friday prayer (jummah)
for many years in Egypt. It was built by the
great Fatimid army leader and the builder of
Cairo, Gawhar El Seqelly, with the orders of the
Fatimid Caliph, Al Mui'z le Din Allah. The
building of Al Azhar began in 970 A.D. and it
was finished three years later.
2.CAIRO TOWER- Cairo Tower is a
“thrilling” attraction and offers the opportunity
to enjoy spectacular views of the city.
Interestingly, it has been the tallest free standing
tower in Egypt and North Africa for around 50
years. In fact, at 187 meters in height, it was the
tallest tower of its kind on the entire African
continent prior to 1971.
3. CAIRO CITADEL- It is a medieval
Islamic fortification constructed in 1183 CE
around the ancient city to protect against the
invading Crusaders. Citadel of Cairo is also
called the Mohamed Ali Citadel or Saladin
Citadel.
4.OLD CAIRO- Old Cairo is quite a large
district of southern Cairo, stretching from
Garden City to Coptic Cairo, and it is home to
the Cairo Coptic Christian community.
Old Cairo is also home to the famous Hanging
Church of Cairo, one of the oldest and biggest
churches ever built in Egypt.
5.THE GIZA NECROPOLIS-The Giza
Necropolis is located on the outskirts of
Cairo, and this is where you will find the
Great Pyramids of Giza and the instantly
recognizable Sphinx.
The three pyramids, for which the site is famous
for, are those of Pharaoh Khufu; Pharaoh Kafre
and Pharaoh Menkaure, with the pyramid of
Khufu being the biggest and oldest.
FAMOUS DELICACIES
1.SIMIT-A Classic Turkish baked good that
has become a popular Cairene street food.
This sesame-covered bread looks like a cross
between a bagel and a pretzel and has a soft,
fluffy interior. It is usually served with a
hard-boiled egg and is most popular around
Easter, when the Egyptians celebrate Sham
Ennessim.
2.HAWAWSHI-Commonly eaten for lunch or
dinner, hawawshi is prepared by stuffing pita
bread with a minced meat mixture flavored
with onions, peppers, and chilies to create a
delicious hot and spicy dish.
3.FUL- Ful is the most common traditional
breakfast, it’s a staple in every Egyptians’
diet. Ful, pronounced as fool, is made of fava
beans cooked with oil and salt. It is
commonly eaten as a dish with eggs, cheese,
pita bread and/or also popular food
like ta’meya pods.
4.FALAFEL- Traditionally served in
Egyptian breakfast along with ful, eggs,
cheese and pita bread.
5.KOSHARI-A layering of rice, macaroni,
lentils, and chickpeas topped off with
caramelized onions, thick red sauce, and a
garlic/chili/vinegar/ sauce.
6.MACARONI BECHAMIL-A classic
Egyptian comfort food that will leave you
satisfied for a while. Basically, it’s Egypt’s
version of lasagna or macaroni and cheese.
Made with rigatoni noodles, minced meat
cooked in chopped onion and tomato paste,
topped with the classic béchamel sauce.
CURRENCY- Pound.