Amazing Facts: interesting facts about Egypt

Education
May 01 2019 05:51 PM
Anurag Singh Bisen

The ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced civilization for almost 3000 years. It started out as small settlements on the banks of river Nile, settlements grew into respective kingdoms. These kingdoms were then united into the Kingdom of ancient Egypt around 3100 BC. From there, began the tale of a civilization whose architecture and artifacts remain flawless to this day, giving testimony to once thriving kingdom and its culture.

also read: Amazing Facts: Did you know rats can swim? And laugh?

Cairo is the most populated city in Egypt and it’s also the capital city.
The official language of Egypt is Arabic, but some people also speak other languages like French and English.
The official name of Egypt is Junhuriyah Misr al-Arabiya, meaning “the Arab Republic of Egypt” in English. The Egyptians also refer to their country as Misr, which can be used as a substitute name for Cairo.
With a total estimate of about 92.1 million people, Egypt is the largest Arab country in the world. It ranks higher than Iraq and Saudi Arabia which ranks 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Egypt is the 15th country with the highest population in the world, with 99% of the country’s people living on just 5.5% of the land.
Tourism is a major economic activity in Egypt, accounting for about 12% of the country’s workforce.
By virtue of area, Egypt is the 30th biggest country in the world. It measures approximately 1,001,450 square miles, which is almost 10 times larger than South Korea.
The shape of the Egyptian pyramids is said to have been inspired by the sun rays. According to the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians, the king’s soul ascended along the sun rays to the sun god.
The Egyptian Flag is tricolor consisting of red, white and black colors. The red color is a representation of the struggle against the British colonialists before their independence. White represents the 1952 revolution that ended the monarchy without a war, while black symbolizes the oppression of the Egyptian under the British rule.
Egypt has the most Facebook users compared to any other country in the Middle East. It ranks 21st in the world, with an average of more than 20.14 million internet users. This social network highly contributed and led to the success of the 2011 Egyptian revolution.
Gypsy is a short name for “Egyptian”.
Until 2015, no Egyptian president had ever left office without dying or being arrested.
Egyptian hieroglyphs have over 700 symbols. This ancient language was used by Egyptians to write down their history and communicate, making it one of the earliest languages to be used. Much of what people know about Egypt is as a result of hieroglyphic writing found in archeological sites.
Most Egyptian traditions and festivals trace their origin back to the time of pharaohs. The Egyptians also draw many traditions from their religion (Islam).
Located at Giza, the Pyramid of Khufu is the largest Pyramid in Egypt. Measuring 146.7 meters in height, it’s one of the oldest historic sites that remain largely intact. This Pyramid is also known as the Pyramid of Cheops.
Egypt is largely covered by a desert, receiving only 20mm of rain per year.
Approximately 95% of Egypt’s population lives along the banks of river Nile, which is known to be the longest river on the globe.
Though Egypt is 90% desert, approximately 30% of their workforce is in agriculture.
The ancient Egyptians mummified both human beings and animals as they believed it would allow the dead to pass safely into the afterlife.
Ramadan is a national celebration that runs for a whole month and is held annually. During this time, the people fast during the day when the sun is up and break their fast when the sun sets and they can party, eat and drink.