Egypt Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! == Geography == {{Main|Geography of Egypt}} [[File:Egypt Topography.png|thumb|Egypt's topography]] Egypt lies primarily between latitudes [[22nd parallel north|22°]] and [[32nd parallel north|32°N]], and longitudes [[25th meridian east|25°]] and [[35th meridian east|35°E]]. At {{convert|1001450|km2|-1}}, it is the world's 30th-largest country.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html |title=World Factbook area rank order |publisher=Cia.gov |access-date=1 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209041128/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html |archive-date=9 February 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Due to the extreme aridity of Egypt's climate, population centres are concentrated along the narrow Nile Valley and Delta, meaning that about 99% of the population uses about 5.5% of the total land area.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iodeweb1.vliz.be/odin/bitstream/1834/383/1/Hamza.pdf |title=Land use and Coastal Management in the Third Countries: Egypt as a case |access-date=3 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090324233515/http://iodeweb1.vliz.be/odin/bitstream/1834/383/1/Hamza.pdf |archive-date=24 March 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> 98% of Egyptians live on 3% of the territory.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Fouberg|first1=Erin H.|last2=Murphy|first2=Alexander B.|author3=de Blij|title=Human Geography: People, Place, and Culture|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ThFncGxOrzEC&pg=PT91|access-date=10 February 2013|year=2009|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=978-0-470-57647-2|page=91|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130509151021/http://books.google.com/books?id=ThFncGxOrzEC&pg=PT91|archive-date=9 May 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Egypt is bordered by Libya to the west, the Sudan to the south, and the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east. A [[transcontinental nation]], it possesses a land bridge (the Isthmus of Suez) between Africa and Asia, traversed by a navigable waterway (the [[Suez Canal]]) that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Indian Ocean by way of the Red Sea. [[File:Water_Stress,_Top_Countries_(2020).svg|thumb|Egypt is the eighth most water stressed country in the world.]] Apart from the Nile Valley, the majority of Egypt's landscape is desert, with a few [[oasis|oases]] scattered about. Winds create prolific [[Dune|sand dunes]] that peak at more than {{convert|100|ft|m|order=flip|-1}} high. Egypt includes parts of the [[Sahara]] desert and of the [[Libyan Desert]]. Sinai peninsula hosts the highest mountain in Egypt, [[Mount Catherine]] at 2,642 metres. The [[Red Sea Riviera]], on the east of the peninsula, is renowned for its wealth of coral reefs and marine life. Towns and cities include [[Alexandria]], the second largest city; [[Aswan]]; [[Asyut]]; [[Cairo]], the modern Egyptian capital and largest city; [[El Mahalla El Kubra]]; [[Giza]], the site of the Pyramid of Khufu; [[Hurghada]]; [[Luxor]]; [[Kom Ombo]]; [[Port Safaga]]; [[Port Said]]; [[Sharm El Sheikh]]; [[Suez]], where the south end of the Suez Canal is located; [[Zagazig]]; and [[Minya, Egypt|Minya]]. [[Oasis|Oases]] include [[Bahariya Oasis|Bahariya]], [[Dakhla Oasis|Dakhla]], [[Farafra, Egypt|Farafra]], [[Kharga Oasis|Kharga]] and [[Siwa Oasis|Siwa]]. [[Protectorates]] include Ras Mohamed National Park, Zaranik Protectorate and Siwa. On 13 March 2015, plans for a [[proposed new capital of Egypt]] were announced.<ref>{{cite news|title=Egypt to build new administrative and business capital|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31874886|work=BBC News|date=13 March 2015|access-date=20 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216003921/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-31874886|archive-date=16 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> === Climate === {{Main|Climate of Egypt}} [[File:Sand Dunes (Qattara Depression).jpg|thumb|The [[Qattara Depression]] in Egypt's north west]] Most of Egypt's rain falls in the winter months.<ref>Soliman, KH. ''Rainfall over Egypt''. Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, vol. 80, issue 343, p. 104.</ref> South of Cairo, rainfall averages only around {{convert|2|to|5|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} per year and at intervals of many years. On a very thin strip of the northern coast the rainfall can be as high as {{convert|410|mm|abbr=on|sigfig=3}},<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=60326&refer= |title=Marsa Matruh, Egypt |publisher=Weatherbase.com |access-date=3 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104040540/http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather.php3?s=60326&refer= |archive-date=4 November 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> mostly between October and March. [[Snow]] falls on Sinai's mountains and some of the north coastal cities such as [[Damietta]], [[Baltim]] and [[Sidi Barrani]], and rarely in Alexandria. A very small amount of snow fell on Cairo on 13 December 2013, the first time in many decades.<ref>{{cite news |title= Biblical snowstorm: Rare flakes in Cairo, Jerusalem paralyzed by over a foot |first= Jason |last= Samenow |newspaper= The Washington Post |date= 13 December 2013 |url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/12/13/rare-snow-in-cairo-jerusalem-paralyzed-in-historic-snow/ |access-date= 26 August 2017 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150903233952/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/12/13/rare-snow-in-cairo-jerusalem-paralyzed-in-historic-snow/ |archive-date= 3 September 2015 |url-status=live |df= dmy-all }}</ref> [[Frost]] is also known in mid-Sinai and mid-Egypt. Egypt has an unusually hot, sunny and dry climate. Average high temperatures are high in the north but very to extremely high in the rest of the country during summer. The cooler Mediterranean winds consistently blow over the northern sea coast, which helps to get more moderated temperatures, especially at the height of the summertime. The [[Khamaseen]] is a hot, dry wind that originates from the vast deserts in the south and blows in the spring or in the early summer. It brings scorching sand and dust particles, and usually brings daytime temperatures over {{convert|40|°C}} and sometimes over {{convert|50|°C}} in the interior, while the relative humidity can drop to 5% or even less. Prior to the construction of the [[Aswan Dam]], the Nile flooded annually, replenishing Egypt's soil. This gave Egypt a consistent harvest throughout the years. The potential rise in sea levels due to [[global warming]] could threaten Egypt's densely populated coastal strip and have grave consequences for the country's economy, agriculture and industry. Combined with growing demographic pressures, a significant rise in sea levels could turn millions of Egyptians into [[environmental refugees]] by the end of the 21st century, according to some climate experts.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77240 |title=Contingency planning for rising sea levels in Egypt | IRIN News, March 2008 |date=12 March 2008 |publisher=Irinnews.org |access-date=25 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827210253/http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=77240 |archive-date=27 August 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=El Deeb and Keath|first=Sarah and Lee|title=Islamist claims victory in Egypt president vote|url=http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_EGYPT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-06-17-23-11-03|agency=Associated Press|access-date=18 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120620080939/http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_EGYPT?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2012-06-17-23-11-03|archive-date=20 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> === Biodiversity === {{Main|Wildlife of Egypt}} [[File:Eastern Imperial Eagle cr.jpg|thumb|The [[Eastern Imperial Eagle]] is the national animal of Egypt.]] Egypt signed the Rio [[Convention on Biological Diversity]] on 9 June 1992, and became a party to the convention on 2 June 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbd.int/convention/parties/list/ |title=List of Parties |access-date=8 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124005746/http://www.cbd.int/convention/parties/list/ |archive-date=24 January 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> It has subsequently produced a [[Biodiversity Action Plan|National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan]], which was received by the convention on 31 July 1998.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/eg/eg-nbsap-01-en.pdf |title=Egypt: National Strategy and Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation |access-date=9 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130117012234/http://www.cbd.int/doc/world/eg/eg-nbsap-01-en.pdf |archive-date=17 January 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Where many [[Center for Biological Diversity|CBD]] [[Biodiversity Action Plan|National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans]] neglect biological kingdoms apart from animals and plants,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fungal-conservation.org/micheli.htm |title=The Micheli Guide to Fungal Conservation |access-date=9 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219063643/http://www.fungal-conservation.org/micheli.htm |archive-date=19 February 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> The plan stated that the following numbers of species of different groups had been recorded from Egypt: algae (1483 species), animals (about 15,000 species of which more than 10,000 were insects), fungi (more than 627 species), monera (319 species), plants (2426 species), protozoans (371 species). For some major groups, for example lichen-forming fungi and nematode worms, the number was not known. Apart from small and well-studied groups like amphibians, birds, fish, mammals and reptiles, the many of those numbers are likely to increase as further species are recorded from Egypt. For the fungi, including lichen-forming species, for example, subsequent work has shown that over 2200 species have been recorded from Egypt, and the final figure of all fungi actually occurring in the country is expected to be much higher.<ref>A.M. Abdel-Azeem, ''The History, Fungal Biodiversity, Conservation, and Future Perspectives for Mycology in Egypt'' IMA Fungus 1 (2): 123–142 (2010).</ref> For the grasses, 284 native and naturalised species have been identified and recorded in Egypt.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Ibrahim|first1=Kamal M.|last2=Hosni|first2=Hasnaa A.|last3=Peterson|first3=Paul M.|title=Grasses of Egypt|date=2016|publisher=Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press|location=Washington, D.C.|url=https://purl.fdlp.gov/GPO/gpo67060|access-date=16 April 2016}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! 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