decline ensued, and with it a decline in Egyptian culture.
Egypt became a British protectorate in 1914
and received nominal independence in 1922, when a
constitutional monarchy was established. A coup
overthrew the monarchy in 1952, with Gamal Abdel
Nasser taking power. Following three wars with Israel,
Egypt, under Nasser’s successor,
Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula
Area:
total: 1,001,450 sq km
Climate:
desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc
Population:
78,866,635 (July 2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16
Ethnic groups:
Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)
Religions:
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Cairo
Administrative divisions:
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef), Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj (Sohag)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952
ـ[بَحْرُ الرَّمَل]ــــــــ[02 - 11 - 2010, 01:41 م]ـ
IRAQ
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https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/graphics/maps/newmaps/iz-map.gif (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/maps/maptemplate_iz.html)
Background
Called Mesopotamia in Classical times, the region
gave rise to the world’s earliest civilizations, including
those of Sumer, Akkad, and Babylon. invaded by
Alexander the Great in 330 BC, the area later became
a battleground between Romans and Parthians and
then between Sasanians and Byzantines. Arab Muslims
conquered it in the 7th century AD and ruled until
the Mongols took over in 1258. The Ottomans took
control in the 16th century and ruled until 1917. The
British occupied the country during World War I and
created the kingdom of Iraq in 1921. The British occupied
Iraq again during World War II. A king was restored
following the war, but a revolution ended the
monarchy in 1958. Following a series of military
coups. The Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s and the Persian
Gulf War (precipitated by the Iraqi invasion of
Kuwait in 1990) brought heavy casualties and disrupted
the economy. The 1990s were dominated by
economic and political turmoil. In response to
the contention that Iraq was in possession of
weapons of mass destruction (none were ever
found), on 19 Mar 2003 air attacks on Baghdad
began, and soon afterward US and British ground
forces invaded southern Iraq from Kuwait; within a
month most of the country was under the control of
coalition forces. Saddam was taken into custody in
December. In July 2003 US authorities established
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