Travel Guide Egypt - Country Information

Coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E
Population: 78,887,007 (July 2006 est.)
Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1%
Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Elevation: lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m / highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m
Hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms
Background Egypt: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.

Summary of recommendations:All travelers should visit either their personal physician or a travel health clinic 4-8 weeks before departure.
Vaccinations:
Hepatitis A	Recommended for all travelers
Typhoid	Recommended for all travelers
Yellow fever	Required for travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas.
Polio	One-time booster recommended for any adult traveler who completed the childhood series but never had polio vaccine as an adult
Hepatitis B	For travelers who may have intimate contact with local residents, especially if visiting for more than 6 months
Rabies	For travelers who may have direct contact with animals and may not have access to medical care
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)	Two doses recommended for all travelers born after 1956, if not previously given
Tetanus-diphtheria	Revaccination recommended every 10 years