Egypt is situated in the northeast corner of the African continent.
Covering 386,650 square miles, which is about equal in size to Texas and California
combined, it is the twelfth largest country in Africa. Egypt is bounded by Libya to
the west, Sudan to the south, Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba and
the Red Sea to the east,
and the Mediterranean Sea to the north.
Egypt receives very little rain and consists largely of desert.
However, the Nile River runs through the country, creating
a fertile green valley. North of Cairo the river widens to form the Nile Delta.
Ninety eight percent of Egypt's population crowds into the valley and delta.
West of the Nile is the Western, or Libyan Desert.
There are some fertile oases in this desert. To the east lies the Eastern Desert or Arabian
Desert which is more mountainous and barren.
Egypt may be divided into four main regions: the Nile Valley and Delta, the Western Desert, the Eastern Desert, and the Sinai Peninsula.
Weather
Egypt is a hot and arid. However, there can be a marked difference between
winter and summer temperatures. In Cairo, temperatures can rise as high as
95°F in summer and drop to as low as 45°F in winter. Farther south, the country
becomes hotter. Winters in Aswan are pleasantly warm, but summer temperatures can
reach 107°F.
Alexandria, in the north, enjoys much milder weather than the rest of
the country. Here, the highest temperature throughout the year will not usually
be more than the mid 80s, and the cool breezes of the Mediterranean make even the
hottest days pleasant. Egypt gets hardly any rain or clouds. Cairo will
average about five rainy days a year, and sometimes less. Most of this rain will
fall between November and January. Siwa, an oasis in the middle of the great
Western Desert, might only get rain once or twice every century. Therefore, away
from the influence of the Nile, Egypt quickly becomes a desert land.
Flora And Fauna
Of Egypt's natural plant life, papyrus ("peh-PI-rehs") is one of the most
interesting and useful. It is a water reed that was used for making paper in ancient
times. Today, it can no longer be found in the wild and only grows where cultivated.
The palm is the most common native tree, found throughout the Delta, in the
Nile Valley, and in the oases and desert. The acacia is widely distributed, as are
eucalyptus and sycamore. In the desert areas, coarse alfa grass and stunted
tamarisks, as well as a great variety of thorny shrubs and herbs can be found.
Egypt is a desert land without any forest. Because of this lack of tree cover,
Egypt has relatively few large animals. The camel is the creature most
people associate with Egypt, but this “ship of the desert" was introduced to the
country as a domestic animal. There was more wildlife along the Nile in ancient
times, and tomb paintings show ostriches, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, and even
giraffes. Pressure from the human population has eliminated these animals, although
there are occasional, but unconfirmed, reports of ostriches being seen in remote areas.
Today, a few larger animals still survive in the desert. These include the gazelle,
the hyena, and the jackal. There are also small numbers of wild boars, lynxes, and
wild cats that survive in the Delta region.
Egypt has 33 species of snakes, half of which are venomous. Some of the more spectacular species include the Egyptian cobra, the horned viper, and the hooded snake. Of these, the Egyptian cobra has a reputation for being particularly aggressive. There is a good variety of lizards, scorpions, and insects, but very few butterflies.
Egypt has particularly impressive bird life. There are approximately 200 migratory species and 150 resident species. The Nile Valley is a very important flight path for birds migrating between eastern Europe and East Africa. The fertile valley provides food for these migrating birds, which also use the river for visual navigation.
Some of the world's most beautiful birds, such as the Golden Eagle and lammergeier (a Eurasian vulture), can be found in the Eastern Desert and the Sinai. Although no storks and few ducks breed in Egypt, many of these species use the lakes as feeding grounds. One of the most common birds in Egypt is the hoopoe, a small but colorful ground feeder with a crest like fan.
Egypt's most colorful wildlife can be found under water, in the coral gardens of the
Sea. The coral gardens are home to more than 800 fish species, including potentially
aggressive animals such as tiger sharks and moray eels. Over 190 varieties of fish,
including large perch, carp, and burl, live in the Nile.
Extract from “Cultures Of The World Egypt”, Written by Robert Pateman. New York:
Marshall Cavendish, 1996.
Geography of Ancient Egypt
ESSENTIAL QUESTION Why was the Nile River important?
The Longest River
• Nile River is 4,160 miles long, the world's longest river
- begins near equator in Africa, fl ows north to Mediterranean Sea
• South has cataracts—waterfalls
• Delta—area near river's mouth; water leaves silt—fi ne soil
• Heavy rains fl ooded Nile every summer
- soil left on shores was fertile—good for growing crops
Red Land, Black Land
• Ancient Egyptians lived in narrow land on sides of Nile
- called region the black land because of fertile soil
- red land was desert beyond fertile region
• Eight months of year were sunny, hot
- four months of winter were sunny, cooler
• One inch of rain a year in most of region
Isolation
• Desert acted as barrier to enemies
• Sea coast was swampy with no good harbors
• Early Egyptians stayed close to home
REVIEW QUESTION
What did the fl oods of the Nile River provide for farmers?
Land of Plenty
ESSENTIAL QUESTION How did Egyptians use the land around the Nile?
Agricultural Techniques
• Egyptians watched for ibises to determine fl ood, planting seasons
• By about 2400 B.C., farmers used technology to expand farmland
- dug irrigation canals to carry water to dry areas
- used shadufs to spread water across fi elds
Egyptian Crops
• Grew vegetables, fruits; were fi rst to grind wheat into fl our
- mixed fl our with yeast and water to make bread
• Wove fl ax plant fi bers into linen—lightweight cloth
- wore clothing made from linen
Egyptian Houses
• Houses built with bricks of mixed mud and straw
- narrow windows, white walls reduced sunlight, heat
- sticks, palm trees woven into roof; reed mats covered fl oor
• Nobles had fancy homes, courtyards, pools
• Poor people cooled off on roof; cooked, ate, slept outside
REVIEW QUESTION
What agricultural techniques did ancient Egyptians use?
Geography Shapes Egyptian Life
ESSENTIAL QUESTION What economic activities developed in Egypt?
Mining
• Copper was used for tools, weapons as early as 6000 B.C.
- Egyptians later sought iron, which was stronger
• Africa's richest gold mines in upper Nile; area called Nubia
• Mining minerals was diffi cult in hot Sinai Peninsula east of Egypt
- chipped rock to get at hidden mountain veins
• Mined precious stones such as turquoise, lapis lazuli
Fishing and Hunting
• Reed rafts used for river travel; caught fi sh with nets, harpoons
• Some hunters speared hippopotamuses, crocodiles
• Hunted quail and duck with nets, boomerangs
Transportation and Trade
• Later used sails to let wind carry boats south on Nile
- when following current north, used oars, paddles for speed
• Began to barter—trade goods with no exchange of money
REVIEW QUESTION
How did geography affect Egypt’s economy?
Lesson Summary
• The Nile River created a fertile land in a desert.
• The Egyptians used technology to expand their farms and
grow many crops.
• Ancient Egyptians also mined, fi shed, hunted, and traded.
Why It Matters Now . . .
Ancient Egyptians invented many things we use today, such as
yeast bread, turquoise jewelry, and linen clothes.
GPS
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
developed by the United States Department of Defense. It is the only fully
functional GNSS in the world. It uses a constellation of between 24 and 32
Medium Earth Orbit satellites that transmit precise microwave signals, which
enable GPS receivers to determine their current location, the time, and their
velocity. Its official name is NAVSTAR GPS. Although NAVSTAR is not an acronym,[1]
a few backronyms have been created for it.[2] The GPS satellite constellation is
managed by the United States Air Force 50th Space Wing. GPS is often used by
civilians as a navigation system.(From Wikipedia)
