The longest river in Africa,
the Nile
played a crucial role in the development of Egypt. Because the Nile annually overflowed its banks, it deposited silt and made the surrounding land fertile. The
ancient Egyptians were able to trade their wheat, flax, papyrus
, and other crops in the famine plagued Mid-East. This trading helped Egypt’s diplomatic relationships with other countries and stabilized its economy.
Economy:
The economy of Egypt today depends somewhat on
agriculture
, but also
energy
markets and
tourism
. However, a rapidly growing population, limited land for agriculture, and dependence on the Nile overtax resources and stress the economy.
Language:
The official language of the Republic of Egypt is Arabic and
Egyptian Arabic
is the language spoken by most Egyptians.
Cuisine:
Egyptian cuisine relies heavily on
legumes and vegetable
dishes. Although some of the coastal cities use fish or seafood, the majority of Egyptian cuisine is made of foods that grow out of the ground.
Kushari
is possibly the national dish and is a mixture of rice, lentils and macaroni. A dish made of mashed fava beans,
ful Mesdames
, is one of the most popular dishes of Egypt.
Please enjoy your time in Cairo and the Nile Delta this week.
Next week we cross the
Suez Canal
and take our first steps in Israel, getting ever closer to Jerusalem.
