Egypt (officially the Arab Republic of Egypt), is a transcontinental country spanning the North-East corner of Africa and the South-West corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt, while Alexandria, the second-largest city, is an important industrial and tourist hub at the Mediterranean coast.

Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage along the Nile Delta back to the 6th–4th millennia BCE. Considered a cradle of civilization, Ancient Egypt saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanization, organized religion and central government. Iconic monuments such as the Giza pyramid complex, the Great Sphinx, as well the ruins of Memphis, Thebes, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, reflect this legacy and remain a significant focus of scientific and popular interest.

Modern Egypt dates back to 1922, when it gained independence from the British Empire. Following the 1952 revolution, Egypt declared itself a republic, and in 1958 it merged with Syria to form the United Arab Republic, which dissolved in 1961.  Egypt endured social strife, religious strife and political instability, fighting several armed conflicts with Israel and occupying the Gaza Strip intermittently until 1967. In 1978, Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, officially withdrawing from the Gaza Strip and recognizing Israel.

Islam is the official religion of Egypt and Arabic is its official language. With over 100 million inhabitants, Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third-most populous in Africa (after Nigeria and Ethiopia). The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River, an area of about 40,000Km². The large regions of the Sahara desert, which constitute most of Egypt’s territory, are sparsely inhabited. About 43% of Egypt’s residents live across the country’s urban areas, with most spread across the densely populated centers of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta.