EGYPT

Egypt Bureau SAT-7 P. O. Box 1036 Heliopolis Bahry Cairo 11737, Egypt Phone: (20) 2-507 6636 Fax: (20) 2-507 6779 E-mail: egypt@sat7.org satellite television service for the Christians of the Middle East and North Africa.

Egypt is located in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip. The first capital of unified Egypt was at Memphis 25k south of Cairo. 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. Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters - Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta - highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc Geography -controls the Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; Population: 69,536,644 - Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian - Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other - Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes - Capital: Cairo - Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

November 21, 2005

Egypt's Christian Coptic minority voiced concern over the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood Monday, after the still illegal Islamist opposition group made impressive gains in parliamentary elections. "I am sounding the bell to warn Egyptians that if the Muslim Brothers come to power, Egypt will be an Islamic state, like Iran or Sudan," said prominent Coptic thinker Milad Hanna. The Brotherhood claimed it had won another 13 seats in the second phase of the three-stage elections, adding to the record 34 seats they won in the first, and stood to win more seats in the 454-member legislature in second-round run-offs in constituencies where no candidate won outright.

In the outgoing People's Assembly, the movement commanded the support of just 15 MPs, all of them elected as independents. The domination by President Hosni Mubarak's National Democratic Party is not at risk but it will for the first time have to face a substantial challenge in the People's Assembly if the Muslim Brothers make further gains.

"I was always friendly with the Muslim Brothers," said Hanna, 81. "My aim was to prevent conflicts, notably in small villages, so that Coptic minorities are not wiped out. Now I sense that the political map is changing. "The day the Muslim Brothers win more than 50 percent, the rich Copts will leave the country and the poorer Copts will stay, maybe some of them will be converted... I hope I will die before this happens." So far only one Copt, NDP heavyweight and finance minister Yusef Butros-Ghali, has won a seat. No candidate from the Christian minority appeared in a favourable position to win a seat in the remaining rounds of polling. The Copts claim to account for around 10 percent of Egypt's population of 73 million and have consistently complained of under-representation and marginalisation.

The Muslim Brothers, founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, campaigned under the slogan "Islam is the solution" but their political agenda remains vague. Munir Fakhri Abdel Nur, a leading businessman and one of the country's most prominent MPs, lost his seat in the first phase earlier this month and urged the Islamist movement to spell out its political programme. Many Copts fear that the Brotherhood, which has displayed great political acumen and flexibility during the campaign, will revert to hardline Islamist policies if they seize power. "It is high time they outlined their position on economic and social issues... especially their views on the role and place of women and Copts in society," said Coptic writer Samir Morqos. There was no immediate reaction from the leader of the Coptic community, Pope Shenuda III, who has traditionally enjoyed good relations with the country's secular government.

The Pyramids. Passages can suddenly open out into a great gallery as much as 150 feet long and 30 feet high. The pyramids were covered with a gleaming case of white limestone - some remains of it can still be seen on Chephre's pyramid. They were then topped with a gilded capstone, which glittered in the sunlight. The great pyramid of Giza was built by the pharaoh Khufu, in the Old Kingdom, before 2500 BC with 2 million blocks weighing 2.5 to 60 tons each and soars nearly 500 feet into the air.

Ahlan wa sahlan!

Arabic is spoken by almost 200 million people in more than twenty two countries, from Morrocco Iraq, and as far south as Somalia and the Sudan. The Arabic language originated in Saudi Arabia and spread rapidly across the Middle East. The languages of northern India, Turkey, Iran, Portugal, and Spain are full of words of Arabic origin.
  

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