Egypt
Union of African Parliaments
1990 (1410 AH) Silver 5 Pounds 37mm(17.50 grams) 0.720 Silver (0.4051 oz. ASW)
Reference: KM# 689
Map in background divides grain sprig andbuilding.
١٤١٠ - ١٩٩٠ ٥ , Tughra within circle. You are bidding on the exact item pictured, provided with a Certificate ofAuthenticity and Lifetime Guarantee of Authenticity.  Egypt,officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning thenortheast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by a land bridgeformed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered bythe Gaza Strip and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba to the east,the Red Sea to the east and south, Sudan to the south, and Libya to thewest. Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan, across the Red Sea lies SaudiArabia, and across the Mediterranean lie Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, althoughnone share a land border with Egypt.
.svg/85px-Coat_of_arms_of_Egypt_(Official).svg.png) Egypthas one of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage backto the 6th-4th millennia BCE. Considered a cradle of civilisation, AncientEgypt saw some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture,urbanisation, organised religion and central government. Iconic monumentssuch as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx, as well the ruins ofMemphis, Thebes, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings, reflect this legacyand remain a significant focus of scientific and popular interest. Egyptslong and rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its nationalidentity, which has endured, and often assimilated, various foreigninfluences, including Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, Ottoman Turkish, andNubian. Egypt was an early and important centre of Christianity, but waslargely Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslimcountry, albeit with a significant Christian minority.
 Fromthe 16th to the beginning of the 20th century, Egypt was ruled by foreignimperial powers: The Ottoman Empire and the British Empire. Modern Egyptdates back to 1922, when it gained nominal independence from the BritishEmpire as a monarchy. However, British military occupation of Egyptcontinued, and many Egyptians believed that the monarchy was an instrumentof British colonialism. Following the 1952 revolution, Egypt expelledBritish soldiers and bureaucrats and ended British occupation, nationalizedthe British-held Suez Canal, exiled King Farouk and his family, and declareditself a republic. In 1958 it merged with Syria to form the United ArabRepublic, which dissolved in 1961. Throughout the second half of the 20thcentury, Egypt endured social and religious strife and politicalinstability, fighting several armed conflicts with Israel in 1948, 1956,1967 and 1973, and occupying the Gaza Strip intermittently until 1967. In1978, Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, officially withdrawing from theGaza Strip and recognising Israel. The country continues to face challenges,from political unrest, including the recent 2011 revolution and itsaftermath, to terrorism and economic underdevelopment. Egypts currentgovernment is a presidential republic headed by President Abdel Fattahel-Sisi, which has been described by a number of watchdogs as authoritarian.
Islam is the official religion of Egypt and Arabic is its official language.With over 95 million inhabitants, Egypt is the most populous country inNorth Africa, the Middle East, and the Arab world, the third-most populousin Africa (after Nigeria and Ethiopia), and the fifteenth-most populous inthe world. The great majority of its people live near the banks of the NileRiver, an area of about 40,000 square kilometres (15,000sqmi), where theonly arable land is found. The large regions of the Sahara desert, whichconstitute most of Egypts territory, are sparsely inhabited. About half ofEgypts residents live in urban areas, with most spread across the denselypopulated centres of greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in theNile Delta. The sovereign state of Egypt is a transcontinentalcountry considered to be a regional power in North Africa, the Middle Eastand the Muslim world, and a middle power worldwide. Egypts economy is oneof the largest and most diversified in the Middle East, and is projected tobecome one of the largest in the world in the 21st century. In 2016, Egyptovertook South Africa and became Africas second largest economy (afterNigeria). Egypt is a founding member of the United Nations, Non-AlignedMovement, Arab League, African Union, and Organisation of IslamicCooperation. |
