A rural population still inhabits the northernmost fringe. However, its metro is one of the busiest in the world and it is the only one in Africa. Today the Nile is shifting westward and portions of the city are actually getting farther from the river. Only use ATMs in reputable areas and be wary of anyone trying to assist you. Cairo is fan-shaped, narrowest in the south, where the river valley is wedged between desert escarpments, and widest in the north, where the valley blends into the delta. List of Currencies, Countries and capitals and their langauges This Page of WorldClassLearning is dedicated to aspirants preparing for Bank Jobs, UPSC, Govt. Amanda Briney, M.A., is a professional geographer. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/05/egypt.protests.timeline/index.html, M.A., Geography, California State University - East Bay, B.A., English and Geography, California State University - Sacramento. At that time, Egypt's capital was then moved to Cairo and by 1340 its population had grown to nearly 500,000 and it was a growing trading center. Although the official language of Egypt is Arabic, notes are bilingual and the amounts are written in English on one side. Its metropolitan area, which includes nearby satellite cities, extends to 33,347 square miles (86,369 sq km). At this time it was called Fustat and the region became a center of Islam. Cash is king in Egypt and many local restaurants, shops, and tour operators will not have card facilities. They were likely inspired by the recent revolts in Tunisia and were protesting Egypt's government. The mosques of Abū al-ʿAlāʾ and Sīnān Pasha are among the few historic buildings in Būlāq to survive a rapid gentrification process accompanied by the demolition of many of the older structures in order to make room for high-rise residential and commercial buildings. The Wasṭ al-Balad includes the older Al-Azbakiyyah district, Garden City, and, more recently, Jazīrah, the island offshore. In 641, Muslims took control of the area and moved its capital from Alexandria to the new, growing city of Cairo. 9) Because the Nile, like all rivers, has shifted its path over the years, there are parts of the city that are very close to the water, while others are farther away. Shortly thereafter, Cairo began to again grow rapidly and today its city population is over six million, while its metropolitan population is over 19 million. Area governorate, 83 square miles (214 square km). Egypt’s official currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP). Cairo suffers from traffic and high levels of air and water pollution. You should also ask them to make a note of your travel dates so they won’t think your card has been stolen and cancel it the first time you use it at an Egyptian ATM. What You Should Know About Canadian Money, How to Change, Spend, and Save Money in Vietnam, How to Access Money While Traveling in Asia. For mid-range trips, we recommend budgeting up to 1800 EGP (approximately 120 USD) per day, while luxury trips with 5-star accommodation, private tours, and fine cuisine can cost double that. 7) Today, Cairo the center of the Egyptian education system and there are a large number of universities in or near the city. Cairo is the capital of the north African country of Egypt. At the heart of Miṣr al-Qadīmah stands the reconstructed Mosque of ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ, as well as the many Coptic churches. Since that time, urban developments have increasingly encroached upon agricultural land, extending into the desert periphery; Heliopolis and Naṣr City (a suburb begun in 1958) are examples of such desert-based developments. Egypt exported $33.2 billion worth of goods in 2014, making it the 62nd largest export economy in the world. Cairo has only two seasons: approximately eight months of summer and four months of winter. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. In Al-Jīzah (Giza) and on the island of Al-Rawḍah, on the Nile’s western bank, are located residential quarters, the zoological and botanical gardens, an agricultural museum, and the campus of Cairo University. CNN.com. You’ll be hard pushed to find anywhere that will accept them and banks will overcharge you to cash them in. The origins of Miṣr al-Qadīmah lie with Al-Fusṭāṭ, originally founded as a military encampment in 641 by ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ. The Pyramids of Giza, near Memphis, stand at the southwestern edge of the metropolis, and an obelisk in the northeast marks the site of Heliopolis, where Plato once studied; modern landmarks of Western-style high-rise hotels and apartment buildings overlook the Nile River. (2006) governorate, 7,786,640; (2005 est.) Būlāq, an island until 1340 and the city’s main port by 1560, eventually became an industrial district in the early 19th century. Pinterest. Over the centuries the city expanded westward, as a receding river channel left land flood-free. In the 16th and 17th centuries, however, Cairo grew geographically as the Ottomans worked to expand the city's borders out from Citadel that was constructed near the city's center. A lively and informative new podcast for kids that the whole family will enjoy! One Egyptian pound is made up of 100 piastres. Many travelers like to arrive with some local money to pay for initial expenses such as transport from the airport to your hotel. As a result, many of the buildings and roads in Cairo are very new. Notes also come in the following denominations: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200. Heliopolis, or Miṣr al-Jadīdah (“New Cairo”), became a major site of development in the 1970s and ’80s, witnessing significant population growth and commercial expansion. In most quarters, commercial and industrial workshops are scattered among the dwellings; this is particularly the case in the poorer neighbourhoods. Houses on the rural fringe areas of Cairo are typically built of mud or fired brick, resembling traditional village housing in the hinterland. How to Exchange US Dollars for Pesos in Mexico, How Should I Bring my Spending Money to the UK, How to Exchange Currency in China: U.S. The major monuments of these eastern cemeteries are Mamlūk in design, each topped by a plain or fluted dome; lesser tombs are simpler, rectangular constructions. Along the eastern edge of the metropolis stands the district of Al-Qarāfah (City of the Dead), a unique zone made up of an extensive series of cemeteries. Share. The 50 piastres note, for example, depicts Ramses II; while the one and 100 pound notes depict the temples of Abu Simbel and the Great Sphinx of Giza respectively. Shortly after its construction, Cairo was to become the center of education for the area. Can I Use My U.S. The city’s historic core was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979. Owing to the rapid population growth that occurred following Egypt’s independence in 1922, however, housing and shops have sprung up in the City of the Dead, where it is estimated that more than one million Cairenes live, many without municipal utilities or an official address. The city was called Al-Qahira, which translates to Cairo. What is the official name of the City of a Thousand Minarets? 1) Because present-day Cairo is located near the Nile River, it has long been settled. Egypt - Egypt - Government and society: Egypt has operated under several constitutions, both as a monarchy and, after 1952, as a republic.
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