Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt, located in the northeast corner of Africa. This area has been inhabited for thousands of years due to its prime location at the mouth of the Nile River. The city of Cairo was named and made the capital of Egypt by an Arab ruler of the Fatimid dynasty in 973 C.E. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/88520/Cairo The word Cairo means the "Victorious City" in Arabic, the language spoken by its inhabitants. The city occupies both sides of the Nile River with a population that has almost reached 16 million, making it one of the largest cities in Africa and in the world. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/88520/Cairo

In 2009, Cairo experienced a drop in it's unemployment rate from 11% in 2006 to 9% in 2009. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/88520/CairoThere is a constant demand for exports, including oil, cotton, iron and steel. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/88520/Cairo Cairo is also one of the world's largest tourist attractions with monuments such as the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx. The Egyptian Museum displays one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world.http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/88520/Cairo

After its founding, Cairo was inhabited by the Arabs until the British and then the French conquered it after the 17th century. It was not until the revolution of 1952 that the control of the country returned to Egyptian hands. During occupation by the British and French, the city was overrun by many different kinds of plagues, mainly the Black Death. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/cairo-ibn-tulun-mosque This resulted in a heavy death rate among the Egyptians, although the French and British were also hit hard by diseases prominent in Africa, such as malaria.

Inhabitance by many different countries has left behind different religions. The majority of the population is Muslim, since the Arabs controlled it for centuries. Though there are also some of the oldest Coptic Christian churches and art in Cairo. About 10% of the population practices Christianity. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/cairo-coptic-museum

During World War II, Cairo was a base for the United States and the British forces. The city was also the site of the Cairo Conferences in 1943, where many world leaders discussed treaties and plans of action for peace. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1350161/Cairo-Conference

On the edge of the Sahara Desert, Cairo is typically hot during the day and cool at night. There are only two seasons per year. Summer is between May and October while a mild winter lasts from November until April. During summer there are occasionally dust storms and the weather is usually humid. Snow is rare during winter, and the temperature almost never drops below 60°F.http://www.wordtravels.com/Cities/Egypt/Cairo/Climate

• Giza Pyramids: Built from 2575 - 2465 B.C.E, the Giza Pyramids are one of the main tourist attractions in Cairo. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/234470/Pyramids-of-Giza
• Sphinx: A lion with a man's head, this statue was built by the pharaoh Khafre in his image over 4,000 years ago to show that he had the strength of a lion. Many future pharaohs followed his example and built their own statues in sphinx form. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/243761/Great-Sphinx
• Memphis: 11 miles south of Cairo, this was one of the ancient capitals of Egypt and is the site of the largest statues of Ramses II, including the Collosus Rameses, and many other relics of ancient times.http://www.touregypt.net/memphis.htm
• Egyptian Museum: This museum opened in 1902 and houses the entirety of King Tutankhamen's tomb and thousands of other artifacts discovered all over Egypt. http://www.touregypt.net/egyptmuseum/egyptian_museum.htm
• Ibn Tulun Mosque: Since Cairo is predominately Muslim, you can find many mosques throughout the city. Though this individual mosque is the oldest in Egypt and the third oldest in the world. http://www.sacred-destinations.com/egypt/cairo-ibn-tulun-mosque
• Papyrus art galleries: There are many papyrus art galleries throughout Cairo, where the proprietors will demonstrate how to make sheets of paper out of the papyrus plant. The galleries also have many different kinds of paintings with scenes from Egyptian mythology or hieroglyphics. http://www.cairoeguide.com/attraction.php
• Perfumery: Egyptian pride themselves on their perfumes and oils made in the region. At perfumeries, the proprietors serve tea and present their perfumes to their prospective customers. They also have glass blowing demonstrations, where they show observers how perfume bottles are made. http://www.cairoeguide.com/attraction.php

• Dalida - Egyptian actress and singer http://www.dalida.com/us.htm
• Amr Diab - singer and composer http://daytranslations.com/famous_egyptian_people.aspx