Egypt
#1. continent Africa
#2. land sandy desert, low mountains, fertile river valley
#3. population 99 million
#4. currency egyptian pound
#5. official language arabic
#6. grows sugarcane, wheat, cotton, dates
#7. makes cloth, oil, fertilizers, metal
#8. about 2,000 years ago, the library of Alexandria burned to the ground. Today, the giant Bibliotheca Alexandria stands in its place. How giant is it? Inside, the main room holds up to 8 million books! Outside, granite panels are carved with characters from all the known writing systems in the world.
#9. The name of this bird is little green bee-eater. This particular variety is called Cleopatra, after ancient Egypt’s most glamorous queen. Check out that eye-liner.
#10. How does civilization thrive for 5,000 years in the middle of a scorching desert? With the help of a mighty river! For much of history, the Nile flooded like clockwork every year, providing ancient Egyptians with fresh water and farming land. Today, though the Nile region makes up only 4% of Egypt, it’s where about 95% of Egypt’s people live.
#11. The Nile is home to all sorts of animals, hippos, rhinos, turtles, even the ferocious Nile crocodile. In ancient Egypt, crocs were sometimes kept and sacred pets and just allowed to wander around freely. Yikes.
#12. Ancient Egyptians believed that death was not the end just the first step toward the afterlife. And in the afterlife, people would need their bodies. That’s why the dead were mummified to stop their bodies from decaying as quickly, and keep them looking as much as themselves as possible!
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