egyptian

Egyptian refers to anything related to Egypt, a country in North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula. It can describe the people (Egyptians), the language, or cultural and historical identities linked to the nation. The modern state is the Arab Republic of Egypt, with Cairo as the capital and a population of about 110 million.

People and identity: Egyptians are citizens of Egypt. The population is predominantly ethnic Egyptian, with minority communities such as Nubians and Bedouins. The majority religion is Islam, with a significant Coptic Christian minority and other faiths.

Language: The official language is Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic is used in formal contexts, while Egyptian Arabic is the widely spoken daily dialect. Historically, Ancient Egyptian was the language of Pharaonic Egypt, written in hieroglyphs, and it evolved into Coptic, which survives as a liturgical language.

History and culture: Egypt has one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations, centered along the Nile. It is renowned for monumental architecture, hieroglyphic writing, and early advances in mathematics and astronomy. In the modern era, Egyptian literature, cinema, music, and arts contribute to regional culture, while archaeology and heritage sites draw international interest.

Geography and regional role: Egypt borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea to the east, with land borders to Libya, Sudan, and Israel. The Nile River is central to agriculture and settlement. Egypt plays a key role in regional politics, economics, and the Arab world.