Egypt 

(/ˈiːdʒɪpt/ ( listen) EE-jipt; Arabic: ‫مِصر‬, romanized: Miṣr), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt,

is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia by
a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is a Mediterranean country bordered by the Gaza
Strip (Palestine) and Israel to the northeast, the Gulf of Aqaba and the Red Sea to the
east, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west. Across the Gulf of Aqaba lies Jordan, across the
Red Sea lies Saudi Arabia, and across the Mediterranean lie Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, although
none share a land border with Egypt.
Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage along the Nile Delta back to
the 6th–4th millennia BCE. Considered a cradle of civilisation, Ancient Egypt saw some of the
earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanisation, organised religion and central
government.[14] Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx, as well the ruins
of Memphis, Thebes, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings, reflect this legacy and remain a significant
focus of scientific and popular interest. Egypt's long and rich cultural heritage is an integral part of its
national identity, which reflects its unique transcontinental location being all Mediterranean, Middle
Eastern and North African.[15] Egypt was an early and important centre of Christianity, but was
largely Islamised in the seventh century and remains a predominantly Muslim country, albeit with
a significant Christian minority.
Modern Egypt dates back to 1922, when it gained independence from the British Empire as a
monarchy. Following the 1952 revolution, Egypt declared itself a republic, and in 1958 it merged
with Syria to form the United Arab Republic, which dissolved in 1961. Throughout the second half of
the 20th century, Egypt endured social and religious strife and political instability, fighting several
armed conflicts with Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, and occupying the Gaza
Strip intermittently until 1967. In 1978, Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, officially withdrawing
from the Gaza Strip and recognising Israel. The country continues to face challenges, from political
unrest, including the recent 2011 revolution and its aftermath, to terrorism and economic
underdevelopment. Egypt's current government, a semi-presidential republic has been described by
a number of watchdogs as authoritarian or heading an authoritarian