Geographical and Political Location

Geographical

Cairo is located on the banks and islands of the Nile River in the north of Egypt, immediately south of the point where the river leaves its desert-bound valley and breaks into two branches into the low-lying Nile Delta region.

The oldest part of the city is somewhat east of the river. The older eastern section of the city is very different: having grown up haphazardly over the centuries it is filled with small lanes and crowded tenements. While western Cairo is dominated by the government buildings and modern architecture, the eastern half is filled with hundreds of ancient mosques that act as landmarks.

West of Giza, in the desert, is part of the ancient necropolis of Memphis on the Giza plateau, with its three large pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Political

Egypt has been a republic since 18 June 1953. President Mohamed Hosny Mubarak has been the President of the Republic since October 14, 1981, following the assassination of former-President Mohamed Anwar El-Sadat. Mubarak is currently serving his fifth term in office. He is the leader of the ruling National Democratic Party. Prime Minister Dr. Ahmed Nazif was sworn in as Prime Minister on 9 July 2004, following the resignation of Dr. Atef Ebeid from his office.

Egypt's foreign policy operates along moderate lines.

General Information about Cairo:

Area:	82.6 sq mi (214 km²)
Population:	15,907,000 (2006 estimate)
Government:	Semi-presidential republic
Head of State:	President Hosny Mubarak
Head of Government:	Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif
Capital:	Cairo

Language: Arabic is the official language.

Social Conventions: The Egyptians are generally courteous and hospitable thus expects similar respect from visitors. The form of handshaking will suffice as a greeting. Woman should dress conservatively and not wear revealing clothes,particularly when in religious buildings and in towns. The Western style of dress is accepted in the modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars of bigger towns.

Electricity: 220 volts, 50 Hrz

Banking Hours: The banking hours are Sunday to Thursday, 8.30 am to 2 pm.

Tipping: Tipping worth 10-12% is added to hotel and restaurant bills but an extra tip of 5% is normal. Taxi drivers generally expect 10%.

Nightlife: Cairo is even livelier at night than it is during the day. Cairo has more than a dozen casinos, most of them within large international hotels. Opening hours and games offered vary, but all offer alcoholic drinks, as well as soft drinks and snacks. All the main hotels have their Western-style bars.

Shopping: One of the pleasures of Cairo is to get lost in the bazaars (souqs). For souvenirs most tourists head to Khan Al-Khalili one of the world's oldest bazaars. The main goods sold are gold, silver, copper, perfume, spices, and cloth.

Food:

National specialties:

• Foul (bean dishes).
• Stuffed vine leaves.
• Roast pigeon.
• Grilled aubergines.
• Kebabs.
• Humus (chickpeas).

National drinks:

• Kahwa (thick, strong coffee).
• Shay bil na'na' (mint tea).
• Karkaday (clear, bright red drink made from hibiscus flowers).
• Aswanli (dark beer made in Aswan).
• Zibib (alcoholic aniseed-flavored drink).

Top Things to See During Your Stay in Cairo:

Old (Coptic) Cairo

Coptic Cairo (Masr al-Qadima) is the oldest part of the city, and is the original site of Roman built Babylon. This part of Cairo has been inhabited for more than 2000 years. It is the center of the Coptic Christian community and where you'll find most of Egypt's churches. Highlights include the Hanging Church which is the center of Coptic worship and the Ben Ezra synagogue, Egypt's oldest synagogue.

Islamic (Medieval) Cairo

Islamic Cairo is where you'll get to see many mosques, the Citadel and the Khan Al-Khalili bazaar. The major mosques worth visiting include the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. The Ibn Tulun is one of the largest mosques in the world and the Al-Azhar mosque houses the oldest university in the world.

A Falucca on the Nile

You can rent a Falucca (an ancient sail boat) by the hour.

Cairo Tower

A good place to enjoy a panoramic view of the city .Located on Gazera Island (Zemalak).

Overview on Egyptian Economy:

A series of International Monetary Fund arrangements, coupled with massive external debt relief resulting from Egypt's participation in the Gulf War coalition, helped Egypt improve its macroeconomic performance during the 1990s. Through sound fiscal and monetary policies, the Government of Egypt tamed inflation, slashed budget deficits, and built up foreign reserves. Although the pace of structural reforms, such as privatization and new business legislation, has been slower than the IMF envisioned, Egypt's steps toward a more market-oriented economy have prompted increased foreign investment. Lower combined hard currency inflows - from tourism, worker remittances, oil revenues, and Suez Canal tolls - in late 1990s resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and sporadic dollar shortages, but external payments were not in crisis.

At the turn of the millennium, monetary pressures have eased, however, with the continued oil price rise since 2002, increased natural gas exploration and production and a moderate rebound in tourism. Egypt's reform record has substantially improved since Nazif government came to power. Egypt has made substantial progress in developing its legal, tax and investment infrastructure. The reform programme is still a work in progress.

Sources:

• http://www.cairo-airport.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cairo
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egypt
• http://www.travco-eg.com/tips.html
• http://goafrica.about.com/od/egypttopattractions/a/cairoguide_2.htm
• http://www.iexplore.com/