ABSTRACT

Egypt is a part of the Middle East, the Islamic world, and North Africa, though in many ways it stands apart from the countries around it. Egyptians take tremendous pride in these artists, including Naguib Mafouz, the 1988 Nobel laureate for literature; Umm Kulthum, considered one of the world's greatest singers. Culture is just one of the things that set Egypt apart from other Arab countries. The ancient Egyptians built a civilization along the Nile River and beyond that ranks as one of the greatest in history. The Ottomans controlled Egypt after the Mamluks lost a key battle to them in 1517, though both Egyptian resistance and European invasion limited Ottoman influence. British advisers to the Egyptian military, whose actions did much to fuel Egyptian nationalism. The Wafd, Egypt's first significant nationalist movement, rose when Britain and King Fuad reluctantly accepted a constitution in 1923 permitting parliamentary elections.