ABSTRACT
Egypt is the second most populous country in Africa and the largest Arab country. Its population, estimated in July 2003 at nearly 75 million, is concentrated on less than 5% of the land (CIA, 2003). Most of the country lies in Africa, but the easternmost portion of Egypt, the Sinai Peninsula, is usually considered part of Asia. The Nile valley and delta are the main centers of habitation. Nearly a fifth of Egypt's 75 million people live in the capital and largest city, Cairo (estimated population of 13 million in 2003). Arabic is the official language of the population, although Western-educated upper middle and upper classes also speak English and French. Coptic Christian church rituals keep alive parts of a language that might have been spoken by the pharaohs.
