POPULATION:
55 million
LITERACY RATE:
76%
SELF DEFENSE FORCES:
 Egyptian Armed Forces
LANGUAGES:
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes 
ETHNIC GROUPS:
Egyptians, beduins, Greeks, Nubians, Armenians, and Berbers
BORDERING COUNTRIES:
Israel, Libya, Sudan 
EGYPT- Egypt is perhaps the single most successful of all the independent African countries.  With its rich and deeply rooted culture, and its magnificent and mysterious past Egypt is the number one tourist attraction in Africa.  Egypt was one of the first countries in Africa to gain its independence in 1922, and spent most of the 20th century in conflict as one new government after another took control, and although the Suez Canal remained in British hands for some time, it was eventually renationalized in 1956.  In the latter half of the century Egypt found itself in short lived conflicts with Syria, Israel, and Saudi Arabia, and brief lived alliances with Iraq and other Arab nations.  It also felt the crushing blows of terrorism.  In the early years of the present century Egypt began sweeping reforms, and a brief period of Isolationism as it tried to root the terrorist activity from its country.  This more than anything was the main reason Egypt survived relatively untouched during the Middle-East Meltdown that utterly destroyed so many of its neighbors.  Egypt has had close relations with the US since the 60's and that tradition continues to this day, and although Egypt is a close ally it does not allow any foreign military presence in its country.  It doesn't need to, with the fall of most of its enemies Egypt has built its military up to that of almost a first world nation, making it the strongest independent military force in Africa.   On a kinder note Egypt has opens its doors fully to tourism, helping to drastically increase its revenue.  Cairo today is a city as advanced as any you would find in the west, and although almost 90 percent of its population still lives along the Nile river, the country has begun making efforts to spread its population out to help ease the overcrowding.  Egypt has also allowed foreign corporations to move in, and while control is strictly enforced, Egypt's neutral status has allowed it to become the Switzerland of Africa.  A few terrorist sects still remain in Egypt, and it also often finds itself the target for foreign terrorist attacks wishing to take advantage of the unrestricted foreign media presence.  These attacks usually occur against European or American civilians as a statement by foreign terrorists from Algeria, Morocco, the DRC, and Ethiopia.  Overall though for tourists Egypt is the safest country in Africa to find yourself in.

(Written by Deric "D" Bernier)