Egypt Meghan McCulloch Period 1.

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1 Egypt Meghan McCulloch Period 1.

2 LANGUAGE: Arabic LOCATION: Northeastern POPULATION: 60 million RELIGION: Islam, Coptic Christian, and other Christian denominations.

3 One key event is the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt. A second key event, and one of the most influential ones, is the Arab Muslim Conquest.

4 About 10 percent of Egyptians are Christians, most of whom belong to the Coptic Church. Copts believe in the single nature of Jesus Christ. A nickname for Muhammad is Allah. This is because he was a prophet of Allah.

5 Five times a day, the voice of the muezzin, or prayer caller, calls the faithful to prayer. When they pray they face Mecca where Muhammad was born. Another name for prayer time is Subu. Egypt is a country of over 80 million people. About 90 percent of Egyptians are Muslims.

Six years of primary and three years of secondary school are needed for a

6 Egypt has two systems of education. One is public and one is private. All levels of education are free. Six years of primary and three years of secondary school are needed for a college or university. Students are required to pass an endof-the-year examination in order to pass from one level to the next.

7 The school system is greatly overpopulated with students and an unfortunate shortage of teachers. Some schools have operated two shifts per day to cut down on class size.

8 All Egyptians speak Arabic which is the national language. There are two common dialects depending on where you live.

9 One of the major dialects of Arabic s are that they pronounce j as g. The other dialect though, the j sound remains the same. Some common names are Gamal, Muhammad, and Ahmad. Egyptians often use nicknames.

10 99 percent of Egypt s people live along the banks of the Nile River. The country occupies approximately 387,000 square miles. Only 3.5 percent of this land is cultivated. The rest of the land is desert.

11 There is a shortage of affordable housing. This is due to population size, a shortage of skilled laborers, and a shortage of construction materials. More than five hundred thousand poor people have set up housing in mausoleums due to the lack of space.

12 There is an increase in life expectancy among infants. Dehydration and other factors account for many deaths among infants. One reason for this is a lack of safe water for drinking and cooking. Among adults, the main causes of death are respiratory and digestive ailments.

in order to continue building the family.

13 The family is the center of the social organization. Every Egyptian is expected to get married and have children in order to continue building the family. Children are very respectful to adults and have many responsibilities at a young age.

14 The mother manages the household and is the primary caregiver and child handler. Many wives work to help support the family. Today s families tend to be mostly nuclear with the parents and their unmarried children. Long ago it was normal for your extended family to live with you also.

Men wear the galabiyya, which is a long robe

that is usually black and is a long dress with

15 Men wear the galabiyya, which is a long robe with long sleeves and a trim around the neckline. Tends to be light in color. Egypt s traditional older women wear a milaya, that is usually black and is a long dress with long sleeves. Most other women just wear certain types of dresses.

Most of the population eats bread, rice, beans,

Because they are mostly Muslim, they do not eat

16 Most of the population eats bread, rice, beans, fruit, and vegetables everyday. Those who can afford it also eat red meat, chicken, and fish. Because they are mostly Muslim, they do not eat pork or drink alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is served in expensive restaurants and hotels, however.

The stores feature hand-made crafts and local artists. One of the most creative crafts is a wooden jewelry box. One of the most unusual forms of folk art in Egypt is the hajj painting.

17 The stores feature hand-made crafts and local artists. One of the most creative crafts is a wooden jewelry box. One of the most unusual forms of folk art in Egypt is the hajj painting. As a Muslim completes his or her pilgrimage to Mecca, a local artist paints the new pilgrim's front door with a mural symbolizing the hajj. Most hajj paintings are found in the villages.

18 Hand made crafts are made from things such as wood, brass, copper, glass, mother-ofpearl, leather, silver, and gold. They also make things like bracelets, necklaces, rings, and earrings. Some stores specialize in hand-made women s dresses that feature embroidery, sequins, and beads.

19 All adults hope to conduct the Islamic hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. Those who do are given the title Hajj before their name. Marriages are usually arranged and if the family of the bride accepts the terms then they each wear rings. The couple exchanges rings at the party, but they wear them on their right hands until the marriage. Then they switch the ring to the left hand.

TV sets are very common among Egyptians.

20 There are many movie theaters in Egypt. They range from comedy to drama and often have a political message. TV sets are very common among Egyptians. Children often play in open fields and there are also a number of parks being built. Toys are not very common and didn t arrive until the mid-1980s.

21 Egypt has been the home of many musical performers known throughout the Arabspeaking world. While classical style is popular, there is a new style of music that blends classical with Western-sounding music. Music cassettes are popular and can be purchased for around $1 to $2.

22 Agriculture is the largest source of jobs in Egypt. The government also offers jobs in government-run factories during the day. Some people also have a second job at night.

23 People that work on the farms usually produce corn, wheat, vegetables, rice, cotton, and fruit. Those who find work in manufacturing work in industries such as iron and steel, aluminum, and cement. Some work in oil production, and others produce consumer goods.

24 Egyptians take soccer, which they call football, very seriously. Swimming is also enjoyed along the beaches and also at indoor sports clubs.

25 Most folklore tell stories about important figures in Islamic religious history. Another element of folklore believed by people in Islamic countries is that evil spirits, called jinns, live in haunted places.

26 Egypt commemorates non-religious holidays and Muslim religious holidays. Ramadan is one Muslim holiday. During this Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, or having intercourse during daylight hours. Some non-religious holidays that are celebrated are New Years, Mother s Day, Sinai Liberation Day, Labor Day, Evacuation Day, Revolution Day, National Day, and Victory Day.

27 Ancient Egyptians left behind a rich artistic cultural heritage. Including pyramids, pharaonic painting and sculpture, hieroglyphics, and architecture. Literature is very popular in modern Egypt.

28 One problem is overpopulation. Also Egyptian prisons are very overcrowded. Housing is very limited.

29 Another one of Egypt s biggest problems is poverty. The growth of slums has caused an increase in crime, violence, and forceful expression of religious beliefs. Pickpockets and purse snatchers are common. Illegal use of drugs is a big problem too.

30 Egyptians are very friendly people and even the poorest among them will show hospitality to a stranger. They shake hands upon greeting and also say peace be with you and the response is and peace be with you.

31 "Egyptians." Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cultures. Ed. Timothy L. Gall and Susan Bevan Gall. Vol. 3. Detroit: UXL, Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 25 Sep "Egyptians." Worldmark Encyclopedia of Cultures and Daily Life. Ed. Timothy L. Gall. 1st ed. Detroit: Gale Research, Student Resource Center - Junior. Gale. Web. 25 Sep

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