Profiles: Countries

EGYPT: Arab Republic of Egypt

Egypt is a nation like no other, an ancient land that joins two continents. It has a great importance not only in the Arab world, but in the continent of Africa and in the world.

Egypt was the cradle of a magnificent culture which flowered three thousand years before Christ. It came under the influence of Greece and Rome, before being converted to Islam in 639 AD. After a few centuries as first a French and then a British colony, it gained its independence in 1951-1952.

In 1952 a military coup d’etat by General Neguib overthrew the monarchy, but the “Free Officers Movement” soon became so radical that in 1954 Colonel Abd’el Nasser took over the reins of power. The personality and work of this man profoundly changed the evolution of the country. Known as the “Rais” he attacked what was left of capitalism in his country. He became, together with Tito of Yugoslavia and Nehru of India, one of the leaders of the non-alligned countries. He also tried to form the United Arab Republic with Syria, but the experiment only lasted three years.  1     2     3     4