Ana+Isabel+Delgado+(3ºC)

MY COUNTRY FACTS: EGYPT The official name of my country is **Arab Republic of Egypt**.

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ü **COUNTRY NAME: ** The official name of my country is **Arab Republic of Egypt**.

ü **LOCATION: ** It is located in North Africa, bordering on the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya to the west, the Gaza Strip  to the east, and Sudan to the south. Egypt's latitude and longitude is 30° 06' N and 31° 25' E.

ü **YEAR THAT THE COUNTRY JOINED TO THE UN: ** 24 October 1945 was the year in which Egypt joined to the United Nations. For over 50 years, UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) has been supporting the Egyptian government and people in their efforts to reduce poverty and to promote sustainable human development policies. One of the most important characteristics in UNDP Egypt’s success is its support to the Government in building and sustaining strategic national institutions that have added a significant value to improve people’s lives in the country.

ü **HOW ARE PEOPLE LIVING IN THE COUNTRY CALLED? **People living in Egypt are called //Egyptians.//
 * ABOUT THE PEOPLE: **

ü **WHAT IS THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGE? **There are many languages spoken in Egypt <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, but <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">Egyptian Arabic <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">is by far the most widely spoken in the country. Arabic was adopted by the Egyptians after the Arab invasion of Egypt.

ü **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Arial Black',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">WHAT OTHER LANGUAGES DO PEOPLE SPEAK? **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">As Egypt was a British colony until 1952, most educated locals learn English at school. Travellers usually don’t have any difficulties to find someone who speaks English, especially in the cities and tourist centers. In fact, English and French are taught as second languages in all public Egyptian schools.

ü **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Arial Black',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">WHAT IS THE MOST PRACTICED RELIGION IN EGYPT? **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The most practiced religion in Egypt is Islam. An 87% of the population is Muslim, mainly Sunni. Then, 12% percent of the population is Coptic Christians. The term Coptic refers to Egyptians who profess some form of Christian faith. And finally, 1% of the population practices other type of religion such as Coptic-Catholic, Orthodox, etc.


 * ABOUT THE FLAG: **

ü **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: 'Arial Black',sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">PHOTO AND DESCRIPTION OF THE FLAG: **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">flag <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> of <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">Egypt <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">consists of three equal horizontal red, white, and black bands and <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">the Eagle of Saladin <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">looking towards the viewer's left centered in the white band as the Egyptian’s emblem.

<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The red band symbolizes the period before the Revolution, a time characterized by the struggle against the monarchy, and the British occupation of the country.

<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The white band symbolizes the bloodless nature of the Revolution itself.

<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The black band symbolizes the end of the oppression of the Egyptian people at the hands of the monarchy, and foreign imperialism.

<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">The "Eagle of <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">Saladin <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> holds a scroll on which the name of the state appears in <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">Arabic script <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">, Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah ("Arab Republic of Egypt"). The <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none;">eagle <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"> carries on its breast a shield with the flag's colors, but with a vertical instead of a horizontal configuration. The eagle is rendered entirely in gold and white.

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Following the trail left by the Tunisian revolution, Egypt embarked on 25 January 2011 on a wave of manifestations that ended eighteen days later. They ended with the resignation of Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country since 1981. In May and June 2012, the Egyptians were called to the polls to elect the president of the Republic. In the second round they faced Mohamed Morsi, candidate of the Muslim Brotherhood (HHMM), and that General Ahmed Shafiq. He was the last prime minister of the Mubarak era. With very little difference from the rest, Morsi was finally the one elected, who was announced as the President of the Republic on June 30, 2012. During the second half of 2012, Egypt lived immersed in a constitutional debate in which Islamists and liberals clashed because some issues such as role of Sharia (Islamic law), freedom of expression and religion, rights women, the powers of the President or the independence of the judiciary. =====

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On November 22 the President issued a Constitutional Declaration in which, among other things, he bare all its decisions to judicial review and shielding the Constituent Assembly and the Shura Council against a possible judicial dissolution. Political tension was generated due to the publication. This declaration had its translation, with street manifestations of the detractors of the President. During the first half of 2013, the domestic situation was complicated by a deep economic downturn and an exponential increase in opposition to HHMM government. A platform coordinated opposition protests, which came its peak on June 30. In the absence of response from the President Morsi to requests for change of government, replacing the Attorney General, reform constitutional change in the electoral laws and call for elections, the army intervened on July 3 deposing Mohamed Morsi, appointing as interim substitute the President of the Constitutional Court, Mr. Adli Mansur, and defining a road map for the political future of Egypt. The President Morsi, his closest collaborators and numerous leaders of HHMM organization were arrested, sparking a security crackdown which has affected leaders, members, associations and the media linked to the Brotherhood. The eviction of the squares Adawiya Rabaa Al and Al Nahda, were until August 14 where Morsi supporters concentrated. More than six hundred people died, so it was a turning point. Against the background of increasing activity of jihadist terrorism, the safety campaign continued and it culminated in December 2013 with the prosecution of former President Morsi and the subsequent declaration of the Brotherhood, by the Government, as terrorist organization. With this, the initiatives in recent months had promoted the opening of channels of dialogue towards reconciliation. =====

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Nevertheless, some supporters of former President maintained his pulse on the street making calls for peaceful resistance, but as a resulted there were periodic manifestations and violent incidents in some cases, which have caused numerous injuries and fatalities. In early 2015, the number of manifestations and clashes with the forces security have declined significantly, increasing instead the actions of low intensity terrorism by placing explosives mainly against targets security forces. =====

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Dr. Adel ElAdawy is in charge of healthcare. Access to health care is difficult for migrants and communities in remote areas of Egypt. 70% of the child population are children with respiratory infections, intestinal parasites, skin diseases and diarrhea. Many migrants and refugees are victims of violence. They need psychological support. The prevalence of hepatitis C in Egypt is high: 12% of the population could be infected. =====

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Dr. Moheb Mahmoud Kamal ElRafei is in charge of education. Literacy campaigns of Egypt teach millions of people to read and write, but not achieve significant progress because they can not accompany population growth. One in four Egyptians are illiterate. Free education and national campaigns have failed to make a big difference in the last two decades. Nearly 17 million adults Egyptians can not read or write, according to official data. Education is compulsory and free for children between six and 15 years, but in poor rural communities, parents often pull children from school to work at home or in the field. The school dropout rate is higher among girls. Parents are less willing to invest in their education because they consider the possibility that in the years of adolescence marry and move. =====

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After the fall of Morsi, there was a change in the position of Egypt in the map of regional alliances. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have since become major supporters, suppliers and creditors of the country in a context of economic crisis. On the other hand, it produced a rupture in the axis of Turkey-Gaza-Egypt-Qatar. Accusations crossings between Egyptian and Turkish government have been found frequently. The estate of the alliance with the United States remains delicate. On one side it have rescue the supply of military equipment, and Egypt has been added officially to the list on anti-ISIS coalition. But on the other hand, Egyptian participation in the fight against the Islamic State was limited because of cultural-religious-political discourse, showing no inclination at all to participate militarily in the conflict. =====

PHOTOS OF EGYPT.....