‘An ancient river of life in a sea of sand’

In 430 BC, when Herodotos exclaimed in awe over the magnificent monuments in Egypt, many of them were already 2500 years old. Most, from the pyramids of Giza to the astonishingly beautiful temples of Karnak or Philae, or the painted tombs in the Valley of the Kings, can still be visited today. The sheer age of this great civilisation is mind-blowing.

With high levels of heat, confusion, hassle and stomach bugs to contend with, Egypt is not an easy country for travellers, although greatly improved security measures mean anti-Western activities have been largely curtailed. And for those prepared to brave a few discomforts, this extraordinary country assaults the senses.

The life-giving Nile pours across the map, feeding an emerald ribbon of irrigated fields adjacent to villages shaded by date palms. Whether on a cruise ship or traditional felucca, life on the water is a constant visual feast, while the few huge, dusty cities – Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan and Luxor – are a babble of exotic sounds and smells.

Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheik, on the Red Sea coast, are doors to a magical underwater world of technicolour fish and coral favoured by divers, while other adventurous travellers head inland. Here, you can discover monasteries amid the arid mountains of Sinai or the distant desert oases, homes of the hardy nomads whose camel trains still wander the Saharan sands.

Melissa Shales

Middle East, North Africa.

GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Friday in April to last Thursday in September).

1,002,000 sq km (386,874 sq miles).

74.9 million (UN, 2005).

74.8 per sq km.

Cairo (El Qahira). Population: 16.7 million (2005 estimate).

Egypt is bordered to the north by the Mediterranean, to the south by Sudan, to the west by Libya, and to the east by the Red Sea and Israel. The River Nile divides the country unevenly in two, while the Suez Canal provides a third division with the Sinai Peninsula. Beyond the highly cultivated Nile Valley and Delta, a lush green tadpole of land that holds more than 90 per cent of the population, the landscape is mainly flat desert, devoid of vegetation apart from the few oases that have persisted in the once fertile depressions of the Western Desert. Narrow strips are inhabited on the Mediterranean coast and on the African Red Sea coast. The coast south of Suez has fine beaches and the coral reefs just offshore attract many divers. The High Dam at Aswan now controls the annual floods that once put much of the Nile Valley under water; it also provides electricity.

Republic. Head of State: President Muhammad Hosni Mubarak since 1981. Head of Government: Ahmed Nazif since 2004. Recent history: Hosni Mubarak is Egypt's longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world. President Mubarak was re-elected on 7 September 2005 for his fifth successive term. On 25 May 2005, a constitutional amendment was passed to allow for free and direct Presidential elections to be contested by multiple candidates following pressure form the US and domestic political groups. In previous elections, Egyptians voted yes or no for a single candidate appointed by Parliament. The only opposition organisation which has broad public support, the Muslim Brotherhood, is outlawed and could not field a candidate. Mr Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. He is a great survivor, having escaped no fewer than six assassination attempts. The President appoints the Prime Minister. Ahmed Nazif has occupied this post since July 2004. Elections to the 454-member Majlis al-Sha’abare (People's Assembly ) are held every five years. The first stage of a three-stage election took place on 9 November 2005.

Arabic is the official language. English and French are widely spoken.

According to the 1986 census, over 94 per cent of the population follows Islam; the majority of the rest is Christian. All types of Christianity are represented, especially the Coptic Christian Church. There is also a small Jewish minority.

Most areas 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Certain rural parts still use 110 to 380 volts AC.

Islam is the dominant influence and many traditional customs and beliefs are tied up with religion. The people are generally courteous and hospitable and expect similar respect from visitors. Shaking hands will suffice as a greeting. Because Egypt is a Muslim country, dress should be conservative and women should not wear revealing clothes, particularly when in religious buildings and in towns (although the Western style of dress is accepted in modern nightclubs, restaurants, hotels and bars in Cairo, Alexandria and other tourist destinations). Official or social functions and smart restaurants usually require more formal wear. Smoking is very common. Photography: Tourists will have to pay a fee to take photographs inside pyramids, tombs and museums.