Egypt, African Political Geography

Related Category: African Political Geography

The vast majority of Egypt's inhabitants live in the Nile valley and delta, and the rest of the country (about 96% of Egypt's total land area) is sparsely populated. Most modern Egyptians are of a complex racial mixture, being descended from the ancient Egyptians, Berbers, sub-Saharan Africans, Arabs, Greeks, and Turks. Arabic is the official language; many educated Egyptians also speak English and French. About 95% of the people are Sunni Muslims, and most of the rest belong to the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church (see under Copts).