Fun Facts About Egypt | Things You Didn't Know!

Discover fascinating facts about Egypt, like the invention of the 365-day calendar, the sacred status of cats, and Cleopatra’s Greek heritage.

During our travels through Africa, we’ve often visited Egypt. Over time, we’ve collected all the cool facts and tidbits. You can read them all below!

Egypt is 96% desert – a vast sandbox where you can feel the breath of history. It’s so sparsely populated that you could easily play “find the resident.” The Nile is the only source of drinking water in the country.
The Nile Valley and Delta are like green oases in the expansive desert, covering only 5.5% of the land but home to over 95% of the population and all the farming. It’s as if the rest of the country has been forgotten.
Egypt is divided into 27 governorates, each led by a governor.
Cairo isn’t just a city; it’s a bustling metropolis with 7.9 million people navigating daily traffic jams and 15 million in the metro area adding to the chaos. It’s the largest city in Egypt and all of Africa.
Islam is the state religion and is practiced by 85% of the population. The remaining 9% follow the ancient traditions of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
Egypt has the largest military in Africa, with an impressive 450,000 troops and 254,000 reservists in 2010.
The power sockets are type C and F. So you do need a travel adapter for Egypt.
The Pyramids of Giza, built as tombs for pharaohs, are one of the seven wonders of the world and attract millions of tourists each year.

Egyptian Arabic is the most spoken language, while English and French are the languages of business, a nod to colonial influences.
Egypt was home to Ancient Egypt from 2700 BC to 1000 AD, one of the oldest civilizations in the world, where pharaohs ruled and pyramids reached for the skies.
The Nile is Egypt’s lifeline, home to about 160 fish species, with the Nile perch being the most famous.
The Red Sea boasts an underwater world so colorful it feels like a dream: over 800 fish species, coral reefs, and unique creatures like seahorses and lungfish.
Egypt has a budget deficit of 7% of its GDP, partly due to high spending on food and energy subsidies.
The currency is the Egyptian pound, with an exchange rate of 1 pound to 0.02 dollars as of July 2024.
Egypt is a member of the United Nations, WTO, and Arab League, with the Arab League headquarters in Cairo. A diplomatic heavyweight in the region.
Squash is one of the few sports where Egypt is a world leader.
Egypt has a rich history with various dynasties of pharaohs like Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and Cleopatra. Names that resonate through time.
Ancient Egypt had an advanced irrigation system and developed its own writing, called hieroglyphs.
Egypt played a significant role in the spread of Christianity, with the Coptic Church being one of the oldest Christian churches in the world.
The Nile was crucial for agriculture in ancient Egypt, with annual floods making the land fertile. A natural cycle that brought life.
Egypt has a rich culture with ancient traditions like temple building, mummification, and the worship of gods like Ra, Anubis, and Isis. Rituals that leave a deep impression.
Egypt has a long history of foreign domination, from the Persians and Greeks to the Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans.
Egypt has a long history of conflicts with neighboring countries, such as the wars with Israel in the 20th century and involvement in the Gulf Wars.
The ancient Egyptians strongly believed in the afterlife and mummified pharaohs and their possessions to prepare them for the next life. A kind of ‘cosmic packing list’ for the great journey to the other side.
The pyramids were built by paid workers, not slaves. The largest, the Pyramid of Khufu, weighs as much as 16 Empire State Buildings. A true architectural wonder.
The ancient Egyptians invented the 365-day calendar with 12 months, although they had to add 5 extra days at the end of the year.
Egyptians worshipped hundreds of gods and goddesses and had to keep them all happy to avoid problems.
Ancient Egyptians loved board games, like Senet, which was played for over 2000 years.
Egypt has 3 main types of deserts – the Western Desert, Eastern Desert, and the Great Sand Sea of the Sahara.
The Aswan Dam is the largest dam in the world, although it has caused water scarcity in Sudan.
Cleopatra, Egypt’s most famous ruler, was actually Greek, not Egyptian.
The ancient Egyptians invented many things we use today, like paper, pens, locks and keys, and toothpaste. Innovations that changed the world.
The ancient Egyptians left behind over 700 hieroglyphic symbols, which are still not fully deciphered today. A mystery carved in stone.
Cats were considered sacred animals and most families kept them as pets for good luck.

The Great Pyramid of Giza maintains a constant temperature of 68°F inside, even when it’s over 104°F outside. A natural air conditioner avant la lettre.
Both Egyptian men and women wore makeup, usually green (made from copper) or black (made from lead), for sun protection and because of its supposed healing powers.
Unrolled, the bandages of a single mummy would stretch for 1 mile. An astonishing amount of linen.
Ancient Egyptians trained baboons to perform various tasks, like catching thieves, making beer, picking fruit, and entertaining.
Egypt has only two seasons – a hot summer from May to October and a cooler winter from November to April.
Not everyone in ancient Egypt was mummified – only royalty and the wealthy could afford the lengthy process. A luxury treatment for the elite.
The Egyptian pyramids are not the largest in the world – that title belongs to the Pyramid of the Feathered Serpent in Mexico, which covers an area 9 times larger than the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Ancient Egyptians didn’t ride camels – they used donkeys for travel and transporting goods in the early days.

These are all the fun facts and interesting tidbits about Egypt we have for now. Do you know any more? Let us know!