Upon registration you will receive our Volunteer Compass Information Guide (VCIG). This will contain a lot more detail and specifics not outlined on this website. We want you to be well informed and knowledgeable about the country, area and project you have volunteered for.
Following is the briefest of outlines to the country. It is not meant to be an exhaustive or comprehensive covereage of the country- but just a mere taster. Our VCIG covers more detail along with references, follow-up links and resources.
EGYPT
Egypt has one of the largest populations of any country in Africa. Some 79 million people live near the banks of the Nile; an area of about 40,000 square kilometers (15,000 sq miles).
Approximately half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, with most spread across the densely populated centres of Greater Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. South of Cairo the population thins out significantly.
Egypt is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of history and culture. Flourishing from around 3000 BC to 30 BC it has been ruled by 30 dynasties. Over the years it has had waves of foreign conquerors - Greeks, Persians, Romans, Arabs, Turks and even the British and French have made their mark.
Life today The Nile still remains the lifeblood and centre of Egyptian peoples' lives. 96% of the population live either in the Nile Delta or the Nile Valley. Villages rarely have a population above 10,000, mostly a few hundred.
The lie of the land
The Sahara encompasses a large percentage of the country. The fertile and thus arable/usable land being on and around the Nile.
Today most Egyptians are classified as being of Eastern Hamitic descent with the once nomadic Bedouin and Berber tribes of Arab descent. The third group being Nubians which inhabit the south of the country. The Nubian population has dwindled to around 200,000 today.
Sports
Egypt revels in a plethora of sports from: hiking (mountains of the Sinai), Golf, Horse and camel riding through to snorkeling and scuba diving in the Red Sea.
Amongst the population, football is the national sport. Egyptian Handball, Squash and tennis have great followings as some of their athletes rank highly in the world circuits.
