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| Egypt - miSr (in arabic) |
| Cairo |
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Cairo is the capital of
Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa. Its
metropolitan area is the 16th largest in the world. Located near
the Nile Delta, it was founded in 969 AD. Nicknamed "the
city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of
Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the
region's political and cultural life. Cairo was founded by the
Fatimid dynasty in the 10th century AD, but the land composing
the present-day city was the site of national capitals whose
remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo. Cairo is also
associated with Ancient Egypt due to its proximity to the ancient
cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat which are near the Great
Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza.
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