Egypt Visa

With everything from sun, sea and sand, and ancient heritage, to vast deserts and bustling metropolises, it’s no wonder Egypt welcomes over ten million people a year.

Egypt's Culture

Egypt boasts one of the world’s oldest and richest cultures seeing as it was among the earliest civilisations. However, the country has been hugely impacted by those who have either lived in or invaded Egypt down the centuries and millennia, and it is now a melting pot of different cultures. So, while the nation has its own language which dates back to around 2690 BC, the original language is all but extinct, with Coptic Egyptian the only remnant, and only used as the liturgical language of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Rather, following its arrival in the 7th century, the majority of Egyptians speak Arabic, with the Egyptian Arabic dialect (known as Masri) the country’s official language.

Indeed, as an Arab country, Islam is Egypt’s state religion, with between 85-95% of the population estimated to be Muslims. This impacts many aspects of daily life, with mosques everywhere and most businesses closed on Fridays, the Muslim holy day. The country also follows Islamic principles like having strong family values, observing Ramadan, and requiring women to dress conservatively. Other notable aspects of Egyptian culture include belly dancing (where the art originated), its huge film industry (the biggest in the Arab world), and its love of football.

Egypt's Economy

Egypt has a lower-middle income economy, which enjoyed an impressive 5.6% growth in 2019, with the country’s largest industries including textiles, tourism, food processing and pharmaceuticals. Since 2000, various structural reforms have helped the country move towards a more market-based economy, leading to greater foreign investment. The Egyptian economy has also shown good resilience to COVID-19, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stating that it has “exceeded expectations” during the crisis. Measures to support the worst impacted sectors and groups have helped to mitigate the economic shock of the pandemic.

Egypt's Most Popular Destinations

Egypt’s most popular destination is easily its capital city of Cairo. Here, visitors will find the unmissable Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza, as well as sights like the Egyptian Museum, the Salah Al-Din Al-Ayoubi Castle and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Those looking to explore Egypt’s ancient culture should also visit Luxor. Located on the east bank of the Nile River in the south of the country, the city sits on the site of ancient Thebes, the pharaohs’ capital at the height of their power. As such, you can see incredible sights like the Valley of the Kings, the burial site for almost all the pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties, the Luxor and Karnak temples, and the Colossi of Memnon stone statues.

To enjoy Egypt’s coastal delights, be sure to visit regions like Hurghada and Sharm El Sheikh. Situated on the Red Sea, both are perfect for family holidays with everything from pristine white beaches and nature reserves, to aquariums and water parks to enjoy. You can’t go to Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh without going snorkelling or scuba diving in the Red Sea, which has some of the richest coral reefs in terms of species diversity in the world. Among the aquatic life you’re almost certain to see are sea horses, moray eels and lionfish, plus the chance of encountering dolphins, turtles and rays.