Egypt, World Crossroads Trivia Quiz

Answer: Tahrir Square

Tahrir means "Liberation", and that square in the center of Cairo has been ground zero for many events in Egyptian history. Originally named Ismailia Square, it became informally known as Tahrir after the Egyptian revolution of 1919 against British rule, and was formally named Tahrir after the 1952 revolution to overthrow King Farouk.

In January and February 2011, and 18-day revolt against the long rule of Hosni Mubarak was centered on the square, with upwards of 300,000 protesters in the area.

The Egyptian armed forces removed Mubarak from office during the 2011 protests.

Answer: Anwar Sadat

Pictured are Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin who met at Camp David, Maryland in 1978 to hammer out the historic treaty. The agreement made Egypt the first Muslim state to recognize the existence of Israel, a not very popular move with some regional countries and groups. Once such group, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, recruited army officers close to Sadat, and one of them succeeded in assassinating him during a military parade in October 1981.

Answer: Suez Canal

The Suez Canal Bridge, also known as the Friendship Bridge, is the only road bridge over the canal - there is a railroad bridge and an overhead power cable, and a roadway tunnel and water pipes under the canal. All of these projects were part of a drive to develop the entire Sinai region.

Answer: Pharos of Alexandria

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built on Pharos Island on the Mediterranean shore of the Nile delta. Pharos became a term of reference for all lighthouses or beacons. The top of the structure was 440 feet (134 m) tall and the light (mirrors to reflect the sun by day, fires by night), could be seen over 35 miles at sea.

The Pharos was completed by 280 BCE, and was damaged by strong earthquakes in 956, 1303 and 1323 CE.

Answer: Suez Crisis

Like many military actions, what the West calls the Suez Crisis is known by different names according to the viewpoint of the belligerent. In the Arab world, this invasion is known as the Tripartite Aggression, in Israel as the Sinai War or Operation Kadesh (Kadesh was an ancient battle won by Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses II).

The U.S. and UN eventually recognized Egyptian ownership of the Suez Canal and the invading forces withdrew in 1957.

Answer: Bedouins

The worldwide number of Bedouin is estimated to be upwards of 21 million. About 5,000 inhabit the town of Farafra, the largest population center in the White Desert in western Egypt. The Bedouin are typically nomadic animal herders - usually grouped as either camel or goat tribes - that are increasingly becoming settled. Tourists visit the White Desert to view the unusual white rock formations that give the desert its name, and tourism is the main source of income for the residents of Farafra.

Answer: Napoleon Bonaparte

Napoleon hoped to increase and protect French trade in the Middle East while also weakening English influence in the area and blocking their land access to India. An interesting aspect of the expedition, some would say a cover, was the inclusion of over 160 scientists whose work is marked as the beginning of the scientific discipline of Egyptology. One such scientist was the engineer Pierre-François Bouchard who discovered the Rosetta Stone in 1799.

The stone and other antiquities were given over to the victorious British at the end of the campaign.

Answer: Copts

Copts are estimated to number at least 15 million in Egypt. By the 3rd Century, most Egyptians were Christian and remained so until the spread of Islam in the 7th Century. Boutros Boutros-Ghali, sixth Secretary General of the United Nations from 1992-1992, was an Egyptian of Coptic descent and religion.

Answer: Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman state existed from around 1300 until 1922 and at its height of power controlled territory in Asia, Africa and Europe. An "eyalet" was an administrative district of the Ottoman Empire, and Egypt was particularly hard for the Ottomans to control. Ottoman control of Egypt was interrupted by the French under Napoleon from 1798-1801, shifted to an independent vassal state in 1867 and ended in 1914 when the British established a "protectorate" in Egypt early in WWI to take the area under Allied control.

Answer: Syria

Pan-Arab movements were strong in the 1950s, following the establishment of Israel and the loss or weakening of Western control in the Middle East. Egypt was seen as a strong Arab state, especially after the 1956 Suez Crisis. Both Egypt and Syria were increasingly coming under communist influence from the USSR, and the two nations cemented their close association by forming the UAR. Egypt dominated the UAR and Syria withdrew in 1961; Egypt continued to be referred to as the UAR until 1971.