A country of northeast Africa and the Sinai Peninsula on the Mediterranean Sea. In ancient times it was a flourishing kingdom and one of the earliest known civilizations, known for its development of hieroglyphic writing and its achievements in agriculture, art, and architecture. It reached its height during the XVIII dynasty (1570-1342? B.C.) and declined after the seventh century B.C., falling to various conquerors including the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks, French, and British. Although nominally independent after 1922, it remained a British protectorate until 1936. A military coup in 1952 overthrew King Farouk I's constitutional monarchy, and a republic was established the following year. Cairo is the capital and the largest city. Population: 80,300,000.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2007. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
