In the course of its long and remarkable history, Egypt has helped to lay the foundations of Western civilization and has become a cornerstone of Islam. This guide provides a concise overview of the whole 5000-year span, with a time-line that takes you from the period before the pharaohs to the present day. The guide features sidebars ranging from the Great Pyramid of Cheops to the Suez Canal crisis. Topics include irrigation, monasticism and Egyptian movies and there are illustrations and quotations throughout.