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Western Desert

Background: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.



Links: Western Desert Travel Blogs (15) | Western Desert Travel Photos | Egypt Travel Forum | Egypt Facts | Map of Egypt

Areas in Western Desert: Baharia | Dakhla Oasis | Kharga Oasis | Siwa Oasis

Exploring the Oasis by Donkey!
58 days ago: ErinWhipp published a blog
Exploring the Oasis by Donkey!
May 27th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Siwa Oasis
Siwa is great! It is a small desert community that had no road until 1980, so things are still very "old Egypt". There are donkeys everywhere, the women were covered from head to toe (face too), and ... 7 photos [full story]

An island in the desert
58 days ago: Nomadic Gravies published a blog
An island in the desert
May 11th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Siwa Oasis
Disconnected is one of many words that could be used to describe the Egyptian transport infrastructure (hopelessly inefficient is another good way of describing it). We were lucky to score a night tra ... 46 photos [full story]

Starry, Starry Night
76 days ago: Empem published a blog
Starry, Starry Night
April 11th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert
This day marked our journey across the desert and our night under the stars. It was amazing scenery along the way, and we made a few stops including Sand Dunes, Volcano Mountain, The Black Desert, Th ... 12 photos [full story]

Sand and Swimming
78 days ago: Empem published a blog
Sand and Swimming
April 8th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Siwa Oasis
8-4-08 It was another long day on the road. We had an… early start, just for something new, and hopped on the bus. Ten hours later, after passing some pretty amazing Mediterranean coastlin ... 9 photos [full story]

May 5th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Siwa Oasis
The plan was head east to Jordan for Petra— one of the Modern Wonders of the World. Arastoo and I were all set to go, at least in theory. We both agreed we wanted to go there, but then I checked ... [full story]

The Western Desert
97 days ago: Lstott published a blog
The Western Desert
April 18th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Baharia
After months of planning and weeks and days of stressful pre-trip preparations, I finally departed for my first 4 day field trip as the teacher instead of the student! Ever since I arrived in Egypt, ... 60 photos [full story]

97 days ago: Lstott published a blog
The Western Desert
April 18th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Baharia
After months of planning and weeks and days of stressful pre-trip preparations, I finally departed for my first 4 day field trip as the teacher instead of the student! Ever since I arrived in Egypt, ... [full story]

In the Desert...
122 days ago: Emmad published a blog
In the Desert...
March 26th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert
Absolute full credit to those explorers who trekked through the desert exploring and mapping! It's really really hot, really really dusty and sandy and very hard work. And I did it in a truck! ... 11 photos [full story]

March 2nd 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert
There is no good way to describe what I did this weekend. I tried a few times to write down everything I did and saw, but each time I did, I left something out or felt I wasn’t doing everything ... [full story]

Dahkla Oasis
153 days ago: kimbob published a blog
Dahkla Oasis
February 24th 2008  Africa » Egypt » Western Desert » Dakhla Oasis
After camping in the white desert, we took the bus a few hours southwest to another oasis called Dakhla. apparantly there has only been one day of rain in the last 14 years, one of the many interesti ... 22 photos [full story]


Western Desert Blog Entries

Man checking the time
Siwa
Photo 30
Photo 25
Rock formations in the White Desert
Photo 16
The Black Desert

Egypt

Egypt Location

Egypts map
Map of Egypt
Egypts flag
Egypt's Flag


Hostels in Egypt



Western Desert

Latest Western Desert Blog Entries
Western Desert Photos


Blogging Western Desert




Egypt Travel Forum
Traveling Alone..Meeting New Friends
EGYPT Trip Report - independently using public transport
Egypt's Red Sea
Egypt Travels
Nice place in Nuweiba
Abu Simbel-Eskaleh Lodge/hotel
nile cruises
Egypt/kenya tour???
sahara hotel behind Medinet habu
Bringing a laptop?
Visa
Buying a digital camera in Cairo
Marsa Alam
suggestion for a family trip
sentimental and not sentimental
Hostels in Egypt








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