Egypt is a country located in northeastern Africa. Its area is about 1 million km 2 . The most famous minerals of Egypt are hydrocarbons, but this is not the only thing rich in land in this country. 96% of the area is occupied by deserts, covered only with sand and gravel. 3% of the territory is occupied by the Nile Valley and Delta. From the north and east, the country is washed by the Mediterranean and Red Seas, respectively. South of Egypt is Sudan, and west of Libya.
Climate
Egypt has a very ancient history, which is directly related to local natural conditions. According to many indicators, the territory of the state is heterogeneous. Most of the country is characterized by a tropical desert continental climate with large temperature differences during the day. During the day, it rises to 50ºC, and at night it drops to 0ºC. Upper Egypt annually suffers from sandstorms caused by a dry, hot wind from the Sahara. In mid-summer, the Nile spills, increasing relative humidity.
In Lower Egypt, the climate is Mediterranean subtropical. Near the sea, precipitation often occurs. In October, the cool season begins, which ends only in April. The average annual temperature is 25-35ºC. In most areas of the country, it rains rarely. The territory of Upper Egypt may not see them from 7 to 10 years. The national average annual rainfall is 100 mm.
Nature
The dry climate has led to the fact that the nature of Egypt is characterized by a small number of plants. The main part of the territory is completely devoid of them. Deserts only in places after precipitation are covered with ephemeral plants. Acacia, xerophilic shrubs and grasses are found in semi-deserts and deserts. Flora in the Mediterranean region is much richer: wild rose, astragalus, camel thorn , etc. In the Nile Valley there are palm trees, papyrus, oleander and other plants, most of which are not wild-growing.
The nature of Egypt is poor and representatives of the fauna. Among animals, birds are of great species diversity. In addition to breeding, there are wintering individuals arriving from the territory of European states. Among the birds of prey there are vultures, falcons and buzzards. The fauna is rich in representatives of reptiles and insects, but there are mammals in Egypt. Livestock breeding is well developed in the country.
Relief
The main part of the country is located on the edge of an ancient platform, so there are many plains on its territory. Most of the state is located at an altitude of 300-1000 m above sea level. In Egypt, several relief zones are distinguished. One of them is the Sinai Peninsula, related to Asia. It is a triangle with an eastern slope. Along the Red Sea there passes a chain of mountains with the highest point of 2637 m.
The description of Egypt would not be complete without mentioning the Nile River, which is located on the border of two deserts: Libyan and Arabian. The delta and river valley form the second relief zone. The Nile has a length of 1.5 thousand km. In the southern part of the country, the river has a width of about 1 km, and at the level of Cairo it is already 25 km. In the area of this city, the Nile is divided into branches, forming a delta with an area of 25 thousand km 2 . During spills, the river covers the banks with a layer of silt, making the soil suitable for cultivation. These lands are the breadbasket of Egypt. On the banks of the river lives the bulk of the population of this country.
Deserts
The Libyan desert is located west of the Nile River, forms the third relief zone and occupies over 70% of the country's area. For this reason, the description of Egypt cannot be complete without mentioning these empty spaces. This place is one of the most arid on Earth. The desert has a barely noticeable slope towards the Mediterranean Sea (from 600 to 100 m). The sand on its surface is only a fifth, the rest is crushed stone and pieces of limestone.
The desert has hollows:
- Kattara has an area of over 19 thousand km 2 , its bottom is 133 m below sea level.
- Fayyum measuring 700 km 2 and a depth of 17 m.
- Many are small in which groundwater comes to the surface. They have long formed oases and cultivated land.
The Arabian Desert (fourth relief zone) occupies 20% of the country's area; its plateau gradually rises towards the Red Sea. At the water's edge, the precipice reaches 700 m. The desert surface has no depressions and is covered with gravel. On its territory there are many beds of dried rivers. Water in them can appear only in the winter. The eastern border of the desert is indicated by a chain of mountains, the largest of which is Shaib al-Banat, with a height of 2187 m.
Egypt Minerals
In the land of this country there are large reserves of oil and gas, which are located in marine and desert basins. The relief and minerals of Egypt are interconnected. Coal in large quantities is found in the northern part of Sinai and in Fayum. Gas deposits discovered in the Nile Delta. Blue fuel found in 5 districts. Mount Etbai - the main supplier of valuable ores, incl. iron, gold, uranium and copper. The Sinai Peninsula is rich in manganese.
Oil in Egypt is far from the only mineral, although it was discovered in 46 fields. Large deposits of phosphorites were found on the Red Sea, in the Nile River Valley and Kharga oasis. The country has huge reserves of limestone, clay and marl. Aswan granite is known worldwide. In Egypt, many other building materials are mined.
Minerals in Egypt include deposits of salt (cookery and stone) and soda. The bowels of the country are rich in titanium and gypsum. In industrial volumes there is asbestos, fluorspar, barite and talc. Raw materials for aluminum production are mined in the Arabian desert.
The soil
Most of the country has no soil cover. This primarily applies to the western regions, where there are rocky and sandy deserts. Skeletal soils can only form in places where representatives of the flora grow and rain falls:
- Alluvial - the most fertile, formed on the banks of the Nile River.
- Swamp and swamp meadow are located in its delta.
- Takyrs, salt marshes, desert yellow-brown.
Egypt's minerals are one of the key revenue items of the state. Many of them are used in domestic production. Not all of the deposits are developed, and the search for deposits does not stop.