People
The people of Egpyt are 99% Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers. The
majority of the Bedouin are still nomadic tribal people living in
isolated oases and still roam through the country's vast desert
regions. Most of them have settled in the Sinai Peninsula and along
the Red Sea coast, across from Arabia.
The remaining minority group are made up of Nubians, Armenians
as well as Europeans. The Nubians, who originated from Nuba, are
the third main racial group in Egypt and there were efforts by the
government to reallocate them. However, as a result of these resettlements,
most of their ancient culture and architectural tradition were lost.
Some Egyptians can also trace their lineage to the Romans, Greeks,
Turks, Circassians (Mamluks) and even French and English blood as
a result of marriage with the locals.
Language
The official language of Egypt is Arabic. However, the Egyptians
uses colloquial Arabic, which is different from that of Classical
Arabic used by the Arab community. Most of them speak English as
well as French as a second language.
Religion
The majority of Egyptians are Muslims. Only less than 10% of the
population are of the Christian faith, with most of them belonging
to the Christian Orthodox faith from the Coptic Church. Fortunately,
Muslims and Copts enjoy a peaceful coexistence in Egypt. Mosques
and churches can be found next to each other in most cities in Egypt.
However, intermarriage is strictly forbidden by both religions.
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