A dependency of Turkey, situated in North Africa. Estimated area, 394,240 square miles. Population, 6,806,381. Territory covered by sandy deserts, except where the annual inundations of the Nile render it fertile. Rain falls once in three or four years. The agricultural population forms 61 per cent. of the total.

Egypt is a Province of the Ottoman Empire; yet it is independent at the same time, and its sovereignty is dependent on the will of stronger powers, England being dominant. Absolute executive power is in the hands of the Khedive, under the supervision of England. Provincial Councils and a Legislative Council advise with the Khedive on matters purely local. Cairo, capital; pop., 368,106.

Under the Pharaohs, Egypt was an agricultural country. It is distinguished for the prominent part it played in ancient history, its ruins, and situation with reference to the Suez Canal.

Commerce extensive, consists largely of goods in transit; carries on a large trade with Central Africa. In 1883, imports, $42,984,880; exports, $61,549,425. Principal export, cotton; value, 1883, $37,328,905.

The railway system, 1884, consisted of a single line, 1,276 miles long. Miles of government telegraph, 1884, 2,767. Eastern telegraph company have a line to Cairo, 455 miles in length.

Population of chief towns, 1882: Alexandria, 208,755; Damietta, 34,046; Tantah, 33,735; Mansourah, 26,784; Zagazig, 19,046; Rosetta, 16,671; Port Said, 16,560; Suez, 10,913.

The Nile is the only river in Egypt. The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean with the Red Sea; opened for navigation, November, 1869; length, 100 miles; number of vessels passed through in 1883, 3,307, of 8,106,001 tons; gross receipts, $13,227,530; net profits, $7,172,700. In 1883, postoffice carried 9,587,000 letters.

NUBIA.Nu´be-a.

A country of Eastern Africa. From 1821 to 1884 Nubia was under the dominion of Egypt. Since the southern boundary of Egypt can not yet be regarded as fixed, it is impossible to give trustworthy statistics of the area and population of Nubia. The fertile part of the country lies chiefly in the valley of the Nile. The climate is hot and dry, but generally healthful. Chief products are barley, cotton, indigo, durrah, dates, tobacco, senna and coffee. An extensive transit trade is carried on with Egypt and interior Africa, in gold dust, ostrich feathers and senna. The entire valley contains the remains of ancient buildings, the most numerous lying below Dongola.

ABYSSINIA, (Ab-is-sin´e-a.)
or		HABESH.