Geography & History Notes | KCSE, NECTA, ZIMSEC & GCSE

  Cairo I one of the largest cities in Africa and the middle east. It is located at the focal point of a river and other land routes. The city has a high day population of over 15 million people. It was built in 1964 AD at a sight of a Roman fortress and an earlier Greek settlement. The city became the national capital of Egypt in 1863 and it has now spread long a low spur of the Mokotam on the tight bank of the Nile to cover nearby 20km2 It’s a major commercial, recreational, residential, educational as well as a major tourist resort. FACTORS FOR THE GROWTH OF CAIRO Its location at the focal point of the early caravan routes of Tunisia, Jerusalem as well as Asia minor Such location gave Cairo a good command of this trade thereby attracting people from North and West Africa, Asia and the middle east , and others. It's from this commercial background that the city grew and expanded to its present state. The gentle relief of the area This gentle relief aided the construction of set...

  More than 90% of Egypt is desert which is divided into two by the Nile River. The Nile valley and delta are main centres of settlement and cultivation. Less than 10% of Egypt land area is suitable for cultivation and hence the need for irrigation. The following are conditions that favour irrigation farming in Egypt: Supportive government policies toward irrigation farming by giving tax incentives and encouraging farm research. A large market for farm produce within the urban centres of Egypt and other countries Modern technology is employed in farms such as use of refrigerated trucks, cold rooms and construction of canals. A large supply of skilled labour to work in irrigation farms such as drivers, harvesters and managers The presence of modern transport infrastructures such as railways , roads, airports which enable easy marketing and distribution of crops to market centres The formation of cooperative unions which lead to reduction of cost of production such as through co...

  The following are factors that promoted (facilitated) agriculture in ancient Egypt. The river Nile, which provided the water needed for irrigation and for domestic use. The fertile soil and the warm climate of the Nile Valley. Invention and use of irrigation technique, characterised by Shadoof and Basin methods. Availability of food crops that had already become indigenous to Egypt, e.g. wheat and barley. Availability of many tameable animals in Egypt e.g. goats and sheep. Good and able political leaders, who directed agricultural production, distribution of food and other crafts. The government owned huge granaries and go-downs for storage of grain, animals, cloth and metals for use in times of scarcity. Natural protection of the Nile valley from foreign invasion by the Libyan desert to the west, the Nubian desert and the Nile cataracts to the south and the harbourless coast of the Nile delta on the north. Egypt's close proximity to Mesopotamia (the first centre of agricultural ...

  Aswan high dam project is found in Egypt near the country's border with Sudan, and it is one of the biggest multipurpose river projects in Africa, together with lake Nasser, the man-made lake behind the dam. There are two dams at Aswan and both have power stations. The first dam was constructed in 1902 at Aswan to confront flooding. This was totally inadequate and in 1956 a new dam was set up south of Aswan called the Aswan high dam. The Aswan high dam was completed in 1970. It is 3600m long and 111m high. At the top, it is 40m wide and at its base, it is almost a km wide. Behind the dam is lake Nesser (500km long nearly 150km into Sudan. The following are the benefits of the Aswan high dam: Diversification of the economy by developing many economic activities in the region such as farming , trade, industries, hence increasing national income. Lake Nasser and the dam supplies water for domestic and industrial use for example water used in textiles factories Fishing has been de...