{ky'-roh}
Cairo (Arabic: al-Qahirah) is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa. It is located on the eastern bank of the Nile River, about 160 km (100 mi) south of the Mediterranean Sea. Cairo's population is 6,325,000 (1986 est.), with more than 8 million in the metropolitan area. The city has a hot, arid climate. The average annual temperature is 21 deg C (70 deg F), and the average annual rainfall is 25 mm (1 in).
   Contemporary City
The Nile, Cairo's traditional focus, supplies water, moderates the climate, and serves as a transportation artery. Eleven bridges link the banks with Cairo's islands, Zamalik and Rodah. The medieval city contains narrow, winding streets, open bazaars, and historic mosques. The modern city, whose main street is the Corniche, is characterized by broad boulevards and high-rise buildings; Africa's first subway opened there in 1987. Cairo is extremely overcrowded, and its aging infrastructure is inadequate to meet the needs of its rapidly increasing population.
Cairo is not only the seat of national governmental activity but also the largest industrial, business, commercial, and transportation center in Egypt. Its industries, centered in the suburbs of Helwan and Shubra al-Khaymah, produce iron and steel, automobiles, cement, appliances, and other metallurgical products, textiles, tires, and plastics. The Middle Eastern publishing and filmmaking industries are centered in Cairo, and tourism is an important part of the city's economy.
Cairo is one of the leading educational centers of Africa and the Arab world. Its universities include Al-Azhar (970), Cairo (1908), Ain Shams (1950), and the American University (1919). Among Cairo's many museums is the famous Egyptian Museum, housing one of the world's finest archaeological collections. A new opera house opened in 1988.
Cairo's historic landmarks reflect Egypt's long history. The pyramids and sphinx are at nearby Giza. The gigantic statue of Ramses II, brought from nearby Memphis, stands in front of the railroad station.
The many mosques include al-Azhar (built 970) and Muhammed Ali mosque (built 1824-57), which is located inside the 12th-century citadel built by Saladin.
   History
About 2,000 years ago the Romans built a fortress called Babylon on the site of present-day Cairo, and in 640 Arabs established a military camp called al-Fustat here. Real growth began after 969, when the Fatimid dynasty made Cairo its capital.
The city continued to expand and prosper under Saladin (r. 1169-93) and later the Mamelukes (13th to the 15th century). Its population is estimated to have reached half a million during the mid-14th century, the height of its medieval prosperity.
In the 15th century the city began a long decline, the result of plagues, Mongol attack (c.1400) and, finally, Turkish conquest (1517). It did not recover until the 19th century, when, under Muhammad Ali (r. 1805-49), Egypt became virtually independent of Ottoman Turkey.
Modern Cairo dates from the mid-19th century when the Egyptian ruler, Ismail Pasha, began European-style construction projects. From 1882 to 1922 Egypt was under British control. In the 20th century, Cairo expanded rapidly to meet population pressures, particularly with the rapid industrialization after World War II.