King Farouk And Egypt

By:


In 1936 King Farouk had come to the throne. Despite initial good intentions, Farouk soon succumbed to the pleasures of palace intrigue and luxurious living. Government suffered, and military defeat by Israel in 1948 was followed by diplomatic defeat when the king tried to claim full control over the Sudan and the Suez Canal.

Unrest grew until he was overthrown in 1952 by a group of military officers led by General Mohammed Nag uib. After a short time, Naguib was replaced by the master mind behind the revolution, Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser.Nasser declared the country a Republic on 18 June 1953, and remained in power for 17 years. Despite his authoritarian rule, he excited the people with a passionate new pride and revitalized a sense of national identity.

Under Egypt ian government, the country rapidly emerged as a leader among Third World nations. Nasser began to overhaul and modernize the economy, making the symbol for this effort the Aswan High Dam. Its giant power stations generate huge quantities of electricity, meet ing a third of Egypt's needs. President Anwar Sadat succeeded Nasser in 1970 with less charismatic style, but his more moderate stance brought a stability desperately needed, for energy and resources had been continually under strain because of recurrent wars with Israel.

After the humiliations of 1948, 1956 and 1967, partial success in 1973 restored Egyptian self confidence and enabled Sadat to retrieve the Israeli occupied Sinai in the historic peace treaty with Israel in 1979. Egypt's recognition of Israel, however, was fiercely opposed by other Arab leaders and was one of the reasons Sadat was assassinated by Moslem militants in 1981. The Arab League then acknowledge edged Egypt's significance to the Arab world, reopening its headquarters in Cairo in 1990.
Although Hosni Mubarak's presidency has been less visionary than Nasser's, and less spectacular than Sadat's, his practical approach has earned him respect both at home and abroad. The problems are considerable. Unemployment is at 20 percent and child labour, though illegal, is common. A ponderous and often corrupt administration grapples with a burgeoning population, which is draining vital resources, a fact that was highlighted in 1992 in the chaotic aftermath of the most powerful earth quake Egypt has ever known.

Overcrowding and illegal construction resulted in 600 dead _ many of them children fleeing packed schools and 10,000 injured. Keenly aware of the crucial importance of both foreign in vestment and the tourist industry, however, Egyptians re main essentially moderate in their attitude to everyday life. Furthermore, they are able to draw strength from their proud and glorious past.

About the Author:

Adrian Vultur writes for cheap airport car hire spain



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags:

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Travel-and-Leisure Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.