Berndtson CITYSTREETS -
Cairo/ El Qahira

Since ages, humans settled in the lush valley of Nile River, the longest river in the world. Founded in 969 AD, Cairo is relatively young compared to ancient Egypt. The city lies on the banks and islands of Nile River at the beginning of the Nile Delta. From the historic parts of Cairo as Islamic and Coptic Cairo on the east side of the Nile, the city expanded to the east and west. This largest metropolitan area in Africa has an enormous hunger for new lands and its outskirts sprawl deep into the desert. The western banks belong to the city of Giza with its majestic pyramids forming a part of the Cairo Metro Area. The ancient Saqqara necropolis is just a stone‘s throw (18km/11mi) to the south. Cairo is a vibrant, ancient, and though modern metropolis.

Cairo Metro is the only complete metro system in Africa with two operational lines and construction having begun on a third line in 2006.