One of the fascinating aspects of viewing Earth at night is how well the lights show the distribution of people. In this view of Egypt, we see a population almost completely concentrated along the Nile Valley, just a small percentage of the country's land area. The Nile River and its delta look like a brilliant, long-stemmed flower in this astronaut photograph of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea. The Cairo metropolitan area forms a particularly bright base of the flower. The smaller cities and towns within the Nile Delta tend to be hard to see amidst the dense agricultural vegetation during the day. However, these settled areas and the connecting roads between them become clearly visible at night. Likewise, infrastructure and urbanized regions along the Nile River also become apparent.Another brightly lit region is visible along the eastern coastline of the Mediterranean, the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area in Israel (image right). To the east of Tel-Aviv lies Amman, Jordan. The two major water bodies that define the western and eastern coastlines of the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba, are outlined by lights along their coastlines (image lower right). The city lights of Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, and Nicosia are visible on the island of Cyprus (image top).Scattered blue-grey clouds cover the Mediterranean Sea and the Sinai, while much of northeastern Africa is cloud-free. The thin yellow-brown band tracing the Earth's curvature at image top is airglow, a faint band of light emission that results from the interaction of atmospheric atoms and molecules with solar radiation at approximately 100 km (60 mi) altitude. Photo courtesy of NASA.

The Nile Delta of Egypt, irrigated by the Nile River and its many distributaries, is some of the richest farm land in the world and home to over half of Egypt's population. The capital city of Cairo lies at the apex of the delta in the middle of the scene. Across the river from Cairo one can see the three large pyramids and sphinx at Giza. The Suez Canal is just to the right of the delta; the Mediterranean Sea is at the top of the view. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Nile Delta of Egypt, irrigated by the Nile River and its many distributaries, is some of the richest farm land in the world and home to over half of Egypt's population. The capital city of Cairo lies at the apex of the delta in the lower left. To the west of the river and near the delta apex one can see the three large pyramids and sphinx at Giza. The Suez Canal is just to the right of the delta; the rear of the space shuttle appears in the lower portion of the view. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Nile River in Cairo at dusk.

A view of Cairo from the Nile with the Cairo Tower, a free standing TV tower on Gezira Island, in the foreground.

The Sultan Hassan and Ar-Rifai Mosques as seen from the Citadel with Cairo in the background. The Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasah (religious school) is a masterpiece of Mamluk architecture that was begun in 1356 and completed in 1363. It contains the burial chamber of the Sultan's two sons and is featured on the Egyptian hundred-pound note. The Ar-Rifai Mosque was built between 1869 and 1912. It houses the tomb of King Farouk, Egypt's last reigning monarch, and other members of the Egyptian royal family, as well as the tomb of the last shah of Iran.

Cruising through Cairo on the Nile. The 187 m high Cairo Tower (concrete TV tower) on the far right is 48 m higher than the Great Pyramid at Giza.

The Mosque of Mohamed Ali in Cairo is situated on the most visible site in the city.

Built in the style of the Ottomans, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali was erected by its eponymous benefactor between 1830 and 1848 in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad's eldest son who died in 1816. The mosque is located in the Citadel of Cairo; Muhammad Ali is buried in the mosque's courtyard.

Octagonal ablution fountain in the courtyard of the Muhammad Ali Mosque in Cairo.

Sailboats on the Nile in Cairo.

A felucca, an Egyptian sailboat, on an evening cruise on the Nile.

The upper portion of an obelisk on view on the grounds of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

Entrance to funerary complex of Pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara.

Step Pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser at Saqqara built by the architect Imhotep in the 3rd Dynasty (2649-2575 B.C.). It was the first stone pyramid in the world and was made up of a series of six buildings or mastabas (benches) placed on top of each other.

Ruins of the Pyramid of Unis at Saqqara. Much of the stone outer covering was taken to be used in other constructions.

The Great Pyramid of Giza, built for the Pharaoh Khufu, is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that survives. Constructed of an estimated 23 million limestone blocks, it took some 20 years to build and it was completed in about 2540 B.C. Some of the white casing stones that covered the completed pyramid can still be seen at its base. Thousands of skilled laborers participated in the pyramid's construction; they lived and died near the building site.

The Sphinx and the Pyramid of Khafre at Giza. Unlike the pyramids, the Sphinx was not assembled piece by piece, but was carved from a single mass of limestone.

This photo shows a number of the ruins at Giza. To the left is the Valley Temple with a causeway stretching to the Pyramid of Khafre. The Great Sphinx lies before the Pyramid and the remains of the Temple of the Sphinx lie in front of the sphinx itself.

The Pyramids of Khufu (left) and Khafre on the Giza Plateau outside of Cairo. The former, also known as the Great Pyramid, is the largest of the pyramids and is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still extant.

A view of a corner of the Khafre pyramid reveals its stair-step construction. The Great Pyramid of Khufu appears in the distance.

Temple ruins before the Pyramid of Khafre.

The Pyramid of Khafre retains a bit of the original outer limestone covering at its peak.

The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest pyramid of Giza. Smooth casing stones still cover most of the upper portion of the pyramid.

Pyramid of Menkaure at Giza.

The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the three kings' pyramids on the Giza Plateau. The city of Cairo appears in the background.

The Pyramid of Menkaure at Giza is flanked by the smaller pyramids of his wives.

The Great Sphinx, a reclining lion with a human head, is the oldest known monumental sculpture in the world. It is believed to have been carved about 2500 B.C. and most probably depicts the Pharaoh Khafre. The nose of the sphinx has eroded over time.

The immensity of the Sphinx becomes apparent when it is compared to a camel party riding along one of its paws.

The pyramids at Dashur, about 40 km (25 mi) south of Cairo. The gray-brown built-up area of the village of Dashur in the upper right is surrounded by the green agricultural land of the Nile Delta, which forms a distinct boundary with the tan desert to the west. It is in the desert that the monuments of the ancient rulers of Egypt are found. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Port of Suez - here viewed from the International Space Station - is located in Egypt along the northern coastline of the Gulf of Suez. The port and city are the southern terminus of the Suez Canal that transits through Egypt and debouches into the Mediterranean Sea near Port Said. The port serves vessels transporting general cargo, oil tankers, and both commercial and private passenger vessels. Several large vessels are visible in the Gulf of Suez and berthed at various docks around the port. Photo courtesy of NASA.

This oblique image captures a northbound convoy of cargo ships entering the Mediterranean Sea from the Suez Canal (leftmost canal branch at image center). The Canal connects Port Said on the Mediterranean Sea with the port of Suez on the Red Sea, and provides an essentially direct route for transport of goods between Europe and Asia. The Canal is 163 km (101 mi) long and 300 m (984 ft) wide at its narrowest point - sufficiently wide for ships as large as aircraft carriers to traverse it. Transit time from end to end averages 14 hours. Image courtesy of NASA.

A thick snake of tan dust slithers across Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea, and Egypt in this dramatic true-color image from 13 May 2005. The dust is so thick that it is completely opaque for well over 1,100 km (700 mi) across its south-moving front, from the border of Iraq, across the Arabian Desert of Saudi Arabia, and eastern Egypt and the green ribbon of the Nile. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

A view of the Sinai Peninsula and the Dead Sea rift area. The left side of the view is dominated by the great triangle of the Sinai peninsula, which is partly obscured by clouds. The Gulf of Aqaba is the finger of the Red Sea (bottom center) pointing north to the Dead Sea, the small body of water near the center of the view. The gulf and the Dead Sea are northerly extensions of the same geological rift that resulted in the opening of the Red Sea. The Gulf of Suez appears in the lower left corner. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

A panoramic view of the entire Sinai Peninsula and the nearby Nile River Delta and eastern Mediterranean coastal region. The Suez Canal, at the top of the scene just to the right of the Delta, connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez. The water body to the right of the peninsula is the Gulf of Aqaba. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

The Sinai Monastery of St. Catherine's located on the reputed site of the burning bush seen by Moses in the Old Testament.

Birth House at the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. A birth house or "mammisi" was associated with the nativity of a god. The birth house at Dendera was constructed mainly by the Roman emperor Trajan, who ruled from A.D. 98 to 117.

Portal of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. The temple was built between the 4th and 1st centuries B.C.

Remains of storerooms and housing at the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. Temples were constructed of stone. Living quarters, including palaces, were built of mud brick.

A streetside clothes market in Luxor with a minaret in the background.

The awesome ruins of Karnak Temple in Luxor.

Some of the beautifully decorated columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall, part of the Karnak temple complex at Thebes. The Karnak religious site was the largest in the ancient world - it is sometimes referred to as the Vatican of Egypt - and was composed of four precincts - the one to Amun-Re is the only one open to the public.

The lintels of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak also display hieroglyphs.

Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor.

Some of the 134 columns in 16 rows that previously supported the roof of the Great Hypostyle Hall at Karnak.

Avenue of ram-headed sphinxes leading into the Temple of Karnak complex at Luxor.

Rear of the First Pylon in the Temple of Karnak showing the remains of the mud-brick rampart used to construct the pylon.

The remains of an obelisk not erected because of cracking. The obelisks of Hatshepsut and Thutmose I appear in the background at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor.

Obelisk of Hatshepsut at the Temple of Karnak in Luxor.

Approaching the pylon (gateway) of Luxor temple along the Avenue of Sphinxes, a 2.5-km (1.5-mi) long causeway linking the Karnak temple complex with Luxor temple.

Avenue of the Sphinxes at the Temple of Luxor leading north to the Temple of Karnak. The avenue is being excavated.

Statues of Ramses II at the Temple of Luxor.

Reliefs on the walls at the Temple of Luxor.

The Syrian Gates - entrance to the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.

Pylons of the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu. The reliefs describe the pharaoh's military campaigns.

Left pylon of the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu showing the pharaoh's military victories.

The pharaoh's toilet at the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.

Walls of the inner court of the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.

Reliefs in the inner court of the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu still display some of their original colors - after more than 3,000 years!

Statues in the hypostyle hall of the Mortuary Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu.

One of a pair of 30-meter (50-ft) statues of Amenhotep III that once stood before the pharaoh's mortuary temple in the Theban Necropolis on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor. The rest of the temple was dismantled, and the materials used for other construction projects. The statues were called the "Colossi of Memnom" by Egypt's late Ptolemaic (Greek) rulers who associated them with the myth of Memnon.

The second of a pair of 30-meter (50-ft) statues of Amenhotep III in the Theban Necropolis on the west bank of the Nile opposite Luxor.

Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir al-Bahri showing high cliffs in the background.

Djeser-Djeseru (the Holy of Holies) is Pharaoh Hatshepsut's mortuary temple in the temple complex of Deir el-Bahri near Luxor. Pharaohs of the 11th and 18th Dynasty's built their temples here. Hatshepsut's temple (the best preserved) was built into the cliff side on top of a series of colonnaded terraces in the classical Theban form; it includes a pylon, courts, a hypostyle hall, sun court, chapel, and sanctuary.

Stairway and ramp leading up to Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahri. Hatshepsut lived between 1508-1458 B.C. She was the eldest daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I and married her half brother, Thutmose II. When he died, she became pharaoh. Her 22-year reign is known for bringing prosperity to her subjects.

Statues of Hatshepsut as the god Osiris before the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir al-Bahri.

Head of the goddess Hathor on one of the colonnades at Djeser-Djeseru, Pharaoh Hatshepsut's mortuary temple.

View along the Nile River at sunset south of Luxor. The land is green close to the river where is can be irrigated. Otherwise, it is desert.

Views along the Nile River at sunset south of Luxor.

Pylon at the temple complex of Edfu. The temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, was built between 237 and 57 B.C.

The temple complex of Edfu is one of the best preserved temple sites in Egypt, having been buried in sand for centuries. It is the second largest temple complex in Egypt.

Pylons of the Temple of Horus at Edfu. The temple is mainly from the Ptolemaic period.

Left pylon of the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Right pylon of the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Reliefs showing the god Horus defeating his uncle Seth at the Temple of Horus at Edfu. The reliefs probably were damaged by early Christians to remove faces and hands.

Reliefs showing the god Horus defeating his uncle Seth at the Temple of Horus at Edfu. The reliefs probably were damaged by early Christians to remove faces and hands.

The reproduction of a barque used to transport the god Horus in religious processions around the town of Edfu and on boats north to Dendera to visit the god Hathor. The barque is in the inner sanctuary of the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Birthing house or mammisi at the Temple of Horus at Edfu.

Typical cruise boats on the Nile River and on Lake Nasser. On the river, the traffic is so heavy that passengers disembark by walking through other boats. There are relatively few boats on Lake Nasser.

Houses along the Nile. Feluccas remain the most common form of transportation along the river.

View along the Nile River south of Edfu.

View along the Nile River south of Edfu.

View along the Nile River south of Edfu.

A felucca glides along the Nile River south of Edfu.

The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic Period. The southern part is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, and the northern part is dedicated to Haroeris as a manifestation of Horus the falcon god.

Hypostyle Hall at the Temple of Haroeris and Sobek at Kom Ombo. It was built between the 2nd century B.C. and the 1st century A.D. It is an unusual temple dedicated to two gods - to Haroeris as a manifestation of Horus represented as a falcon or a falcon-headed man and to Sobek depicted as a crocodile or as a crocodile-headed man. The temple has two of almost everything. The northern part is a temple of Haroeris. The southern part is a temple dedicated to Sobek.

Columns from the southern part of Kom Ombo showing the crocodile god Sobek. Parts of the temple have been reconstructed.

Inscriptions on a wall at Kom Ombo showing the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus.

A vivid sunset behind some of the ruins at Kom Ombo.

Relief at the Temple of Haroeris and Sobek at Kom Ombo showing gods. Almost all remains at the temple are from the Ptolemaic period.

Relief at the Temple of Haroeris and Sobek at Kom Ombo showing Haroeris being crowned by gods.

The Aswan High Dam (top of photo) is 4 km (2.5 mi) across and 111 m (364 ft) high. Completed in 1971, it was constructed to supply cheap hydroelectric power to both Egypt and Sudan by impounding, controlling, and regulating the flood waters of the Nile River in Lake Nasser, the world's second largest artificial lake. The lake extends over 800 km (500 mi) in length, covers an area of some 5,200 sq km (2,000 sq mi) and is as much as 107 m (350 ft) deep at the face of the dam. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

Aswan Dam (upper center of image) and Lake Nasser along the Nile River. The dam controls the flow of the Nile River forming Lake Nasser. The light-colored areas in the lake are where the sun is reflecting off the surface of the water. These areas are fairly calm and not disturbed by wind gusts, enabling the sun glint to show water current patterns on the surface. The Aswan runway is seen as a dark set of lines just west of the Aswan Dam. Click on photo for higher resolution. Image courtesy of NASA.

Intense sunglint turns the waters of Lake Nasser to silver. Image courtesy of NASA.

The old dam in Aswan was built by the British between 1898 and 1902 using blocks of granite. It can hold up to 5.35 billion cu m (7 billion cu yd) of water.

The Aswan High Dam was completed in 1971 with the assistance of the Soviet Union. The body of water behind it, Lake Nasser, can hold up to 210,000 billion cubic yards of water. The dam doubled Egypt's power generating capabilities.

The Soviet-Egyptian stylized lotus monument commemorating the construction of the dam.

Elephantine Island is in the middle of the Nile River in Aswan. The rocks on the island resemble the rumps of a herd of elephants.

The first pylon of the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae in the Nile near Aswan.

The second pylon of the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae in the Nile near Aswan. This is the entrance to the temple. The original Philae Island was flooded by the waters of Lake Nasser behind the Aswan High Dam. The island of Agilqiyya was reconfigured to have similar topography to the old island of Philae and is sometime referred to as the New Philae Island. The Temple of Isis was moved to the island to escape the rising waters of the lake.

The West Colonnade in the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae in the Nile near Aswan. It was built during the Roman period.

The birthing house of mammisi at the Temple of Isis on the island of Philae in the Nile near Aswan.

Typical cruise boat on the Nile River and on Lake Nasser.

Pylons of the Temple of Isis and the Nubian solar and fertility deity, Madulis, at Kalabshah. It is the largest free-standing Nubian temple. Construction began in A.D. 23 during the reign of the Roman Emperor Octavius Augustus. The temple was moved 48 km (30 mi) north when the High Dam was built.

Hypostyle hall at the Temple of Isis and the Nubian solar and fertility deity, Madulis, at Kalabshah.

One of eight sphinxes leading to the Temple of Amun and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua.

One of eight sphinxes leading to the Temple of Amun (Ra-Harakhte) and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua.

Camels at the Temple of Amun and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua.

Pylon of the Temple of Dakka at Wadi el Seboua dedicated to the ibis-headed Thoth, the god of wisdom. Moved to this location in the 1960s because of the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

Hypostyle hall of the Temple of Meharakka at Wadi el Seboua dedicated to the gods Isis (Hathor) and Serapis. It is the only temple to have a winding staircase.

Chapel at the Temple of Meharakka at Wadi el Seboua dedicated to the gods Isis (Hathor) and Serapis.

Inner wall at the Temple of Amun and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua.

Statues of Ramses II in the Temple of Amun and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua.

Pylons of Temple of Amun and Amun Ra at Wadi el Seboua (Arabic for Valley of the Lions). The temple was constructed in honor of Ramses II by Setau, the Nubian viceroy of Kush (Nubia).

The Temple of Amada is the oldest surviving temple in the Nubian region. It was originally built by Thutmosis III (1479 B.C. to 1425 B.C.) and later remodeled by his son Amenhotep II.

Camels at the Temple of Amada.

Temple of Ramses II at el Derr in Nubia. Carved into the rocks, the site was dedicated to the god Ra-Harakhte (Ra and Horus). The structure was moved to this location in the 1960s because of the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

Relief at the Temple of el Derr showing Ramses II and the god, Ra-Harakhte (Ra and Horus).

Presenting gifts to the god Horus wearing the double crown (white crown of Upper Egypt, red crown of Lower Egypt). The paint on this tomb wall remains vivid.

Tomb of the Penut, the viceroy of Kush (Nubia) dug into a hill. Moved to this location in the 1960s because of the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

Ruins of a Byzantine church at Kasr Ibrim in Lake Nasser. Kasr Ibrim originally was a major city perched on a cliff above the Nile River but the flooding of Lake Nasser transformed it into an island. Kasr Ibrim was the site of military fortifications from the times of the pharaohs.

Statues of the Pharaoh Ramses II at Abu Simbel, a twin temple to the Temple of Queen Nefertari in Nubia (southern Egypt) that was carved out of a mountainside in the 13th century B.C. The temple complex was meant to proclaim the might of Egypt to its southern neighbors and to reinforce the status of Egypt's religion in the region. Considered to be one of the most beautiful sites in Egypt, it is a popular tourist destination.

The temples at Abu Simbel were moved to higher ground in the 1960s to save them from the flooding caused by the completion of the Aswan Dam. The carvings on the Great Temple shown here (completed about 1265 B.C.) dwarf mere humans.

Right pylon of the Temple or Ramses II at Abu Simbel. The figures at the base of the colossi are the mother, wife and children of Ramses II. The figure above the entrance is the god, Ra-Harakhte (Ra and Horus).

A closer view of one of the statues of Ramses at Abu Simbel shows Nefertari, his wife, at his knee.

Left pylon of the Temple or Ramses II at Abu Simbel. It was decided not to place the fallen head in its original position during the reconstruction.

The Temple of Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel. The temple was dedicated to the god, Hathor. The temple stands 100 m (328 ft) to the right of the Temple of Ramses II. It is fronted by six colossal 10-meter (33-foot) statues of Ramses II and Nefertari. It was unusual that the two statues of the queen were the same height as the four statues of the king. It also was unusual that a temple was dedicated to a queen.

The Temple of Queen Nefertari at Abu Simbel. The temple was moved to this location in the 1960s because of the rising waters of Lake Nasser.