OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

Cairo is the capital of Egypt, a country in North Africa. About 22 million people live in and around the city, making it the biggest city in Africa. Cairo sits along the Nile River, the longest river in the world.

Just outside Cairo you can see the Great Pyramids of Giza. These huge stone pyramids were built over 4,500 years ago as tombs for ancient Egyptian kings called pharaohs. The Great Sphinx, a giant statue with a lion’s body and a human head, guards the pyramids. Cairo also has a huge museum full of golden treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Cairo is in the northeast corner of Africa, right where the Nile River fans out before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. It is close to the border between Africa and Asia.