Cairo, city, capital of Egypt, and one of the largest cities in Africa. Founded by the Fatimids in the 10th century, the city lies on the banks of the Nile near ancient Memphis. The area around present-day Cairo had long been a focal point of Ancient Egypt due to its strategic location at the junction of the Nile Valley and the Nile Delta regions (roughly Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt), which also placed it at the crossing of major routes between North Africa and the Levant. [41][42] Memphis, the capital of Egypt during. The Gulf of Aqaba in the northeast separates Egypt from Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Cairo is the capital, largest city, and leading cultural centre, while Alexandria is the second-largest city and an important hub of industry and tourism. [20] Cairo (Arabic: القاهرة, usually transliterated as Al-Qāhirah) is the capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate. The city name can be translated as the one who won. Cairo is the largest city in Egypt and the country's capital, blending old-world Egypt intricately with the modern, new world. Cairo is often called the “cradle of civilization,” with relics dating back to 969 CE. What is the Capital of Egypt? Cairo is the capital of Egypt. Cairo is home to one of the world’s seven wonders, the Great Pyramid of Giza. Egypt is a country located in the northeastern corner of Africa. Egypt’s heartland, the Nile River valley and delta, was the home of one of the principal civilizations of the ancient Middle East and was the site of one of the world’s earliest urban and literate societies. Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, was founded in the year 969 CE by the Fatimid dynasty. But its history dates back a long time before this. Some of the great cities of the ancient Egyptian. Cairo is Egypt’s capital city and also the most populous city in the country. The city is located in Lower Egypt which is a section of Egypt encompassing the fertile Nile delta and the land between Upper Egypt and the northern Mediterranean coast. Cairo is the capital, largest city, and most important cultural center, while Alexandria is the second-largest city and an important hub of industry and tourism.