(1) Egypt: Egypt is one of the most ancient countries. It is an Arab Republic. This great civilization developed on the banks of river Nile. This country is famous for its pyramids and Sphinx. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the south of Egypt. Dates and cotton are grown in abundance here. Cairo (Kahira) is the capital city of the country as well as the industrial city. The Suez Canal has brought Europe and Asia closer to each other. The Bedouin tribe lives in Egypt. Nile, the longest river of the world originates in the highlands of Ethiopia and flows through Sudan and Egypt to meet the Mediterranean Sea. Mineral oil is found in Libya and Egypt.
(2) South Africa : Located at the southernmost end of Africa, South Africa lies in the temperate zone and has a temperate climate. It was primarily an agricultural country but the discovery of diamond and gold mines near river Vaal in 1867 changed its economy drastically. The capital is Pretoria but the Parliament is in Cape Town. Johannesburg and Durban are the other main cities. There are highlands and plateaus that have an average altitude of 915 metres in South Africa. Minerals like gold, copper, uranium, manganese, etc. are found in mines at Johannesburg and Transvaal regions of South Africa.
