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Egypt
Egypt is located in North Africa. Egypt is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea on the north, the Red Sea on the east, Sudan on the south, and Libya on the west; Egypt's Sinai Peninsula is bordered by Israel and the Gulf of Aqaba on the east. Egypt covers an area of 997,739 sq km (385,229 sq mi) with a population of approximately 66 million. The capital of Egypt is Cairo. Egypt gained its independence from the British Empire in 1922.
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Early Egyptian rug weaving can be divided into the two periods of Mamluks and Ottomans. Egypt's greatest period of rug weaving was during the rule of Mamluks from the fifteenth century until the early sixteenth century. The rugs of this period, known as Mamluks, were characterized by their complex geometric designs and bright colors.
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After the conquest of Ottoman Turks in 1517, the geometric patterns became more curvilinear. These new rugs were known as Ottomans. After the eighteenth century, rug production decreased dramatically in Egypt.
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However, in the 1950s because of import restrictions, Egypt resumed its production of handmade rugs in and around Cairo. Even though these contemporary rugs are of great quality, only a small number of them are exported. If we travel to Cairo today, we will see many small local rug shops trying to attract tourists.
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