My Teenage Life in Egypt

The rich soil of the lands along the Nile River create large fields for farming, such as these south of Cairo.

Fellahin About 30 percent of the population works in agriculture. A typical farm in Egypt has about four acres. Farmers are also known as fellahin , an Arabic wordmeaning “a person who ploughs.” As has been the case since ancient times, virtually all of the country’s agricultural production takes place within a few miles of the Nile River. The most important agricul- tural products are cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits like dates, and animals such as sheep, water buffalo, and goats. Another 20 percent of workers are employed in a variety of indus- tries. The main ones are automobile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals , construction, textiles, chemicals, and steelmaking.

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