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Glite Dictionary
Upper Egypt

Upper Egypt

1 4.4
The southern part of Egypt from south of Cairo to the Sudan border
  • proper noun
translation icon : Alto Egipto
  • The day after Abu-Ghorab, the group left for Assiyut in Upper Egypt, and the day after that took the bus further south to Luxor.
  • Upper Egypt's fellahin

Examples

  • Despite rich agricultural resources, Upper Egypt has long been the country's poorest region, whether compared in terms of rural or urban areas.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Decades of land reform failed to fulfill their promise but nonetheless led to some degree of relative improvement in Upper Egypt and Mexico.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The following, relating events in "a tiny village in Upper Egypt," is typical of such reports:

    Academic text (1999)

  • Others went to Cairo, and a few went initially to Upper Egypt.

    Academic text (2005)

  • However, its focal point was Upper Egypt.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Overall, the non-locally born were heavily either from nearby areas or from Upper Egypt.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The local relationships resulting from this centuries-old condition gave Upper Egypt an identity of its own within the modern Egyptian state.

    Academic text (1999)

  • Graduates of newly established provincial universities in Upper Egypt at times felt the added weight of being discriminated against in their search for jobs.

    Academic text (1999)

  • While "ultra poverty" was particularly high in Asiut, rural Upper Egypt continued to be the country's poorest agricultural area.

    Academic text (1999)

  • The ancient temples were often found in Upper Egypt, showcasing the region's historical significance.

Surface Forms

Upper Egypt main

Morphology

upper + Egypt

Although 'upper' normally means 'toward the top' and 'Egypt' is clear, the toponym 'Upper Egypt' conventionally refers to the southern (upstream) part of the country because of the Nile's flow. This historical/geographical convention is not derivable from the literal meanings by an average B1 learner and thus the place-name meaning is unpredictable without background knowledge.

Etymology

Upper Egypt gets its name from the Nile River because the river flows north, so the land to the south is 'up the river' and was called Upper Egypt. That's why Upper Egypt means the southern, upriver part of the country.