Egyptian Revolution 25 / 1

January 20, 2012

Egyptian Revolution 25 / 1

THE BASICS

What's Going On In Egypt?: Protests started on Tuesday, January 25, when -- inspired by the successful revolution in Tunisia -- thousands began taking to the streets to protest poverty, rampant unemployment, government corruption and autocratic governance of President Hosni Mubarak, who has ruled the country for 30 years. These were the first protests on such a large scale in Egypt since the 1970s. Read more here.

Why Egypt Matters: Why is the story gaining traction? There are a number of factors that make Egypt's unrest important, in both that country, the Middle East, and the world. Click here to see the top reasons why Egypt should matter to you.

What It's Being Called: The Egyptian revolution is also referred to as the Egyptian Protests, Days of Rage, the Papyrus Revolution and the Lotus Revolution.

Quick Facts About Egypt: Established in 3100 B.C., Egypt today has a population of approximately 79 million. Its people speak Arabic and 99% are Egyptian. The country staged its first modern revolution in 1919 and established independence in 1922. Continued instability due to remaining British influence led to a second revolution in 1952 and the creation of the Egyptian Republic in 1953.