United Arab Republic (Great Nuclear War) | Alternative History | Fandom powered by Wikia United Arab Republic (Great Nuclear War) 41,154pages on Share This Great Nuclear War page is a Proposal (Great Nuclear War) and has not been canonized and is therefore not yet a part of the Great Nuclear War Timeline. You are welcome to correct errors and/or comment at the Talk Page . If you add this label to an article, please do not forget to make mention of it on the main Discussion page for the Timeline.

United Arab Republic OTL equivalent: Syria and Iraq Flag Anthem "Walla Zaman Ya Selahy" Capital (and largest city) Aleppo Other cities Damascus and Baghdad Language Arab Religion main Sunni Islam others Christiany, Atheism, Druze and Shia Islam Ethnic Groups main Arab others Palestinese, Turkish, Kurd, Armenian, Demonym Arab (Syrian ♦ Iraqi) Government Ba'athist one-party state legislature National Assembly President Hafez al-Assad Prime Minister Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr Area 622,252 km² Population 21,704,000 Established 1971 Currency United Arab Pound Organizations ILON, Arab League, Mediterrean League and the International The United Arab Republic (Arabic: الجمهورية العربية المتحدة al-Jumhūriyyah al-‘Arabīyah al-Muttaḥidah). It is made up of the former nations of Syria and Iraq, which form its two highest level divisions, and is based on the previous UAR of Egypt and Syria.

While the State is officially secular, due to the high Sunni population (and disproportionate number of Sunni government employment), many Shia followers in Southern Iraq have petitioned for independence, as have the Kurds of the North. Several times these groups have both rose up, and each time been brutally crushed. Contents History Background Prior to the Great Nuclear War, Syria and Iraq had vastly different paths. Between 1958 and 1961, Syria had been part of a Federation with Egypt, known as the United Arab Republic. However, instead of a federation of two Arab people, as many Syrians had seen it, the UAR had instead turned into a state completely dominated by Egyptians, and 1961 the Syrian military overthrew the government, which caused the collapse of the UAR, and the re-establishment of the Syrian Arab Republic. Meanwhile, Iraq had been under a military Junta since 1958. The state, however, experienced greater and greater support for Ba'athism, and also wide-spread want to join the UAR. Great Nuclear War On the 28th October, 1962, the world was engulfed in nuclear war.

Alongside many other Middle Eastern nations, the Syrian and Iraqi Oil Markets collapsed with the loss of supply. With the chaos, the Syrian Military again organised a coup, bringing the Ba'athist Amin al-Hafiz into power. Military rule was brutal, and complete control over the nation was established within weeks. However, in Iraq, the situation was not as stable. Whilst the central government, lead by Abdul Rahman Arif, managed to hold control of the South of the nation, the Ba'athist party seized control of much of the North-East, whilst the Kurds rose up in the North-West. Syrian-Iraqi cooperation However, by 1968, the Ba'athist faction began to become the most influential, highly supplied by Syria. In 1967 they had annexed the Kurdish region, and a large offensive into Southern Iraq. During this time Syrian-Iraqi cooperation began to massively increase, and by 1970 the entirety of Iraq was under Ba'athist control. Despite this victory, however, a few weeks later, a rising member of the Ba'ath Party, Saddam Hussein, was assassinated, believed to be by Kurdish nationalists.

Federation Whilst many suggestions had been made for years, serious proposals for Syrian-Iraqi unification did not come until 1971, when Bashar al-Assad became President of Syria. Negotiations began in 1972. Early on Syria made insistence for any capital to be based in Syria, after its previous experience with Egypt, and negotiations settled on naming Aleppo, the largest Syrian city, as the federal capital, whilst Damascus and Baghdad remaining the provincial capitals of Syria and Iraq respectively. Negotiations continued until 1975, when the state was declared. United Arab Republic Main Page | See live article | Alphabetical index United Arab Republic The United Arab Republic (UAR) was a union between Egypt and Syria , established on February 1 , 1958 as a first step towards a pan- Arab nation. It was created when a group of political and military leaders in Syria, worried about the danger of a communist take-over in their country, turned to Gamal Abdal Nasser 's Egypt for help. The union bound the two nations together into a united state with its capital in Cairo and, following his 5 February 1958 nomination to the position, under the presidency of Nasser.

Egyptian military and technical advisors poured into Syria and the communist threat was defeated. The Syrian people began to grow annoyed at being ruled from distant Cairo, however, and the leaders of Syria who were forced to live in Cairo felt disconnected from their sources of power. There was also widespread arrogance on the part of the Egyptians in Syria, many of whom treated Syria as a de facto colony of Egypt. Attempts were also made to include Yemen in the union, but the UAR collapsed in 1961 after a coup d'�tat in Syria. Egypt, now alone in the United Arab Republic, continued to used the name until the death of Nasser in 1971 . Fact-index.com financially supports the Wikimedia Foundation. Displaying this page does not burden Wikipedia hardware resources. This article is from Wikipedia . All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License . Historical Country Names - Nations Online Project Historical Country Names keywords: geography, historical country names, former country names, history, place name changes, historical maps List of formerly used country names and names of countries which have ceased to exist. Name changes of countries, dependencies, geographical and other regions of particular geopolitical interest.

Today Abyssinia The Ethiopian Empire spans a geographical area of today Ethiopia, Eritrea , and Djibouti ,and included parts of Northern Somalia , Southern Egypt , Eastern Sudan , Yemen and Western Saudi Arabia . Abyssinia was an empire that existed for more than 800 years, from circa 1137 (beginning of Zagwe Dynasty) until 1974 when the Ethiopian monarchy was overthrown in a coup d'etat. Afars and Issas Territory formerly known as French Somaliland, the French colony was renamed to the French Territory of Afars and Issas (1967 - 1977),the territory became independent in 1977, known today as Djibouti. formerly a British protectorate became independent in 1966 as the Kingdom of Lesotho. formerly a British protectorate became independent in 1966 as Republic of Botswana. Democratic Republic of the Congo Benadir a coastal region of Somalia; covering most of the Indian Ocean coast of the country, from the Gulf of Aden to the Juba River, formerly part of Italian Somaliland.

Biafra, Republic of (named after the Bight of Biafra) today part of Bophuthatswana - nominal republic and homeland for Tswana-speaking people, 1949 reincorporated into British Bechuanaland (region) incorporated into the Cape Colony (1895) British East Africa or East Africa Protectorate British protectorate from 1890 until 1920 Kenya , Tanzania , Uganda , and parts of Somalia (Jubaland) Cape Colony, 1795-1797 British colony, 1803-1806 colony of the Batavian Republic (Netherlands), since 1910 part of Central African Republic Kenya Colony The Colony and Protectorate of Kenya was part of the British Empire in Africa. It was established when the former East Africa Protectorate was transformed into a British crown colony in 1920.

Ciskei (Republic of Ciskei)- homeland for Xhosa-speaking people, 1994 reincorporated into Dahomey ; (the Republic of Dahomey; in French: République du Dahomey), was a former French colony andpart of French West Africa until independence in 1960, in 1975 the Republic of Dahomeychanged its name in Benin. Dan Ho Me was an ancient Kingdom located in the south of today Benin. French Guinea was a French protectorate in West Africa, after independence from France in 1958 it became today Mali French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegambia and Niger, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire, Upper Volta and Dahomey . Mauritania , The Gambia , Senegal , Niger , Mali , Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Burkina Faso and Benin.

German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) a German colony from 1885 until 1919 which included Burundi, Rwanda and Tanganyika (the mainland part of present Tanzania), an area almost three times the size of Germany today. German East Africa colony ended with the defeat of Imperial Germany in World War I. With the Treaty of Versailles the territory was divided between Britain (Tanganyika.), Belgium (Ruanda-Urundi), and Portugal (to become part of Mozambique). Hausaland, consisted of seven independent city-states: Biram, Daura, Gobir, Kano, Katsina, Rano, and Zaria.

Italian East Africa (former name for Italian possessions in eastern Africa) Kaffraria, former name for Transkei Katanga - 1960, Belgium granted independence to the Congolese province of the Mali Federation, was a country in West Africa 1959-1960, formed by a union between Malawi Portuguese East Africa (Província Ultramarina de Moçambique) Mozambique or Portuguese East Africa (officially the State of East Africa) for almost 500 years a Portuguese Colony, 1498–1975.

See also: Portugal Sahara Occidental, Spanish name for Senegambia (region; former name of the confederation of Senegal and Gambia) Songhay (Songhai), in the 16th century a major empire of the Western Sudan, in the region of South-West Africa (SWA, German: Deutsch-Südwestafrika), a German colony from 1884-1915 Spanish West Africa (former name for Ifni and Spanish Sahara) Stellaland, Republic of; annexed by the Boers later British Bechuanaland, incorporated into the Cape Colony (1895) Tanganyika Territory, united with the islands Zansibar and Pemba it became Togoland (British Togoland), since 1957 part of Transkei (former Kaffraria and one of ten "black homelands" and nominal republic, in Southeast of ) Transvaal or ZAR - Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek; today the Province Limpopo of Ubangi-Shari (Oubangui-Chari) a former French territory in central Africa, whith independence on 13 August 1960 the country became the

 Central African Republic Union of South Africa The Union of South Africa was formed on 31 May 1910 as a parliamentary union of the four self-governing British colonies: the Cape of Good Hope Province (Cape Province; previously Cape Colony), Natal Province (Natal Colony), the Orange Free State Province (Oranje Vrij Staat/Orange River Colony) and the Transvaal Province (Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek/Transvaal Colony).

The Union came to an end in 1961with a new constitution and became the "Republic of South Africa". Zaire, changed its name in 1997 to Zanzibar (island, east off the coast of Tanzania) a former protectorate of Britain. Zanzibar gained independence in1963 united with Tanganyika, today it is a semi-autonomous part of Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek (ZAR) or Transvaal colony; today the Limpopo province of Abkhazia (Region name is still in use) Bactria (Bakhtria) historical region of Greater Iran, located between the Hindu Kush mountain range and the Amu Darya (Amu river). The region was the birthplace of Zoroastrianism (Mazdaism) and later, also hosted Buddhism before becoming Muslim after the 7th century. The Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley are a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Afghanistan with the remains of two huge standing Buddha statues which were destroyed by the Taliban in 2001.

Circassia was located east of the Black Sea and west of the Caspian Sea in the Caucasus region, it was the mountainous territory of the Circassians (Adyghe), it was wiped from the map in the late 19th century whenRussia conqueredthe Caucasus region. All Circassians were displacedfrom their homeland. Historians refer to the displacement of the Adyghe people by the Russian Empire to "the inventing of the strategy of modern ethnic cleansing and genocide". Circassia was situated north of today Georgia in the southern half of Russia's Krasnodar Krai, south of Kuban River,as well as in the Beshtau, an isolated mountainous region in Stavropol Krai, and in todays Russian Republics of Adygea, Karachay–Cherkessia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and North Ossetia–Alania, in south west Russia . East Turkestan; Eastern Turkestan; Chinese Turkestan Part of western China (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region ) Kashmir (region) is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent.

Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the Vale of Kashmir, the valley between the GreatHimalayas (in northeast) and the Pir Panjal mountain range (in southwest). Today the term Kashmir refers to a larger area that includes the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir (including the Kashmir valley and Jammu and Ladakh), the Pakistani-administered Gilgit-Baltistan and the Azad Kashmir provinces, and the Chinese-administered regions of Aksai Chin and Trans-Karakoram Tract. state during the Middle and Late Bronze Ages, it is the ancient name of Cyprus Dilmun, mentioned in ancient texts as a trade partner of Mesopotamia, although the exact location of Dilmun is unclear, it is associated with Bahrain , the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia , Qatar , Oman and nearby coast of Iran in the Persian Gulf. Galilee, Galilea is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country.

See: Map of Israel Judea, Judäa,(region) Hebrew: יהודה was the name of the mountainous southern part of the historic Land of Israel from the 8th century BC (Assyrian rule) to the 2nd century AD, when Roman Judea was renamed Syria Palaestina following the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt. Muscat and Oman, Sultanate of Muscat and Oman until 1970 North Yemen or Yemen Arab Republic was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen. Ottoman Empire the Turkish empire, established in northern Anatolia by Osman I (Osman Gazi Khan) at the end of the 13th century and expanded by his successors to include all of Asia Minor and much of southeastern Europe. After setbacks caused by the invasion of the Mongol ruler Tamerlane (Timur) in 1402, the Ottomans captured Constantinople (today Istanbul) in 1453, and the empire reached its zenith under Suleiman the Magnificent (ruled 1520 to 1566).

At the height of its power, in the 16th and 17th centuries, the Ottoman Empire controlled territory in southeastern Europe, southwestern Asia, and North Africa. It had greatly declined by the 19th century and collapsed after World War I. also known as the Trucial States, Trucial Oman, and the Trucial Shaykdoms Tylos, was referredby the Greeks to today Bahrain United Arab Republic (UAR) The United Arab Republic or U.A.R., was a union between Egypt and Syria. The union began in 1958 and existed until 1961, when Syria seceded from the union. Egypt continued to be known officially as the "United Arab Republic" until 1971. The President was Gamal Abdel Nasser. During most of its existence (1958–1961) it was a member of the United Arab States, a confederation with North Yemen.

Egypt , Syria , Yemen Yemen Arab Republic (YAR) The Yemen Arab Republic, also known as North Yemen, was a country from 1962 to 1990 in the western part of what is now Yemen, its predecessor was the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen (1918–1962), also known as the Kingdom of Yemen, its capital was at Taiz (Ta'izz). Yemen __Eastern Asia Cathay, (English) Cathay is the Anglicized version of "Catai" the name used for northern China, and an alternative name for: Choson, Chosen the Korean peninsula today split into Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) Formosa (island) Dutch Formosa, period of a colonial Dutch government (1624–1662), the Dutch East India Company established its presence on Formosa to trade with China and Japan and to prevent Portuguese and Spanish trade and colonial activities in East Asia. Spanish Formosa, a Spanish colony established in the north of of the island (1626–1642).

Taiwan Great Korean Empire was the name of the Korean empire that existed on theKorean Peninsula, from the Proclamation of the Korean Empire in October 1897 to the Annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910. The Great Korean Empire was an absolute monarchy with a constitution. Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) Kingdom of Tungning (1662 - 1683) The kingdom was founded by Koxinga (official name: Zheng Chenggong),on the island of Formosa. Koxinga was born in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Ming dynasty admiral-pirate-merchant, and his Japanese wife. The Kingdom of Tungning was run by the Zheng family, supporting the Ming Dynasty in mainland China which was replaced by the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty in 1644. Koxinga wanted to use the island as a base of operations to train its Ming military forces and recapture the mainland from the Manchus. Hedied in 1662 six month after the conquest of Formosa.

His son Zheng Jing ruled the next 20 years from its court at Tainan. Annam, Anam (1883-1954) French protectorate in Central Vietnam Ayutthaya, Kingdom of; (Siam) covered Thailand , half of Cambodia , most of Laos and large areas of present day Myanmar (Burma) Bengal, region in the northeast of South Asia today divided between Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan), and the India n federal stateWest Bengal. Balochistan or Baluchistan a region on in the Iranian Plateau in Southwest Asia, named after the local Baloch tribes of Persian origin. part of the region is now the province Balochistan in Pakistan , other areas of the region were part of today's Iran and Afghanistan . Baluchistan States Union existed between1952 and1955 in southwest British North Borneo, former British protectorate and crown colony, occupies the northern tip of the island of Borneo.

Burma, changed its name in 1989 to Ceylon in 1972 thename of the country was changed to "Free, Sovereign and Independent Republic of Sri Lanka", in 1978 the name was changed to "Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka" Map of Sri Lanka Dutch East Indies (Netherlands East Indies) was the Dutch colony that became modern Indonesia following World War II. It was formed from the nationalized colonies of the former Dutch East India Company that came under the administration of the Netherlands in 1800. Indonesia East Pakistan, a former province of Pakistan. East Pakistan was created from Bengal Province based on the 'Mountbatten Plan' in what was then British India in 1947. Eastern Bengal was given to the Dominion of Pakistan and became a province of Pakistan by the name East Bengal. East Bengal was renamed East Pakistan in 1956 and later became the country of Bangladesh after the Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, which took place after the General Elections of 1970.

British West Indies - the colonies of the British in the Caribbean: today the term refers to the British Caribbean overseas territories which are: Anguilla , Bermuda , British Virgin Islands , Cayman Islands, Montserrat , Turks and Caicos Islands. Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark - Norway in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917. US Virgin Islands French West Indies, the French overseas departments Guadeloupe and Martinique , as well as the French Caribbean Départments d'Outre Mer, include the Guadeloupe dependencies of the French part of the island St. Martin and the islands Saint-Barthélemy, Les Saintes, Marie-Galante and La Désirade.

Haiti, the Arawaks name for the island of Hispaniola New Spain (Nueva España) colonial territories of the Spanish Empire in North and Central America, including Somers Islands is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean better kown as New Spain (Nueva España) colonial territories of the Spanish Empire in North and Central America, including Mexico , Guatemala , Belize , El Salvador , Honduras , Nicaragua , Costa Rica and parts of South-West USA New Netherland, or Nieuw-Nederland in Dutch, was the 17th-century colonial province of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands on the East Coast of North America. The settled areas are now part of the Mid-Atlantic States of New York, New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut, with small outposts in Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. The provincial capital, New Amsterdam, was located at the southern tip of the island of Manhattan on upper New York Bay. Today British Guiana was a British colony on the northern coast of South America, what is now the independent nation of Guyana. Capital was Georgetown . Guyana Dutch Guiana (Netherlands Guyana) Dutch colonization of the Guianas began in the beginning of the 17th century.

The colonies of Essequibo and Demerara (Demerary), Surinam, and Berbice were Dutch settlements, trading posts and plantations in the coastal areas ofthe north eastern part of South America, a region which is known as the Guianas, today divided into the countries of Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, and the north eastern part of Brazil. Capital city was Fort Zeelandia ( Paramaribo ) Venezuela , Guyana , Suriname , French Guiana , and the Amapá province of Brazil. Gran Colombia (1819-1830), the former republic consisted ofthe territories of present-day Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. Inini, an inland territory of French Guiana, its capital was Saint-Élie. New Holland (2), Nieuw Holland, or also known as Dutch Brazil, was a former dutch colony on the northeast coast of Brazil 1630 - 1654. Capital city was Mauritsstad, today part of the city of Recife .

Province of Pernambuco, Brazil Terra de Santa Cruz , in the early 16th century when the Portoguese realized it was not an island but part of a continent they were about to conquer, they renamed it from 'Ilha de Vera Cruz' (Island of the True Cross) to Terra de Santa Cruz (Land of the Holy Cross). Today the region is known as Brazil. Map of Moldova Pridnestrovia (Transnistria) formerly part of the Soviet Union ( Russia ), today a breakaway state of Moldova also known as Transnistria, which claims territory between the Dniester river and the eastern border of Moldova with Ukraine . It declared independence in 1990 but is unrecognised by any United Nations member state. Transnistria is one of four post-Soviet "frozen conflict" zones. (see: Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia) After the dissolution of the USSR, tensions between the newly created Moldova and the de facto sovereign state of Pridnestrovia escalated into a military conflict. Unlike the rest of Moldova Pridnestrovia had not wanted to separate from the Soviet Union.

Because of the Russian military contingent present in Transnistria, the European Court of Human Rights considers Transnistria "under the effective authority or at least decisive influence of Russia". Map of Moldova Prussia, Preussen a former kingdom of the German Empire.Originally a small country on the south eastern shores of the Baltic Sea, under Frederick the Great it became a major European power covering much of modern northeast Germany and Poland. Capital city was Königsberg (today Kaliningrad, Russia), later Berlin . (region; former name for Carpatho-Ukraine) Map of Ukraine Silesia, (in German: Schlesien) historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts in the Czech Republic and Germany, its largest city and capital was Wrocław(Breslau). Poland , the Czech Republic and Germany . Soviet Union (1922 - 1991) short form of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), a former federation of Communist republics occupying the northern half of Asia and part of eastern Europe, capital city was Moscow . 12 constituent republics emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 as independent post-Soviet states.

Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , Estonia , Georgia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Latvia , Lithuania , Moldova , Russian Federation (Russia) , Tajikistan , Turkmenistan , Ukraine , Uzbekistan Scotland, the former independent kingdom is today one of four constituent nations which form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, capital city is Edinburgh Ynetnews News - Egypt send to friend Egypt A force to be reckoned with from the time of the Pharaohs , enduring endless political rivalries and home to some of history's most fascinating characters, Egypt has carved its place among the world's nations in the sands of time Ynetnews|Last update: 19.02.11 , 15:37 The Arab Republic of Egypt is one of the most populated countries in Africa and a land bridge to Asia. Spanning some 386,560 square miles, it borders Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and Israel and the Gaza Strip the east. Its northern coast borders the Mediterranean Sea and its eastern one the Red Sea.

The majority of Egypt's population – some 78 million people – lives near or on the banks of the River Nile, and where the only arable agricultural land is found. About half of Egypt's residents live in urban areas, most in the greater Cairo area, Alexandria and other major cities in the Nile Delta. Egypt – the essentials Government: Egypt is considered the most prominent among Arab nations. The Egyptian Republic was declared on 18 June 1953 with General Muhammad Naguib as its first president. Naguib was forced to resign in 1954 by Gamal Abdel Nasser, who declared the full independence of Egypt from the United Kingdom on June 18, 1956. He was succeeded by Anwar Sadat in 1970 and the latter was followed by Egypt's ousted ruler, President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak, who came to power in 1981. Ancient Egypt Mubarak headed the National Democratic Party which holds 88% of the parliament's 454 seats. The rest of the seats are divided between the opposition (4%) and independent politicians (8%).

The National Democratic Party's biggest opponent – the Muslim Brotherhood, has no parliamentary representation – the movement was outlawed in 1954. Religion and academia: The majority of Egyptians are Arabs and 90% of them are Sunni Muslims; about 7% are Copt Christians, a denomination unique to Egypt, belonging to the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria. Birdseye view of Cairo at night (Photo: CD Bank) Egypt in considered an international Arab center for academics and scholars, and is in the forefront of Arab culture as far as literature, media, music, theater, and cinematography are concerned. Egypt is home to 13 universities, among which are the renowned Cairo and Alexandria universities; it has mandatory education for grades one through six, and provides free education for children ages six to 15, and still – 40% of its rural population is illiterate. Economy: Egypt's economy depends mainly on agriculture, media, petroleum, phosphate, iron and mangan-neptunite exports; textiles and tourism, which account for about 50% of the country's gross domestic product. Another important staple of Egyptian economy are its harbors – the Port of Alexandria, Port Suez and Port Sa'id.

The rise of Arabism The Arabs first came to the area now known as Egypt in 642 AD. Considered by the local residents as emancipators from the oppression of The Byzantine Empire, they – and their religion of Islam were welcome. In 969 AD the Shiite Fatimid Dynasty took over the country. The Fatimids established the new Egyptian capital of al-Caira (the victorious) and during their 200-year rule the country flourished, expanding its bordered to the coast of Sicily. The year 1169 saw Salah a-Din come to power. Hailed as a champion of Orthodox Islam, he returned to the religion's Sunni fundamentals in 1171, but never claimed the religious title of Caliph – opting for the secular title of Sultan instead. Under his rule Egypt regained control of Jerusalem and eventually expanded its borders to Mesopotamia. A 4000-mile long waterway. The River Nile (Photo: AP) Salah a-Din's rule was followed by that of the short-lived Ayyubid dynasty.

In 1250 the Mamluks ("the possessed") seized control of Egypt, Israel and Syria from the Ayyubids, instating a dynasty of 47 sultans. The Mamluks established Cairo as their capital and by the 14th century had turned it to the Muslim world's most revered religious center. The Ottoman Empire toppled the Mamluk's independent rule in the 16th century, but they were allowed to continue their rule as the Turks' representatives. In 1798, Napoleon conquered Egypt, but the Turks regained control of the region in 1831, when Muhammad Ali led an Egyptian uprising against the Ottoman Empire, making it pseudo-independence, under Ottoman rule. Ali expanded Egypt's borders once more, pushing them to Israel, Syria and northern Sudan. After his death in 1849 he was succeeded by his descendants, who remained under various kinds of Ottoman rule until 1914 – despite the British taking over the country in 1882. Modern Egypt In 1922 Egypt declared itself independent and King Fuad ascended the thrown.

The UK retained the right to keep troops in the country until 1936. In May of 1948 Egypt, along with her neighboring Arab nations, invaded the newly formed State of Israel. When Israel's War of Independence was over, the two signed a ceasefire agreement. In 1952 a military coup swept the country. King Farouk of Egypt was dethroned and Muhammad Naguib became the first President of the Republic of Egypt. He was removed from office in 1954, by Gamal Abd al-Nasser. Nasser's Egypt: Nasser introduced a social regime, nationalizing personal assets and pushing agrarian reforms. Under Nasser, Egypt became a force to be reckoned with both in the Middle East and in Africa; and turned into an industrially advanced modern country. Nasser also purged the old regime's ranks, outlawing the radical Muslim Brotherhood movement. In 1956, Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, causing Egypt's relations with the UK and France – which were co-owners of the sailing rights – to spiral.

France and the UK ordered Egypt to remove its forces from the Canal, and when it refused, the British and French air forces launched an aerial assault on Egyptian airports and strategic military facilities built in the Canal's vicinity. Israel was soon drawn into the fighting, which turned into the Israeli-Egyptian Sinai War. In November 1956, the British and French launched Operation Musketeer: Joint forces invaded Port Sa'id by air and by sea, taking hold of part of it before a ceasefire was called. The UN soon ordered the UK, Israel and France to retrieve their forces and leave Egyptian soil. A staple of Egyptian economy. The Suez Canal (Photo: Visual Photos) In 1958, Egypt allied forces with Syria, as the two signed the United Arab Republic treaty, making them a single political entity. The treaty ended in 1961. In 1962, Egypt intervened in a civil war which broke out in Yemen, nearly warring with Saudi Arabia in the process.

The Six Day War, in which Israel defeated Egypt broke out in 1967 and in 1969, another Israeli-Egyptian altercation broke – the War of Attrition, which was left undetermined, since the US made both sides cease fire. Sadat's Egypt: following Nasser's death in 1970, Muhammad Anwar El Sadat became the Egyptian president. Soon after taking power, Sadat began trying to restore Egyptian control over the Suez Canal and the Sinai Peninsula, including laying out military options to that effect. In 1971 Sadat reshuffled Egyptian politics, when he accused leading figures in the country's Left and many of Nasser's loyalists of conspiracy, trying them for treason and forcibly removing them from power. Sadat also began mass recruiting efforts, in an attempt to "dust off" his military ranks. In 1972, when his continuing attempts to acquire advanced soviet weapons systems failed, he had all military Soviet advisors in the Egyptian army removed from service, prompting the Soviet Union to tighten its military ties with it. In 1973 Sadat decided the time had come to launch another attack on Israel.

Along with Syrian President Hafez Assad, he devised a plan of attack, which included mass use of anti-aircraft missiles, surface-to-air missiles and new infantry techniques. Israel was aware of the joint Syrian-Egyptian maneuvers, but assumed it was just that – a military drill. Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israel in October of 1973. The Yom Kippur War started with enemy forces having the upper hand but the Israeli forces soon bounced back, pushing the Egyptian forces back and crossing the Suez Canal into Egypt. Making history. Signing the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty (Photo: AP) Despite the Egyptian forces' failure in 1973, Sadat was seen as the leader who redeemed Egypt from its humiliating loss to Israel in 1967. Sadat's policy towards Israel in the years to follow became moderate, culminating in an official state visit to Israel in 1977 and the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty in 1979. The two formed embassies on each other's soil and established commercial relations. Egypt was harshly criticized by the Arab nations for signing a peace treaty with Israel and some of them even declared a political boycott on it.

Nevertheless, Egypt's peace with Israel had a vast influence on its economy, increasing the revenue derived from tourism while decreasing its defense expenditures. Egypt regained control of Sinai's oil field and the Suez Canal reopened for commercial sailing. Sadat's financial beliefs were far from Nasser's socialism: He encouraged foreign investments from the West, allowed free economic entrepreneurship and minimized the government's involvement in the financial scene. In 1975 Sadat allowed various factions within Egypt's ruling Socialist Arab Union party to form freely. In 1978 he founded the Egyptian National-Democratic Party, which replaces the SAU. Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists in 1981, during a military parade. President Sadat was saluting the troops when a small group of them ran from one vehicle in the parade and started firing machine guns and throwing grenades in the stands. The Mubarak era Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak came to power in the aftermath of Sadat's assassinations. Unlike Sadat, Mubarak halted the financial liberation and free-market mode and reinstated strict government monitoring of the economy on one hand and allowed more political freedoms on the other.

Egypt has continued to grow financially, especially thanks to its booming tourism, but due to the natural rate of procreation, the financial growth has yet to meet the population's needs. Mubarak was able to rehabilitate Egypt's standing among the Arab nations, repairing the so-called damage signing a peace agreement with Israel caused to its ranking in the Arab world, making it a political force to be reckoned with once more. His foreign policies made for stronger relations with the US and Russia, and he led a battle againt the radical Islam movements within Egypt. A force to be reckoned with (Photo: Reuters) In May 2005, mostly due to the US pressuring Mubarak to democratize Egypt further, the Egyptian constitution allowed candidates outside the ruling party to take part in the presidential elections. Several of the opposition parties boycotted the elections, claiming they were only pseudo-democratic and that they did not give any other presidential candidate a real chance. Mubarak went on to win 85% of the votes. Mubarak made sure Egypt remained part of almost every aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, acting as a mediator between the sides in more than one occasion.

Despite notable political pressure, both from within Egypt as well as from other Arab nations, he upheld Egypt's peace with Israel, although the relations between the two remain far from true normalization. Hosni Mubarak was elected Egypt's president four times – in 1987, 1993, 1999 and 2005. Although Mubarak always denied the possibility of any succession of power in Egypt, it was widely speculated that when he decided to step down, or in the event of his death while still in office, his son Gamal Mubarak – who served as currently the NDP's deputy secretary general – would be sworn in as president. Mubarak resigned as president and transferred authority to the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces on February 11, 2011, after 18 days of violent protests calling for his resignation. Mubarak and his family left the presidential palace in Cairo and moved to Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

Egypt’s presidential history: Military’s tight grip on power | Al Jazeera America Egypt’s presidential history: Military’s tight grip on power by Ehab Zahriyeh @EhabZ January 29, 2014 3:49PM ET Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s candidacy follows the country’s tradition since 1952 Topics: A street vendor offers cards of Egypt’s army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah El Sisi during celebrations of the third anniversary of Egypt’s uprising, Jan. 25, 2014. Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters Egypt's military remains the most powerful entity in the country despite secrecy surrounding its budget, its generals, and its businesses, which many believe make up more than a third of the country's economy. Consolidation of power and industry by the armed forces goes as far back as the country’s first presidency in 1952, and Egyptian law prevents any real oversight of the military. The revolution that forced King Farouk into exile that year placed the military in power on civilian rule — one leader after another — until the 2011 popular uprising that overthrew Hosni Mubarak.

With presidential elections approaching, the chief of the Egyptian armed forces, Abdel Fattah El Sisi — who removed Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first freely elected, nonmilitary president after one year — has announced his candidacy. The election of a military leader reverses efforts of the 2011 revolution, which among other demands, called for more oversight over the budgets and leaders of the armed forces. Here, a history of Egypt’s presidents: 1953: Muhammed Naguib AP Presidency: June 18, 1953 – Nov. 14, 1954 Muhammed Naguib’s military career began in 1918. Making his way up the ranks, Naguib was promoted to major-general in 1949 after serving in Palestine in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Naguib, along with a secret group of disgruntled officers (Free Officers Movement) led a coup d'état against King Farouk in 1952 and declared Egypt a republic for the first time.

When Naguib became president on June 18, 1953, he simultaneously held the title of prime minister and chairman of Revolution Command Council (RCC) — the newly formed political body deciding Egypt’s affairs. The RCC was mostly made up of military personnel. His presidency marked the start of military control over civilian affairs, which continues till today. Naguib eventually resigned as president one year later after losing a power struggle to a younger officer, Gamal Abdel Nasser. Naguib was immediately placed under house arrest by Nasser for 18 years. 1954: Gamal Abdel Nasser AP Presidency: Nov. 14, 1954 – Sept. 28, 1970 Gamal Abdel Nasser joined the military in 1938 and, like Muhammed Naguib, fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. As deputy commander, Nasser was famously known for his resilience in the war for securing the Palestinian village of al-Faluja while withstanding Israeli bombardment. He was highly critical of Egypt’s unpreparedness in battles with Israel.

After combat, Nasser became a founding member of the Free Officers Movement and helped seat Naguib as the country’s first president following the coup against King Farouk. Nasser then forced Naguib to resign and took over as the country’s leader on Nov. 14, 1954. Nasser won Egypt's first presidential elections in 1956 by 99.9 percent of the votes. He was the only candidate on the ballot. Nasser served 16 years as Egypt’s president until he died while in office on Sept. 28, 1970. In presidential elections in 1958 and 1965, Nasser — again running unopposed — won 100 percent of the votes cast. One month before he assumed office on Oct. 26, 1954, Nasser was giving a speech in Alexandria, celebrating British withdrawal from Egypt, when a member of the Muslim Brotherhood attempted to assassinate him. Nasser survived and swiftly banned the Brotherhood and imprisoned thousands of its members. The Brotherhood’s struggle with the nations' military leaders continues today. Nasser also eliminated Egypt's short-lived multi-party system as he consolidated power and marginalized the opposition.

Nasser’s pan-Arab push made him one of the most popular Arab leaders of modern times. His legacy includes nationalizing the British and French controlled Suez Canal on July 26, 1956; building close ties with the Soviet Union; creating the United Arab Republic, which united Egypt with Syria in 1958 until Syria seceeded in 1961; and the loss to Israel in 1967 which cost Egypt the Sinai and control over Gaza. 1970: Anwar Sadat Harry Koundakjian/AP Presidency: Oct. 15, 1970 – Oct. 6, 1981 Anwar Sadat joined the military in 1938 where he met Gamal Abdel Nasser and would become one of the founding members of the Free Officers Movement. Sadat, vice president at the time of Nasser’s death, assumed the role of the country's leader. Sadat ran in two presidential elections — unopposed — winning more than 90 percent of the vote in 1970 and 99.9 percent in 1976.

Sadat dedicated much of his presidency to a "corrective revolution" — reversing Nasser’s pan-Arabism; breaking ties with the Soviets; forging trust with the United States; and opening Egypt’s economy to private investment. Sadat reversed Nasser’s clampdown on Islamists by releasing them from prison. In return, they became a significant pillar in his power base. War and peace with Israel defined Sadat’s presidency. On Oct. 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria stunned Israel with surprise offensives to recapture land occupied during the 1967 war. A military standstill eventually ended with a cease-fire brokered by the United States, the Soviet Union and the U.N. Security Council. In 1977, Sadat became the first Arab leader to make an official visit to Israel where he addressed Knesset on his plan for peace. The next year, Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin signed the Camp David Accords at the White House, ahead of signing a peace treaty in 1979 that ended hostilities between the two nations and returned control of the Sinai to Egypt. A major element in the peace deal was a U.S.

promise to aid and modernize Egypt's military. Since 1979, Egypt has received more than $1 billion annually from the U.S., making its military one of the strongest in Africa and the Middle East, and untouchable within the country. The rest of the Arab world excoriated Sadat for making peace with Israel without solving the twin problems of the Palestinian conflict and Israeli occupation of the Golan Heights in Syria. Sadat’s defining moment eventually led to his death. On Oct. 6, 1981, soldiers loyal to Egypt’s Islamic Jihad, who were angry about the peace treaty with Israel, assassinated Sadat during an annual parade. Eleven others were killed in the assault including a Cuban ambassador and general from Oman. Vice President Hosni Mubarak succeeds Sadat as president. 1981: Hosni Mubarak AP2006 Presidency: Oct. 14, 1981 – Feb. 11, 2011 Like his predecessors, Hosni Mubarak’s path to the presidency began with a career in the military.

Mubarak, however, was the first Egyptian president who had not belonged to the Free Officers Movement that pushed King Farouk into exile. In 1950, Mubarak became a pilot officer in the air force and later received training in Russia. During his decades-long air force career, Mubarak served in many roles including lecturer, commander and chief of staff. In 1974, one year before becoming Anwar Sadat’s vice president, Mubarak was promoted to air marshal — one of the highest ranks in the force. After being injured in the attack that killed Sadat, Mubarak assumed the role as Egypt's president. For five elections and almost 30 years, Mubarak was untouchable as Egypt's ruler. A 1967 emergency law that suspended constitutional rights by prohbiting protests and non-government approved political parties remained in effect throughout Mubarak's presidency. It gave the country's police forces wide-ranging powers to detain individuals without a trial. Mubarak supressed the Muslim Brotherhood. Thousands of their members, especially top leaders, were imprisoned. While banned from politics, the Brotherhood, however, remained resilient by focusing efforts on social, civil and charity work.

Within Mubarak's reign, the military continued its consolidation of Egypt's industries ranging from real estate to agriculture, all while 40 percent of the population lived on less than $2 a day in 2011, according to the World Bank. Mubarak's presidency ended on Feb. 11, 2011, after 18 days of crippling protests by crowds demanding his resignation. Egypt's Supreme Council of Armed Forces became the caretaker of the country's civilian affairs until 2012 presidential elections, giving the military complete power over the country. 2012: Mohamed Morsi Mark Wilson/Getty Images Presidency: June 30, 2012 – July 3, 2013 Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, was the first freely-elected president and the only one without a military background. Following the 2011 revolutionary movement that toppled Hosni Mubarak, Morsi faced off against Ahmed Shafik. Morsi won by 52 percent, but his victory was short-lived.

On the first anniversary of Morsi's presidency, millions of Egyptians took to the streets — angry over the government's Islamist policies — calling for Morsi to resign. Millions of others rallied in support of the president, but the Supreme Council of Armed Forces acted swiftly, removing Morsi on July, 3 2013 from his post and detaining him on charges of killing opponents protesting outside his palace. After just one year of civilian rule, the military is back in full control of the country. Share This:

Question: The United Arab Republic, which began in 1958 and ended in 1961, was a union of which two nations?
Answer: Egypt and Syria