Cairo was founded in 969 AD as the royal enclosure for the Fatimid Caliphs that ruled Egypt at the time. Two centuries ago, then-ruler Muhammad Ali installed the city as his independent empire's capital, after which the British took control until Egypt attained independence in 1922.

Cairo is certainly the centre and focal point of its country, with 15 per cent of all Egyptians calling it home. It is the largest city in Africa and the Middle East, with over 12 million inhabitants. The majority of the nation's commerce is generated there, or passes through the city. The great majority of publishing houses, media outlets and nearly all film studios are located in the sprawling metropolis, as are half the nation's hospital beds and universities.

The city has a population of about ten million, while its metropolitan area exceeds 19 million. Cairo is the 16th most populous metropolitan area in the world and the most populous on the African continent.

Cairo has countless tourists attractions, and a mix of historical and modern cultural destinations of interest. Some of its major highlights include the Pyramids, the Hanging Church, Saladin's Citadel, the Virgin Mary's Tree, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, Al-Azhar, the Mosque of Amr ibn al-A'as, Saqqara, the Cairo Tower and the Old City. Cairo is nicknamed ‘The City of a Thousand Minarets', owing to the varied and numerous mosques and their distinctive towers.

Football
The heartland of Egyptian football, Cairo is the backbone of the game in the country. The majority of clubs come from the city and its surroundings, and its stadiums have hosted numerous historic matches.
 
It is also home to arguably the biggest club rivalry in the African and Middle Eastern region, between Al Ahly and Zamalek. They are the two best-supported teams on the continent, and their showdowns are fiercely contested.

Cairo is also renowned for unearthing quality players. Among them are Mokhtar El Tetsh, a legend of the 1920s and 1930s whom Al Ahly named their pitch after, and the 1983 African Footballer of the Year, Mahmoud El Khatieb. Cairo has also produced the Hassan twins, Taher Abuzied, Hany Ramzy, Hassan Shehata, Mido and Mohamed Aboutrika.