Cairo is the capital of Egypt. It's the largest city in Africa and the Arab World. The name of the capital is Arabic and simply means The Vanquisher or The Conqueror.' The city is one of the most densely populated cities in the world and nicknamed The City of a Thousand Minarets' because of prominence in Islamic architecture. The city came into existence in the 10th Century and it's the country's center of political and cultural life. Cairo has a population of about 7 million people and covers around 453 square kilometers. It's also the largest city in the country and now the eleventh largest urban area in the world. This is because in has an additional ten million inhabitants just outside the city making it the largest metropolitan city in Africa. It's also home to the oldest and largest film and music production industries in the Arab world. Academically the city is greatly admired and harbors the world's second oldest institution of higher learning Al-Azhar University. Cairo is a very busy city and attracts thousands of tourists and researchers. It harbors big airports and hotels used by tourists visiting to see the great pyramids or deserts. Where the city stands, was the site of national capitals whose remnants are still visible and remain as the parts of the Old Cairo. The city is usually associated with the Ancient Egypt and is near to the Great Sphinx and the famous pyramid of Giza. Egypt is the home of Pharaohs, who used to be the cruelest family of kings.