Siwa Oasis

Oasis in western Egypt with 15,000 population, in the interior of the country, near the border to Libya, 18 meters below sea level.   The oasis is 82 km long and has a width varying between 2 and 20 km. People work on agriculture of which dates and olives are the principal produce. There are 300,000 date palms and 70,000 olive trees.   The agriculture is fed by natural springs as well as a couple of artificial ones. In the recent decades. The people are Berbers, and have their own language. To Siwa, there are 3 larger salt lakes, Birket Maraqi, Birket Siwa, and Birket Zaytun. The main settlement is Shali, situated at the centre of the oasis.
HISTORY 7th century BCE: Temple of Amon is constructed. 331 BCE: Alexander the Great visited Siwa to see the famous Oracle of Amon Temple, seeking confirmation that he is the son of the god Zeus, as well as upholding the image of him also being the son of the god Amon. 1203: The town of Shali is founded. 1792: After 2,000 years of relative isolation, the first European visitor comes to Siwa. 19th century: Siwa becomes part of modern Egypt. 1986: A road between Marsa Matruh at the coast and Siwa is opened.