To the north, ancient Egypt was bounded by the Mediterranean Sea, to the west by the Libyan Desert, to the south by Upper Nubia (present-day Sudan), and to the east by the Arabian Desert and the Red Sea. The geographical extent of ancient Egypt varied over time, reaching its greatest territorial expansion during the New Kingdom period (c. 1550–1070 BCE).
Here are the approximate geographical borders of ancient Egypt:
- Northern Border: The northern border of ancient Egypt was the Mediterranean Sea. The coastline stretched from modern-day Mersa Matruh in the west to Gaza (in present-day Palestine) in the east.
- Western Border: To the west, ancient Egypt was bordered by the vast Libyan Desert. The western boundary extended from Sollum on the Mediterranean coast to the First Cataract of the Nile, located near Aswan.
- Southern Border: The southern border of ancient Egypt fluctuated throughout its history. During the Old Kingdom and Middle Kingdom periods, the southern boundary extended to the First Cataract of the Nile. However, during the New Kingdom, Egypt's influence reached as far south as the area known as Nubia, modern-day Sudan.
- Eastern Border: The eastern boundary of ancient Egypt was marked by the Arabian Desert and the Red Sea. It extended from the Sinai Peninsula in the northeast to the Red Sea coast of present-day Eritrea in the southeast.
These borders encompassed the main regions of ancient Egypt, including Lower Egypt (the Nile Delta region) and Upper Egypt (the Nile Valley). The Nile River served as the primary means of communication and transportation, connecting the different regions and facilitating the development of Egyptian civilization.