Siwa - some facts

• 14 meters below sea level
• 50kms long, on average 6km's wide
• 290kms from Marsa Matrouh as the crow fly's 300kms by a very straight road.
• 560kms from Cairo as the crow flies and 750kms by road.
• 480Kms from Alexandria as the crow flies and 570kms by road.
• It is the only berber speaking oasis in Egypt.
• Population of over 25,000. Average family is size is anywhere from 7 to 15 children so the population is expanding quickly.
• The airport 30 km's from Siwa is rumoured to be opening soon. Will post any information on this here, as and when I hear about it.
• The road from Baharyia is being built now. Due to be complete in a year or two. I went through a few times last winter 2009 and it was being built. Again any updates I get when traveling that route, I will post here.