Cairo, Egypt . Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Middle East. Although Cairo itself is only about 1,000 years old, parts of the metropolis date back to the time of the Pharaohs. ... In the 19th century, one of the city's rulers, Khedive Ismail (1863-1879), sought to transform Cairo into a European- style city. ... Although a housing crisis has been broadcast by the international news media, it is estimated that Cairo may have a surplus of some 1 million housing units. ...