Egypt

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Located in northeastern Africa, Egypt is bordered by Libya, the Sudan, and Israel. In 1954, a British occupation of the country ended when Gamal Abdel Nasser, who had overthrown the monarchy only two years earlier, negotiated the withdrawal of British troops. In 1956 Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. Later in the same year, in retaliation for an Anglo-French-Israeli attack, he confiscated the property of British and French firms. He later pursued significant land reforms beneficial to the middle peasantry of the country and pursued industrialization. Such demonstrations of resolve in the face of imperial aggression elevated Nasser's and Egypt's standing in much of the non-aligned world.