CAIRO, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Aerial views from a descending aircraft reveal the sprawling expanse of Cairo as it hugs the banks of the Nile River, a verdant ribbon cutting through the desert.

As Africa's largest city, the Egyptian capital is home to roughly 23 million people and boasts a history stretching back millennia. It is a metropolis where ancient monuments sit in the shadow of modern high-rises, a place local residents call the "City of all Cities."