Cairo (Arabic Al-Kahira, literally "The Conqueror" or "The Victor") is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa. Its metropolitan area is the 16th largest in the world. It is located near the Nile Delta, and was founded in 969 AD. Called "the city of a thousand minarets" due to the dominance of Islamic architecture, it has long been the center of political and cultural life in the region. Cairo was founded in the 10th century by the Fatimid dynasty, but in the area of the modern city there are ruins of earlier capitals, as seen in the sections of Old Cairo. Cairo is also associated with Ancient Egypt due to its proximity to the ancient cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat, which are close to the Great Sphinx of Giza and the Pyramids of Giza.