Aswan (formerly spelled Assuan), (in standard Aswān) Egyptian: Swenet (trade), Coptic: Swān; Greek: Συήνη Syene; )'s a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate. It stands on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract and's a busy market and tourist center. Its ancient name, Swenet, translates as "trade". It contains the island of Elephantine. Aswan's one of the driest inhabited places in the world; as of early 2001, the last rain… (More on Aswan)