Fayum is a city in Middle Egypt. Located 100 kilometres (62 miles) southwest of Cairo, in the Fayum Oasis, it is the capital of the modern Fayum Governorate.Egypt’s largest oasis is also the closest to the Nile and Cairo. Lake Qarun was formed around 70,000 years ago when the Nile overflowed into the Fayoum Depression. Now canals that connect it to the river maintain the lake. The oasis has historically been the “garden of Egypt” and it still produces a large amount of fruit and vegetables today. The lake is also noted for its abundance of wildlife.Huge numbers of migratory birds use the lake in the winter and fall, either stopping here or pausing on their way further south. It has been a historically favorite hunting ground for pharaohs and more modern nobility alike.