Map of Egypt | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | More stats

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Background: One of the four great ancient civilizations, Egypt, ruled by powerful pharaohs, bequeathed to Western civilization numerous advances in technology, science, and the arts. For the last two millennia, however, Egypt has served a series of foreign masters_Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Turks, and the British. Formal independence came in 1922, and the remnants of British control ended after World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1981 altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population will stress Egyptian society and resources as it enters the new millenium.


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Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip

Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 1,001,450 km²
Land: 995,450 km²
Water: 6,000 km²
Comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries
Total: 2,689 km
Border countries: (4) Gaza Strip 11 km; , Israel 255 km; , Libya 1,150 km; , Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

Maritime claims
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 0%
Forests and woodland: 0%
Other: 98% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 32,460 km² (1993 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms

Geography
Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics


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Population: 66,050,004 (July 1998 est.)
Growth rate: 1.86% (1998 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Egyptian(s)
Adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups: Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Religions: Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 36% (male 12,173,882; female 11,637,239)
15-64 years: 60% (male 20,108,426; female 19,718,302)
65 years and over: 4% (male 1,074,271; female 1,337,884) (July 1998 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.86% (1998 est.)

Birth rate: 27.31 births/1000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate: 8.41 deaths/1000 population (1998 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1000 population (1998 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 69.23 deaths/1000 live births (1998 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 62.07 years
Male: 60.09 years
Female: 64.14 years (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.41 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 51.4%
Male: 63.6%
Female: 38.8% (1995 est.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
Conventional short form: Egypt
Local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
Local short form: Misr
Former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

Government type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular_muhafazah; Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj

Dependent areas

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Constitution: 11 September 1971

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981): ead of
Government: Prime Minister Kamal Ahmed El-GANZOURI (since 4 January 1996)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
Elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national, popular referendum; national referendum last held 4 October 1993 (next to be held NA October 1999); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's nomination by the People's Assembly to a third term

Legislative branch: bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura_which functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve NA-year terms)
Elections: People's Assembly_last held 29 November 1995 (next to be held NA 2000); Advisory Council_last held 7 June 1995 (next to be held NA)
Election results: People's Assembly_percent of vote by party_NDP 72%, independents 25%, opposition 3%; seats by party_NDP 317, independents 114, NWP 6, NPUG 5, Nasserist Arab Democratic Party 1, Liberals 1; Advisory Council_percent of vote by party_NDP 99%, independents 1%; seats by party_NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ABEDA, ACC, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AG (observer), AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNOMIL, UNPREDEP, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed MAHER al-Sayed
In the us chancery: 3,521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 895-5,400
In the us fax: [1] (202) 244-4,319, 5,131
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel KURTZER
From the us embassy: (, North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo
From the us mailing address: Unit 64,900, APO AE 9,839-4,900
From the us telephone: [20] (2) 3,557,371
From the us fax: [20] (2) 3,573,200
From the us branch office: Alexandria

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria that has two green stars and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: At the end of the 1980s, Egypt faced problems of low productivity and poor economic management, compounded by the adverse social effects of excessive population growth, high inflation, and massive urban overcrowding. In the face of these pressures, in 1991 Egypt undertook wide-ranging macroeconomic stabilization and structural reform measures. This reform effort has been supported by three successive IMF arrangements, the last of which was concluded in October 1996. Egypt's reform efforts_and its participation in the Gulf war coalition_also led to massive debt relief under the Paris Club arrangements. Although the pace of reform has been uneven and slower than envisaged under the IMF programs, substantial progress has been made in improving macroeconomic performance. Budget deficits have been slashed while foreign reserves in 1997 were at an all-time high. And Egypt has been moving toward a more decentralized, market-oriented economy. These economic reforms and growing investment opportunities have prompted increasing foreign investment, but incoming capital has largely been concentrated in stock market portfolio flows. Egypt's economy also has been hit by a sharp downturn in tourism_a key foreign exchange and job producing sector_following the 17 November 1997 massacre of foreign tourists at Luxor. Although Egypt will probably regain these revenues over time, the slump in tourism is likely to slow the GDP growth rate in 1998.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 5.2% (1997 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity: $4,400 (1997 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 32%
Services: 51% (1996)

Agriculture products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; annual fish catch about 140,000 metric tons

Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals

Industrial production growth rate: 8.5% (1996 est.)

Labor force
Total: 17.4 million (1996 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 40%
By occupation services includinggovernment: 38%
By occupation industry: 22% (1990 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.4% (1997 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $19.2 billion
Expenditures: $19.8 billion, including capital expenditures of $4 billion (FY96/97 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July_30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: total value:$5.1 billion (f.o.b., FY96/97 est.)
Commodoties: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals
Partners: EU, US, Japan

Imports: total value:$15.5 billion (c.i.f., FY96/97 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods
Partners: US, EU, Japan

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $30.5 billion (1996/97 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds (£E) per US$1_3.4 (November 1994), 3.369 (November 1993), 3.345 (November 1992; market rate_3.3880 (January 1998), 3.3880 (1997), 3.3880 (1996), 3.3900 (1995), 3.3910 (1994), 3.3718 (1993)


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Electricity
Capacity: 13.04 million kW (1995)
Production: 48.5 billion kWh (1995)
Consumption per capita: 778 kWh (1995)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones: 2.2 million (1993)

Telephone system: large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading
Domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
International: satellite earth stations_2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; participant in Medarabtel

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.28 billion (FY95/96)
Percent of gdp: 8.2% (FY95/96)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 89 (1997 est.)
With paved runways total: 70
With paved runways over 3047 m: 11
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 39
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 15
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 3 (1997 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 19
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 6
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 9 (1997 est.)

Heliports: 2 (1997 est.)

Pipelines: crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km

Railways
Total: 4,751 km
Standard gauge: 4,751 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 951 km double track)

Roadways

Waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water

Merchant marine
Total: 161 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,225,989 GRT/1,899,818 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 24, cargo 60, liquefied gas tanker 1, oil tanker 15, passenger 42, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 3 (1997 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 km²

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe and the US; popular transit stop for Nigerian couriers; large domestic consumption of hashish from Lebanon and Syria