Background: Nominally independent from the UK in 1922 Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world) will continue to stress Egyptian society and overtax resources as the country enters the new millennium.
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
Environment Current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination 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
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
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
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)
Political parties and leaders: Democratic Unionist Party [Mohammed 'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK]; Green Party [Kamal KIRAH]; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party) [leader NA]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK leader] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or NPUG [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Fu'ad SIRAJ AL-DIN]; Social Justice Party [Muhammad 'ABDAL-'AL]; Socialist Labor Party or SLP [Ibrahim SHUKRI]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [Mustafa Kamal MURAD]; Umma Party [Ahmad al-SABAHI]
International organization participation: ABEDA ACC ACCT (associate) AfDB AFESD 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 MONUC NAM OAPEC OAS (observer) OAU OIC OSCE (partner) PCA UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNITAR UNMIBH UNMIK UNMOP UNOMIG UNRWA UNTAET UPU WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTrO
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 which 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
Economy overview: A series of IMF arrangements - coupled with massive external debt relief resulting from Egypt's participation in the Gulf war coalition - helped Egypt improve its macroeconomic performance during the 1990s. Through sound fiscal and monetary policies Cairo tamed inflation slashed budget deficits and built up foreign reserves. Although the pace of structural reforms - such as privatization and new business legislation - has been slower than the IMF envisioned Egypt's steps toward a more market-oriented economy have prompted increased foreign investment. Lower combined hard currency inflows - from tourism worker remittances oil revenues and Suez Canal tolls - in 1998 and the first half of 1999 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and sporadic dollar shortages but external payments were not in crisis. Despite ample reserves the Central Bank did not provide sufficient hard currency to commercial banks and Cairo restricted imports for a short period; these developments confirmed to some investors and currency traders that government financial operations lack sufficient coordination and openness. Monetary pressures have since eased however with the continued oil price recovery starting in mid-1999 and a moderate rebound in tourism. Increased gas exports are a major plus factor in future growth.
Telephone system: large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading; Internet access available
Waterways: 3,500 km (including the Nile Lake Nasser Alexandria-Cairo Waterway and numerous smaller canals in the delta); Suez Canal 193.5 km (including approaches) used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water
Disputes international: Egypt asserts its claim to the 'Hala'ib Triangle' a barren area of 20,580 km² under partial Sudanese administration that is defined by an administrative boundary which supersedes the treaty boundary of 1899
Illicit drugs: a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe Africa and the US; popular transit stop for Nigerian couriers