Map of Egypt | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3,200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C. who in turn were replaced by the Greeks Romans and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 Egypt became an important world transportation hub but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882 but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially 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) limited arable land: and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure.


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Location: Northern Africa bordering the Mediterranean Sea between Libya and the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea north of Sudan and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

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: 2,665 km
Border countries: (4) Gaza Strip 11 km; , Israel 266 km; , Libya 1,115 km; , Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

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

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: 2.87%
Permanent crops: 0.48%
Other: 96.65% (2001)

Irrigated land: 33,000 km² (1998 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes flash floods landslides; 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 a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size and juxtaposition to Israel establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees


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Population: 76,117,421 (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 1.83% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: 16.7% (2000 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Egyptian
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% Coptic Christian and other 6%

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 33.4% (male 13,038,369; female 12,418,254)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 23,953,949; female 23,419,418)
65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,407,248; female 1,880,183) (2004 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age
Total: 23.4 years
Male: 23 years
Female: 23.8 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 1.83% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 23.84 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -0.22 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

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 the Nile and natural resources
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
International agreements signed but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.05 male/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male/female
65 years and over: 0.75 male/female
Total population: 1.02 male/female (2004 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 33.9 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 34.64 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 33.12 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 70.71 years
Male: 68.22 years
Female: 73.31 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: 8,000 (2001 est.)
Deaths: 700 (2003 est.)

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: 57.7%
Male: 68.3%
Female: 46.9% (2003 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: Revolution Day 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)
Head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004)
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 26 September 1999 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president
Election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term

Legislative branch
Elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be held May-June 2007)
Election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders
Note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government

International organization participation: ABEDA ACCT AfDB AFESD AMF AU BSEC (observer) CAEU EBRD FAO G-15 G-24 G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC ICCt (signatory) ICRM IDA IDB IFAD IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO Interpol IOC IOM ISO ITU LAS MIGA MINURSO MONUC NAM OAPEC OAS (observer) OIC ONUB OSCE (partner) PCA UN UNAMSIL UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UNIDO UNITAR UNMIK UNMIL UNOMIG UNRWA UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WToO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
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
In the us consulates general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
From the us embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
From the us mailing address: Unit 64,900, Box 15, APO AE 9,839-4,900
From the us telephone: [20] (2) 797-3,300
From the us fax: [20] (2) 797-3,200

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top) white and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band and Yemen which has a plain white band

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP growth in the range of 2-3 percent in 2001-03. Egyptian officials in late 2003 and early 2004 proposed new privatization and customs reform measures but the government is likely to pursue these initiatives cautiously and gradually to avoid a public backlash over potential inflation or layoffs associated with the reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January 2003 leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent inflationary pressure. The existence of a black market for hard currency is evidence that the government continues to influence the official exchange rate offered in banks. In September 2003 Egyptian officials increased subsidies on basic foodstuffs helping to calm a frustrated public but widening an already deep budget deficit. Egypt's balance-of-payments position was not hurt by the war in Iraq in 2003 as tourism and Suez Canal revenues fared well. The development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects but improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 3.1% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 17%
Industry: 33%
Services: 50% (2003)

Agriculture products: cotton rice corn wheat beans fruits vegetables; cattle water buffalo sheep goats

Industries: textiles food processing tourism chemicals hydrocarbons construction cement metals

Industrial production growth rate: 1.5% (2003 est.)

Labor force: 20.19 million (2003 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 32%
By occupation industry: 17%
By occupation services: 51% (2001 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.9% (2003 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: 16.7% (2000 est.)

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 3.7%
Highest 10: 29.5% (1999)

Distribution of family income gini index: 34.4 (1999)

Budget
Revenues: $14.69 billion
Expenditures: $19.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (2003)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt: 101.8% of GDP (2003)

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate consumer prices: 4.3% (2003 est.)

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: $3.874 billion (2003)

Exports: $8.759 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: crude oil and petroleum products cotton textiles metal products chemicals
Partners: US 13.3% Italy 12.3% UK 7.9% France 4.7% Germany 4.7% India 4.2% (2003)

Imports: $14.75 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs chemicals wood products fuels
Partners: US 13.6% Germany 7.4% Italy 7% France 6.6% China 4.8% Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2003)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $30.34 billion (2003 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.8509 (2003) 4.4997 (2002) 3.973 (2001) 3.4721 (2000) 3.3953 (1999)


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Electricity
Production: 75.23 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 69.96 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Production: 21.2 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 21.2 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 1.264 trillion m³ (1 January 2002)

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Main lines in use: 8,735,700 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 5,797,500 (2003)

Telephone system
General assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available
Domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
International: country code - 20; 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; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system)

Broadcast media

Internet
Country code: .eg
Hosts: 3,401 (2004)
Users: 2.7 million (2003)

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $2,443 million (2003)
Percent of gdp: 3.6% (2003)

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 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 72
With paved runways over 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 38
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 17
With paved runways under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 15
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 2
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 5
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 2 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined products 246 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 5,063 km
Standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2003)

Roadways

Waterways
Note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2004)

Merchant marine
Total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
By type: bulk 18, cargo 41, container 5, passenger 64, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea/passenger 4
Foreign owned: China 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1
Registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is economically developing and effectively administers the 'Hala'ib Triangle' north of the Treaty line

Refugees and internally displaced persons
Refugees country of origin: 70,215 (Palestinian Territories) (2004)

Illicit drugs: transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe Africa and the US; transit stop for Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax financial regulations and enforcement