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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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), 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. |
| Location: |
Northern Africa, bordering
the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
27 00 N, 30 00 E |
| Area: |
total: 1,001,450
sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly more than three
times the size of New Mexico |
| Land
boundaries: |
total: 2,689 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya
1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 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
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 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
periodic droughts; frequent
earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving
windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms |
| 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 |
| Environment
- 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
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| 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; dependence on upstream
neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees |
| Population: |
69,536,644 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
34.59% (male 12,313,585; female 11,739,072)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male 21,614,284; female 21,217,978)
65 years and over: 3.81% (male 1,160,967; female 1,490,758)
(2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.69% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
24.89 births/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.7 deaths/1,000 population
(2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.24 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| 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: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
60.46 deaths/1,000 live
births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total population:
63.69 years
male: 61.62 years
female: 65.85 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.07 children born/woman
(2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.02% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
NA |
| 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% |
| Religions: |
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%,
Coptic Christian and other 6% |
| Languages: |
Arabic (official), English
and French widely understood by educated classes |
| Literacy: |
definition: age
15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.4%
male: 63.6%
female: 38.8% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 Atef OBEID (since 5
October 1999)
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: |
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 - three-phase voting - last
held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA
November 2005); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next to be
held NA)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by
party - NDP 88%, independents 8%, opposition 4%; seats by party - NDP
398, NWP 7, Tagammu 6, Nasserists 2, LSP 1, independents 38, undecided
2; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%, independents
1%; seats by party - NA |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Constitutional Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Nasserist Arab Democratic
Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or
NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader] - governing party;
National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN];
New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP
[leader NA]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by
government |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
despite a constitutional ban
against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim
Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political
opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the
Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since
then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but
constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional
associations are officially sanctioned |
| 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 |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319, 5131
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San
Francisco |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
embassy: 5 Latin America St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone: [20] (2) 795-7371
FAX: [20] (2) 797-2000 |
| 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
- along with massive external debt relief resulting from Egypt's
participation in the Gulf war coalition - helped Egypt improve its
macroeconomic performance during the 1990s. Sound fiscal and monetary
policies through the mid-1990s helped to tame inflation, slash budget
deficits, and build up foreign reserves, while structural reforms such
as privatization and new business legislation prompted increased foreign
investment. By mid-1998, however, the pace of structural reform
slackened, and lower combined hard currency earnings resulted in
pressure on the Egyptian pound and sporadic US dollar shortages.
External payments were not in crisis, but Cairo's attempts to curb
demand for foreign exchange convinced some investors and currency
traders that government financial operations lacked transparency and
coordination. Monetary pressures have since eased, however, with the
1999-2000 higher oil prices, a rebound in tourism, and a series of
mini-devaluations of the pound. The development of a gas export market
is a major plus factor in future growth. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power parity -
$247 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power parity -
$3,600 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture: 17%
industry: 32%
services: 51% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
22.9% (FY95/96 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3% (2000) |
| Labor
force: |
19.9 million (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture 29%, services
49%, industry 22% (FY99) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.5% (2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues: $22.6
billion
expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures
of $NA (FY99) |
| Industries: |
textiles, food processing,
tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
2.1% (2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
64.685 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
76.59%
hydro: 23.41%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
60.157 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton, rice, corn, wheat,
beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats |
| Exports: |
$7.3 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil and petroleum
products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU 35%, Middle East 17%,
Afro-Asian countries 14%, US 12% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$17 billion (f.o.b., 2000
est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and equipment,
foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU 36%, US 14%, Afro-Asian
countries 14%, Middle East 6% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$31 billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA, $2.25 billion (1999) |
| Currency: |
Egyptian pound (EGP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Egyptian pounds per US dollar
- market rate - 3.8400 (January 2001), 3.6900 (2000), 3.4050 (1999),
3.3880 (1998), 3.3880 (1997), 3.3880 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1 July - 30 June |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
3,971,500 (December 1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
380,000 (1999) |
| 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: 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) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM
14, shortwave 3 (1999) |
| Radios: |
20.5 million (1997) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
98 (September 1995) |
| Televisions: |
7.7 million (1997) |
| Internet
country code: |
.eg |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
50 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
300,000 (2000) |
| Railways: |
total: 4,955 km
standard gauge: 4,955 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified;
1,560 km double track) (2000) |
| Highways: |
total: 64,000 km
paved: 50,000 km
unpaved: 14,000 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
3,500 km
note: 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 |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum
products 596 km; natural gas 460 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah,
Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez |
| Merchant
marine: |
total: 181 ships
(1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,336,678 GRT/1,982,220 DWT
ships by type: bulk 23, cargo 61, container 2, liquefied
gas 1, passenger 61, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 15, short-sea
passenger 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air
Defense Command |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
20 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age 15-49:
18,562,994 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age 15-49:
12,020,059 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males: 712,983
(2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$4.04 billion (FY99/00) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
4.1% (FY99/00) |
| Disputes
- international: |
Egypt asserts its claim to
the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km 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 |
|
