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Egypt
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.
Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E Map references: Africa Area:
Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico Land boundaries:
Coastline: 2,450 km Maritime claims:
Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta Elevation extremes:
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc Land use:
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:
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
Population: 68,359,979 (July 2000 est.) Age structure:
Population growth rate: 1.72% (2000 est.) Birth rate: 25.38 births/1,000 population (2000 est.) Death rate: 7.83 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.) Net migration rate: -0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) Sex ratio:
Infant mortality rate: 62.32 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.) Life expectancy at birth:
Total fertility rate: 3.15 children born/woman (2000 est.) Nationality:
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:
Country name:
Data code: EG 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 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 Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory Executive branch:
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)
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court 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]
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 has moved more aggressively in the past six years to block its influence; 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:
Diplomatic representation from the US:
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. GDP: purchasing power parity - $200 billion (1999 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 5% (1999 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,000 (1999 est.) GDP - composition by sector:
Population below poverty line: NA% Household income or consumption by percentage share:
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.7% (1999) Labor force: 19 million (1999 est.) Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 40%, services 38%, industry 22% (1990 est.) Unemployment rate: 11.8% (1999 est.) Budget:
Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals Industrial production growth rate: 5% (1999 est.) Electricity - production: 57.8 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - production by source:
Electricity - consumption: 53.754 billion kWh (1998) Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998) Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998) Agriculture - products: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; fish Exports: $4.6 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Exports - commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals Exports - partners: EU 47%, US 14%, Turkey 8% (1998) Imports: $15.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels Imports - partners: EU 42%, US 16%, Japan 5% (1998) Debt - external: $30 billion (1999 est.) Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $2.25 billion (1999) Currency: 1 Egyptian pound = 100 piasters Exchange rates: Egyptian pounds per US$1 - market rate - 3.4050 (January 2000), 3.4050 (1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880 (1997), 3.3880 (1996), 3.3900 (1995) Fiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.168 million (1996) Telephones - mobile cellular: 380,000 (1999) Telephone system:
large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading; Internet access available
Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) Radios: 20.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 51 (September 1995) Televisions: 7.7 million (1997) Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 31 (1999)
Railways:
Highways:
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 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:
Airports: 90 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways:
Airports - with unpaved runways:
Heliports: 2 (1999 est.)
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command Military manpower - military age: 20 years of age Military manpower - availability:
Military manpower - fit for military service:
Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar figure: $3.28 billion (FY95/96) Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 8.2% (FY95/96)
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 Please click here for a guide to the country profiles Click here for all other countries
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