 Definition  Field Listing  Rank
Order
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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 3200 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. Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
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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 references: |
Africa
|
|
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: 2,665 km
border countries: 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
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 sq km
(1998 est.) |
|
Natural hazards: |
periodic
droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; 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 the Nile and natural resources |
|
Environment - 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
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, 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 Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
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Population: |
76,117,421
(July 2004 est.) |
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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.) |
|
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/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Death rate: |
5.3
deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
|
Net migration rate: |
-0.22
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 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: 0.75 male(s)/female
total population:
1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
|
Infant mortality rate: |
total:
33.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.64 deaths/1,000
live births
female: 33.12 deaths/1,000 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.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |
less than
0.1% (2001 est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: |
8,000 (2001
est.) |
|
HIV/AIDS - deaths: |
NA |
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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% |
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Religions: |
Muslim
(mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
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Languages: |
Arabic
(official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
|
|
Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7%
male: 68.3%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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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
|
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Capital: |
Cairo |
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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 |
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Independence: |
28 February
1922 (from UK) |
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National holiday: |
Revolution
Day, 23 July (1952) |
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Constitution: |
11 September
1971 |
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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 |
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Suffrage: |
18 years of
age; universal and compulsory |
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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: |
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 six-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 May-June 2001 (next to be held NA 2007)
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: |
Liberal
Party or LSP [leader NA]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or
Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP
[President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK] - governing party; National
Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [RIfaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd
Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or Al-Ahrar
[Hilmi SALIM]
note: formation of political parties must
be approved by the 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, 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, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK,
UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
|
Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521
International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San
Francisco |
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Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
embassy: 5 Latin
America St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit
64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone: [20] (2)
797-3300
FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200 |
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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 Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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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. |
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GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $295.2 billion (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - real growth rate: |
3.1% (2003
est.) |
|
GDP - per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.) |
|
GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture: 17%
industry: 33%
services: 50% (2003) |
|
Investment (gross fixed): |
16.7% of GDP
(2003) |
|
Population below poverty line: |
16.7% (2000
est.) |
|
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)
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |
4.3% (2003
est.) |
|
Labor force: |
20.19 million
(2003 est.) |
|
Labor force - by occupation: |
agriculture
32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.) |
|
Unemployment rate: |
9.9% (2003
est.) |
|
Budget: |
revenues: $14.69 billion
expenditures: $19.03
billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (2003)
|
|
Public debt: |
101.8% of GDP
(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.) |
|
Electricity - production: |
75.23 billion
kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - consumption: |
69.96 billion
kWh (2001) |
|
Electricity - exports: |
0 kWh (2001)
|
|
Electricity - imports: |
0 kWh (2001)
|
|
Oil - production: |
816,900
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - consumption: |
562,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
|
Oil - exports: |
NA (2001)
|
|
Oil - imports: |
NA (2001)
|
|
Oil - proved reserves: |
3.308 billion
bbl (1 January 2002) |
|
Natural gas - production: |
21.2 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - consumption: |
21.2 billion
cu m (2001 est.) |
|
Natural gas - exports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - imports: |
0 cu m (2001
est.) |
|
Natural gas - proved reserves: |
1.264
trillion cu m (1 January 2002) |
|
Current account balance: |
$3.874
billion (2003) |
|
Exports: |
$8.759
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Exports - commodities: |
crude oil
and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals
|
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Exports - partners: |
US 13.6%,
Italy 12.4%, UK 8.1%, France 4.8%, Germany 4.7%, India 4.2% (2003
est.) |
|
Imports: |
$14.75
billion f.o.b. (2003 est.) |
|
Imports - commodities: |
machinery
and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
|
Imports - partners: |
US 13.4%,
Germany 7.3%, Italy 6.9%, France 6.5%, China 4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.2%
(2003 est.) |
|
Reserves of foreign exchange & gold: |
$14.22
billion (2003) |
|
Debt - external: |
$30.34
billion (2003 est.) |
|
Economic aid - recipient: |
ODA, $1.2
billion (2001) |
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Currency: |
Egyptian
pound (EGP) |
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Currency code: |
EGP |
|
Exchange rates: |
Egyptian
pounds per US dollar - 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001),
3.4721 (2000), 3.3953 (1999) |
|
Fiscal year: |
1 July - 30
June Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
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Telephones - main lines in use: |
8,735,700
(2003) |
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Telephones - 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) |
|
Radio broadcast stations: |
AM 42 (plus
15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) |
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Television broadcast stations: |
98
(September 1995) |
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Internet country code: |
.eg |
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Internet hosts: |
3,401 (2004)
|
|
Internet users: |
2.7 million
(2003) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
|
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Railways: |
total:
5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km
electrified) (2003) |
|
Highways: |
total:
64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km
(1999 est.) |
|
Waterways: |
3,500 km
note: includes the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo
Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal
(193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels
drawing up to 17.68 m of water (2004) |
|
Pipelines: |
condensate
327 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,145 km; liquid petroleum gas 382
km; oil 5,726 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; water 62 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors: |
Alexandria,
Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh,
Port Said, Suez |
|
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 (2003 est.) |
|
Airports: |
89 (2003
est.) |
|
Airports - with paved runways: |
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to
3,047 m: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
under 914
m: 4 (2003 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to
2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m:
9 (2003 est.) |
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Heliports: |
2 (2003
est.) Learn geography the easy way by playing ZL's Geographycards (www.geographycards.com)
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Large portions of this information is from the US government open source publication "The World Factbook", other content copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. You may use this information without permission for educational or other non-profit purposes if you refer to us as the source, contact us if you want to use this commercially.
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