Egypt

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

50 (2000)

Internet country code

.eg

Internet users

600,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (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)

Telephones - main lines in use

3,971,500 (December 1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

380,000 (1999)

Television broadcast stations

98 (September 1995)

Agriculture - products

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Budget

revenues: $21.5 billion expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2001)

Currency

Egyptian pound (EGP)

Currency code

EGP

Debt - external

$30.5 billion (2002 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

28.9 (1995)

Economic aid - recipient

ODA, $2.25 billion (1999)

Economy - overview

Egypt improved its macroeconomic performance throughout most of the last decade by following IMF advice on fiscal, monetary, and structural reform policies. As a result, Egypt managed to tame inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign investment. In the past four years, however, the pace of reform has slackened, and excessive spending on national infrastructure projects has widened budget deficits again. Lower foreign exchange earnings since 1998 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and periodic dollar shortages. Monetary pressures have increased since 11 September 2001 because of declines in tourism and Suez Canal tolls, and Egypt has devalued the pound several times in the past year. The development of a gas export market is a major bright spot for future growth prospects. In the short term, regional tensions will continue to affect tourism and hold back prospects for economic expansion.

Electricity - consumption

69.96 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2001)

Electricity - production

75.23 billion kWh (2001)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 81% hydro: 19% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 4.5 (2002), 3.97 (2001), 3.47 (2000), 3.4 (1999), 3.39 (1998)

Exports

$7 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

Exports - partners

US 18.3%, Italy 13.7%, UK 8.4% (2002)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

GDP

purchasing power parity - $289.8 billion (2002 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 17% industry: 34% services: 49% (2001)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2002 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2002 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 25% (1995)

Imports

$15.2 billion f.o.b. (2002 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners

US 16.9%, Germany 7.9%, Italy 6.7%, France 6.5%, China 5%, UK 4.1% (2002)

Industrial production growth rate

2.2% (2002 est.)

Industries

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.3% (2002 est.)

Labor force

20.6 million (2001 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture 29%, industry 22%, services 49% (2000 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 - production

21.2 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

1.264 trillion cu m (37257)

Oil - consumption

562,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

NA (2001)

Oil - imports

NA (2001)

Oil - production

816,900 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

3.308 billion bbl (37257)

Population below poverty line

22.9% (FY 95/96 est.)

Unemployment rate

12% (2001 est.)

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

Climate

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Coastline

2,450 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

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, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol

Geographic coordinates

27 00 N, 30 00 E

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

Irrigated land

33,000 sq km (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 2,665 km border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Land use

arable land: 2.85% permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.68% (1998 est.)

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 24 NM territorial sea: 12 NM continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Terrain

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

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

Capital

Cairo

Constitution

11 September 1971

Country name

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local short form: Misr former: United Arab Republic (with Syria) local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400

Executive branch

chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (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

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

Government type

republic

Independence

28 February 1922 (from UK)

International organization participation

ABEDA, ACC, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, 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, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch

Supreme Constitutional Court

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) 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

National holiday

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Political parties and leaders

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 [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 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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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.

Military branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4.04 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.1% (FY99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 19,895,370 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 12,867,160 (2003 est.)

Military manpower - military age

20 years of age (2003 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 743,305 (2003 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.9% (male 12,964,852; female 12,346,808) 15-64 years: 61.9% (male 23,375,037; female 22,865,190) 65 years and over: 4.2% (male 1,359,685; female 1,807,225) (2003 est.)

Birth rate

24.36 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Death rate

5.35 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Ethnic groups

Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

8,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 35.26 deaths/1,000 live births female: 34.46 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 36.02 deaths/1,000 live births

Languages

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 70.41 years male: 67.94 years female: 73 years (2003 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 57.7% male: 68.3% female: 46.9% (2003 est.)

Median age

total: 23.1 years male: 22.8 years female: 23.5 years (2002)

Nationality

noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Net migration rate

-0.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)

Population

74,718,797 (July 2003 est.)

Population growth rate

1.88% (2003 est.)

Religions

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%

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 (2003 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.02 children born/woman (2003 est.)

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 the "Hala'ib triangle" north of the Treaty line

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 banking regulations

Airports

89 (2002)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 71 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 under 914 m: 3 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 18 under 914 m: 9 (2002) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6

Heliports

2 (2002)

Highways

total: 64,000 km paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 170 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,284,197 GRT/1,907,734 DWT note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 3, Monaco 1, Ukraine 1 (2002 est.) ships by type: bulk 20, cargo 50, container 5, liquefied gas 1, passenger 63, petroleum tanker 15, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 3

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)

Ports and harbors

Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez

Railways

total: 5,105 km standard gauge: 5,105 km 1.435-m gauge (42 km electrified) (2002)

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), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water