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National Map
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Egypt |
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National Flag
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Egypt |
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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
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National Emblem(Coat Of Arms)
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Egypt |
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National Anthem
Of |
Egypt |
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Categories National Symbol Of |
Egypt |
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Background:
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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. |
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Location:
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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 |
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Geographic coordinates:
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27 00 N,
30 00 E |
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Map references:
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Africa
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Area:
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total:
1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly
more than three times the size of New Mexico |
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Land boundaries:
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total:
2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266
km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km |
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Coastline:
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2,450 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of
exploitation |
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Climate:
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desert;
hot, dry summers with moderate winters |
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Terrain:
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vast
desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest
point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese,
limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc |
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Land use:
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arable
land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0.48%
other: 96.65% (2001) |
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Irrigated land:
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33,000 sq
km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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periodic
droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,
landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs
in spring; dust storms, sandstorms |
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Environment - current issues:
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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 |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party
to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, 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: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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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:
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77,505,756 (July 2005 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14
years: 33% (male 13,106,043/female 12,483,899)
15-64 years: 62.6% (male 24,531,266/female
23,972,216)
65 years and over: 4.4% (male 1,457,097/female
1,955,235) (2005 est.) |
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Median age:
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total:
23.68 years
male: 23.31 years
female: 24.05 years (2005 est.) |
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Population growth rate:
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1.78%
(2005 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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23.32
births/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Death rate:
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5.26
deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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-0.22
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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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: 0.74 male(s)/female
total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total:
32.59 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 33.31 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 31.83 deaths/1,000 live births (2005
est.) |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total
population: 71 years
male: 68.5 years
female: 73.62 years (2005 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.88
children born/woman (2005 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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less than
0.1% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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12,000
(2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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700 (2003
est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun:
Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Eastern
Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%,
Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily
Italian and French) 1% |
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Religions:
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Muslim
(mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
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Languages:
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Arabic
(official), English and French widely understood by
educated classes |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7%
male: 68.3%
female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
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Country name:
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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) |
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Government type:
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republic
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Capital:
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Cairo
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Administrative divisions:
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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:
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28
February 1922 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) |
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Constitution:
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11
September 1971; amended 22 May 1980 |
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Legal system:
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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:
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18 years
of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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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 elected by popular vote for
six-year term; note - a national referendum in May 2005
approved a constitutional amendment that changed the
presidential election to a multicandidate popular vote;
previously the president was nominated by the People's
Assembly and the nomination was validated by a national,
popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September
1999; first election under terms of constitutional
amendment held 7 September 2005; next election scheduled
for 2011
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected
president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman
NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9% |
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Legislative branch:
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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; mid-term
elections for half the members)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting
- last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000
(next to be held 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 - NDP 388, Tagammu 6,
NWP 7, Nasserists 3, Al-Ahrar 1, independents 37 (2
seats determined by a later byelection, 10 seats
appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of
vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme
Constitutional Court |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Al-Ahrar
Party [Helmi SALEM]; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or
Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic
Party or NDP [Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (governing party)];
National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu
[Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMAA]
note: formation of political parties must be
approved by the government |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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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 |
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International organization participation:
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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 |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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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:
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chief
of mission: Ambassador designate Francis J.
RICCIARDONE, Jr
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah 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:
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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 |
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Economy - overview:
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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% in 2001-03.
However, in 2004 Egypt implemented several measures to
boost foreign direct investment. In September 2004,
Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income and
corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and
privatized several enterprises. The budget deficit rose
to an estimated 8% of GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of
GDP the previous year, in part as a result of these
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. In 2004, the Central
Bank implemented measures to improve currency liquidity.
Egypt reached record tourism levels, despite the Taba
and Nuweiba bombings in September 2004. 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):
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$316.3
billion (2004 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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4.5%
(2004 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $4,200 (2004 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 17.2%
industry: 33%
services: 49.8% (2004 est.) |
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Labor force:
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20.71
million (2004 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.)
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Unemployment rate:
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10.9%
(2004 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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16.7%
(2000 est.) |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest
10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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34.4
(2001) |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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9.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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15.8% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $15.42 billion
expenditures: $20.76 billion, including capital
expenditures of $2.7 billion (2004 est.) |
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Public debt:
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102.7% of
GDP (2004 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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cotton,
rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle,
water buffalo, sheep, goats |
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Industries:
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textiles,
food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons,
construction, cement, metals |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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2.5%
(2004 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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81.27
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil
fuel: 81%
hydro: 19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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75.58
billion kWh (2002) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh
(2002) |
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Oil - production:
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740,000
bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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562,000
bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA |
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Oil - imports:
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NA |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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2.7
billion bbl (2004 est.) |
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Natural gas - production:
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21.2
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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21.2
billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m
(2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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1.264
trillion cu m (2004) |
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Current account balance:
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$2.113
billion (2004 est.) |
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Exports:
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$11
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil
and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal
products, chemicals |
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Exports - partners:
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Italy
11.9%, US 10.8%, UK 7%, Syria 6.2%, Germany 4.7%, Spain
4.2% (2004) |
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Imports:
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$19.21
billion f.o.b. (2004 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery
and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products,
fuels |
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Imports - partners:
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US 12.2%,
Germany 7%, Italy 6.6%, France 5.7%, China 5.4%, UK
4.7%, Saudi Arabia 4.1% (2004) |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$14.03
billion (2004 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$33.75
billion (2004 est.) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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ODA,
$1.12 billion (2002) |
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Currency (code):
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Egyptian
pound (EGP) |
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Currency code:
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EGP |
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Exchange rates:
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Egyptian
pounds per US dollar - 6.1963 (2004), 5.8509 (2003),
4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 July -
30 June |
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Telephones - main lines in use:
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9.6
million (2005) |
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Telephones - mobile cellular:
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8,583,940
(2005) |
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Telephone system:
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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 |
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Radio broadcast stations:
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AM 42
(plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) |
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Radios:
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20.5
million (1997) |
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Television broadcast stations:
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98
(September 1995) |
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Televisions:
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7.7
million (1997) |
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Internet country code:
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.eg |
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Internet hosts:
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3,401
(2004) |
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Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
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50 (2000)
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Internet users:
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4.2
million (2005) |
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Railways:
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total:
5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km
electrified) (2004) |
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Highways:
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total:
64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km
unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.) |
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Waterways:
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3,500 km
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) |
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Pipelines:
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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) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit
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Merchant marine:
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total:
77 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
by type: bulk carrier 14, cargo 34, container 2,
passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off
8
foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon
2, Turkey 1)
registered in other countries: 34 (2005) |
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Airports:
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87 (2004
est.) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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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 (2004 est.) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total:
15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
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Heliports:
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2 (2004
est.) |
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Military branches:
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Army,
Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
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Military service age and obligation:
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18 years
of age for conscript military service; 3-year service
obligation (2001) |
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Manpower available for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 18,347,560 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower fit for military service:
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males
age 18-49: 15,540,234 (2005 est.) |
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Manpower reaching military service age annually:
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males:
802,920 (2005 est.) |
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Military expenditures - dollar figure:
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$2.44
billion (2003) |
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Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
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3.4%
(2004) |
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Disputes - international:
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Egypt and
Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular
areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty
boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn
their military presence; Egypt is developing the Hala'ib
Triangle north of the Treaty line; since the attack on
Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in
October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and
borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not
extend domestic asylum to some 70,000 persons who
identify as Palestinians but who largely lack UNRWA
assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as
refugees |
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Refugees and internally displaced persons:
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refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian
Territories) (2004) |
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Illicit drugs:
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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 |
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This page was last updated on
20 October, 2005 |
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