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| Introduction | Egypt |
| 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. |
| People | Egypt |
| Population: | 76,117,421 (July 2004 est.) |
| 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 female: 33.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) male: 34.64 deaths/1,000 live births |
| 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 |
| 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: 57.7% male: 68.3% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
| Government | Egypt |
| 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 |
| 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: | 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 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 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH 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 |
| 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 |
| Communications | Egypt |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 8,735,700 (2003) |
| 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) |
| Radios: | 20.5 million (1997) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 98 (September 1995) |
| Televisions: | 7.7 million (1997) |
| Internet country code: | .eg |
| Internet hosts: | 3,401 (2004) |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 50 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 2.7 million (2003) |
| Transportation | Egypt |
| 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 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) |
| Pipelines: | 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) |
| 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 foreign-owned: China 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1 registered in other countries: 50 (2003 est.) by type: bulk 18, cargo 41, container 5, passenger 64, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea/passenger 4 |
| Airports: | 89 (2003 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: | total: 72 over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 15 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 |
| Heliports: | 2 (2003 est.) |
| Military | Egypt |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
| Military manpower - military age and obligation: | 18 years of age for conscript military service; 3-year service obligation (2001) |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 20,340,716 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 13,148,944 (2004 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 756,233 (2004 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $2,443.2 million (2003) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 3.6% (2003) |
| Transnational Issues | Egypt |
| 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 and effectively administers the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty line |
| Refugees and internally displaced persons: | refugees (country of origin): 70,215 (Palestinian Territories) (2004) |
| 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 financial regulations and enforcement |
| This page was last updated on 16 December, 2004 |
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