|
| 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), 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. |
| Location: |
Northern
Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea,
between Libya and the Gaza Strip |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
27
00 N, 30 00 E |
| 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:
2,689 km
border countries: Gaza Strip
11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km,
Sudan 1,273 km |
| Maritime
claims: |
contiguous
zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200-m
depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200
NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| 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%
permanent crops: 0%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 0%
other: 98% (1993 est.) |
| 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: |
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 |
| 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; dependence on
upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile
basin issues; prone to influxes of
refugees |
| Population: |
69,536,644
(July 2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14
years: 34.59% (male 12,313,585;
female 11,739,072)
15-64 years: 61.6% (male
21,614,284; female 21,217,978)
65 years and over: 3.81%
(male 1,160,967; female 1,490,758) (2001
est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
1.69%
(2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
24.89
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
7.7
deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
-0.24
migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.78
male(s)/female
total population: 1.02
male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
60.46
deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 63.69 years
male: 61.62 years
female: 65.85 years (2001
est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
3.07
children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.02%
(1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
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: 51.4%
male: 63.6%
female: 38.8% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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 Atef OBEID (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 |
| 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 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme
Constitutional Court |
| Political
parties and leaders: |
Nasserist
Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia'
al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party
or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK,
leader] - 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 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 (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: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador Nabil
FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International
Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319, 5131
consulate(s) general:
Chicago, Houston, New York, and San
Francisco |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief
of mission: Ambassador C. David
WELCH (since 3 Aug. 2001)
embassy: 5 Latin America St.,
Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900,
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 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 - along with
massive external debt relief resulting
from Egypt's participation in the Gulf war
coalition - helped Egypt improve its
macroeconomic performance during the
1990s. Sound fiscal and monetary policies
through the mid-1990s helped to tame
inflation, slash budget deficits, and
build up foreign reserves, while
structural reforms such as privatization
and new business legislation prompted
increased foreign investment. By mid-1998,
however, the pace of structural reform
slackened, and lower combined hard
currency earnings resulted in pressure on
the Egyptian pound and sporadic US dollar
shortages. External payments were not in
crisis, but Cairo's attempts to curb
demand for foreign exchange convinced some
investors and currency traders that
government financial operations lacked
transparency and coordination. Monetary
pressures have since eased, however, with
the 1999-2000 higher oil prices, a rebound
in tourism, and a series of
mini-devaluations of the pound. The
development of a gas export market is a
major plus factor in future growth. |
| GDP: |
purchasing
power parity - $247 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
5%
(2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing
power parity - $3,600 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
17%
industry: 32%
services: 51% (1999) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
22.9%
(FY95/96 est.) |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest
10%: 4.4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
3%
(2000) |
| Labor
force: |
19.9
million (2000 est.) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
agriculture
29%, services 49%, industry 22% (FY99) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
11.5%
(2000 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$22.6 billion
expenditures: $26.2 billion,
including capital expenditures of $NA
(FY99) |
| Industries: |
textiles,
food processing, tourism, chemicals,
hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
| Industrial
production growth rate: |
2.1%
(2000 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
64.685
billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil
fuel: 76.59%
hydro: 23.41%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
60.157
billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0
kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0
kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
cotton,
rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits,
vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep,
goats |
| Exports: |
$7.3
billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude
oil and petroleum products, cotton,
textiles, metal products, chemicals |
| Exports
- partners: |
EU
35%, Middle East 17%, Afro-Asian countries
14%, US 12% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$17
billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery
and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood
products, fuels |
| Imports
- partners: |
EU
36%, US 14%, Afro-Asian countries 14%,
Middle East 6% (1999) |
| Debt
- external: |
$31
billion (2000 est.) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
ODA,
$2.25 billion (1999) |
| Currency: |
Egyptian
pound (EGP) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Egyptian
pounds per US dollar - market rate -
3.8400 (January 2001), 3.6900 (2000),
3.4050 (1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880
(1997), 3.3880 (1996) |
| Fiscal
year: |
1
July - 30 June |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
3,971,500
(December 1998) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
380,000
(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) |
| 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
Service Providers (ISPs): |
50
(2000) |
| Internet
users: |
300,000
(2000) |
| Railways: |
total:
4,955 km
standard gauge: 4,955 km
1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 1,560 km
double-track) (2000) |
| Highways: |
total:
64,000 km
paved: 50,000 km
unpaved: 14,000 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
3,500
km
note: 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: |
total:
181 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling
1,336,678 GRT/1,982,220 DWT
ships by type: bulk 23, cargo
61, container 2, liquefied gas 1,
passenger 61, petroleum tanker 15, roll
on/roll off 15, short-sea passenger 3
(2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
69
over 3,047 m: 12
2,438 to 3,047 m: 35
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2000 est.) |
| 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 |
|
