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| GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC DATA |
| Location |
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Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip |
| Area |
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total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km |
| Border countries |
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Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km |
| Climate |
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desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters |
| Terrain |
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vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta |
| Natural resources |
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petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc |
| PEOPLE |
| Population |
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70,712,345 (July 2002 est.) |
| Age structure |
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0-14 years: 33.96% (male 12,292,185; female 11,721,469) |
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15-64 years: 62.18% (male 22,190,637; female 21,775,504) |
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65 years and over: 3.86% (male 1,191,091; female 1,541,459) (2002 est.) |
| Population growth rate |
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1.66% (2002 est.) |
| Birth rate |
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124.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Death rate |
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7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Net migration rate |
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-0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Sex ratio |
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at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female |
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under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female |
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15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female |
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65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female |
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total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate |
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58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth |
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total population: 64.05 years |
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female: 66.24 years (2002 est.) |
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male: 61.96 years |
| Ethnic groups |
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Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% |
| Religions |
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Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
| Languages |
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Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes |
| Literacy |
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write |
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male: 63.6% |
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female: 38.8% |
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total population: 51.4% |
| GOVERNMENT |
| Capital |
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Cairo |
| 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 |
| Constitution |
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11 September 1971 |
| 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 |
| Chief of State |
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President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981) |
| Head of State |
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Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (since 5 October 1999) |
| Cabinet |
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Cabinet appointed by the president |
| 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 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) |
| Judicial branch |
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Supreme Constitutional Court |
| ECONOMY |
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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, Cairo managed to tame inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign investment. In the past three 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, Suez canal tolls, and exports, and Cairo 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. |
| GDP |
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purchasing power parity - $258 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP
real growth rate |
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3% (2001 est.) |
| GDP- per capita: |
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purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
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agriculture: 14%
industry: 30%
services: 56% (2001) |
| Population below poverty line |
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23% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share |
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lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 25% |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) |
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2% (2001) |
| Labor force - by occupation |
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20.6 million (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate |
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12% (2001 est.) |
| Budget |
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revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2001) |
| Industries |
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textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
| Agriculture - products |
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cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats |
| FOREIGN TRADE |
| Exports |
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$7.1 billion (f.o.b.) |
| Exports - commodities |
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crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals |
| Exports - partners |
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EU 43% (Italy 18%, Germany 4%, UK 3.2%), US 15%, Middle East 11%, Asian countries 9%, (2000) |
| Imports |
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$164 billion (f.o.b.) |
| Imports - commodities |
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machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
| Imports - partners |
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EU 36% (Germany 8%, Italy 8%, France 6%), US 18%, Asian countries 13%, , Middle East 6% (2000) |
| Debt - external |
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$29 billion (2001 est.) |
| Currency |
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Egyptian pound (EGP) |
| Exchange rates |
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EGP |
| Fiscal year |
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1 July - 30 June |
| COMMUNICATION |
| Telephones |
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3,971,500 (1998) |
| 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 |
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domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay |
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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) |
| TRANSPORTATION |
| Railways |
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total: 4,955 km
standard gauge: 4,955 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 1,560 km double-track) (2000 est.) |
| Highways |
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total: 64,000 km
paved: 50,000 km
unpaved: 14,000 km (1996) |
| Waterways |
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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 |
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crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km |
| Ports and harbors |
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Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez |
| Airports |
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92 (2001) |
| Airports - with paved runways |
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total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 |
| Airports - with unpaved runways |
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total: 20
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 7 |
| Heliports: |
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2 (2001) |
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