Egypt Population: 85,294,388
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| 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 with the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952. 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 meet the demands of Egypt's growing population through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure. Egyptian youth and opposition groups, inspired by events in Tunisia leading to overthrow of the government there, organized non-violent demonstrations, marches, and labor strikes in Cairo and other cities throughout Egypt early in 2011. Protester grievances focused on police brutality, state emergency laws, lack of free speech and elections, high unemployment, rising food prices, inflation, and low minimum wages. Pledges by President MUBARAK for the formation of a new government and additional concessions failed to assuage protesters and resulted in an escalation of the number and intensity of demonstrations and clashes with police. In February 2011 MUBARAK resigned and national leadership was assumed by a Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF). The SCAF dissolved the Egyptian parliament, suspended the nation's constitution, and formed a committee to recommend constitutional changes to facilitate a political transition through democratic elections. Following some delays, elections for a new parliament took place between November 2011 and January 2012; however, the lower house of parliament was dissolved in June after a court ruling deemed its formation illegal. Presidential elections held in May and June witnessed the victory of Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed MURSI, but elections to form a new lower house of parliament, scheduled spring 2013, have been put on hold by the Administrative Court in order to review legal arguments over the process used to approve the amended election law. |
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| Geography | |
| 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 from Sudan and the Palestinian territories | |
| 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 |
| 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 Size comparison: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico |
| Land Boundaries: | total: 2,665 km border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km |
| Coastline: | 2,450 km |
| Maritime claims: | territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
| 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, rare earth elements, zinc |
| Land use: | arable land: 2.92% permanent crops: 0.5% other: 96.58% (2005) |
| Irrigated land: | 35,300 sq km (2003) |
| Natural hazards: | periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorms called khamsin occur in spring; dust storms; sandstorms |
| Current Environment 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; limited natural freshwater resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources |
| International Environment Agreements: | 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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| People | |
| Population: | 85,294,388 (July 2013 est.) |
| Age structure: | 0-14 years: 32.3% (male 14,100,807/female 13,474,763) 15-24 years: 18% (male 7,861,197/female 7,471,045) 25-54 years: 38.3% (male 16,565,411/female 16,072,992) 55-64 years: 6.6% (male 2,801,205/female 2,842,786) 65 years and over: 4.8% (male 1,844,456/female 2,259,726) (2013 est.) population pyramid: |
| Median age: | total: 24.6 years male: 24.3 years female: 24.9 years (2012 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 1.922% (2012 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 24.22 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Death rate: | 4.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | -0.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) |
| Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 1.03 male(s)/female (2011 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | total: 24.23 deaths/1,000 live births male: 25.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 22.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 72.93 years male: 70.33 years female: 75.66 years (2012 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.9 children born/woman (2013 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | less than 0.1% (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | 11,000 (2009 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | fewer than 500 (2009 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian |
| Ethnic groups: | Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census) |
| Religions: | Muslim (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, other Christian 1% |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes |
| Literacy: | definition: age 10 and over can read and write total population: 72% male: 80.3% female: 63.5% (2010 est.) |
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| Government | |
| 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 |
| Capital: | name: Cairo geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Administrative divisions: | 27 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj |
| Independence: | 28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956); note - it was ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically |
| National holiday: | Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) |
| Constitution: | new constitution passed by referendum 15-22 December 2012, signed by the president 26 December 2012 |
| Legal system: | mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil law and Islamic religious law; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions) |
| Suffrage: | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Muhammad MURSI (since 30 June 2012); vice president (vacant) head of government: Prime Minister Hisham QANDIL (since 24 July 2012) cabinet: in an early January 2013 cabinet reshuffle, 10 new ministers were sworn in (For more information visit the World Leaders website ) elections: presidential election (first round held on 23-24 May 2012; runoff held on 16-17 June 2012 (next election NA) election results: percent of vote (first round) - Mohammed MURSI 24.3%, Ahmed SHAFIQ 23.3%, Hamdin SABBAHI 20.4%, Abdul Moneim Aboul FOTOUH 17.2%, Amr MOUSSA 11.1, other 3.7%; (runoff) - Mohammed MURSI 51.7%, Ahmed SHAFIQ 48.3% |
| Legislative branch: | bicameral parliament consists of the Shura Council or Majlis al-Shura that traditionally functions mostly in a consultative role (at least 150 seats with up to one-tenth of body appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms)and the House of Representatives (at least 350 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly and Advisory Council elections last held between November and January 2012; elections for new House of Representatives announced for April or May 2013, but probably will be delayed pending decision by the Administrative Court; election for the Shura Council to be held within one year note: the Supreme Court on 14 June 2012 dissolved the People's Assembly election results: Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - Democratic Alliance for Egypt 45%, Alliance for Egypt (Islamic Bloc) 28.6%, New Wafd Party 8.5%, Egyptian Bloc 5.4%, other 2.8%;; seats by party - Democratic Alliance for Egypt 105, Alliance for Egypt (Islamic Bloc) 45, New Wafd Party 14, Egyptian Bloc 8, other 4, independents 4, presidential appointees 90; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - Democratic Alliance for Egypt 37.5%, Alliance for Egypt (Islamic Bloc) 27.8%, New Wafd Party 9.2%, Egyptian Bloc 8.9%, Al Wasat Party 3.7%, The Revolution Continues Alliance 2.8%, Reform and Development Party 2.2%, National Party of Egypt 1.6%, Freedom Party 1.9%, Egyptian Citizen Party 0.9%, other 3.7; seats by party - Democratic Alliance of Egypt 235, Alliance for Egypt (Islamic Bloc) 123, New Wafd Party 38, Egyptian Bloc 35, Al-Wasat 10, Reform and Development Party 9, The Revolution Continues Alliance 8, National Party of Egypt 5, Egyptian Citizen Party 4, Freedom Party 4, independents 21, other 6, SCAF appointees 10 |
| Judicial branch: | Court of Cassation (final court of appeal in civil and criminal cases); State Council (head of court system administration); Supreme Constitutional Court (jurisdiction limited to constitutionality of laws) |
| Political parties and leaders: | Al-Wasat Party; Constitution Party [Mohammed ELBARADEI]; Democratic Peace Party; Egyptian Citizen Party; Freedom Party; Nation Party [Hazem Abu ISMAIL]; National Party of Egypt; New Wafd Party; People's Party; Popular Current Party [Hamdin SABAHI]; Reform and Development Party; Strong Egypt Party [Abdel Aboul FOTOUH] |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMIL, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Mohamed TAWFIK chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400 FAX: [1] (202) 244-5131 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York |
| Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Ann W. PATTERSON embassy: 5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200 |
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| Economy | |
| Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but opened up considerably under former Presidents Anwar EL-SADAT and Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo from 2004 to 2008 aggressively pursued economic reforms to attract foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth. Despite the relatively high levels of economic growth in recent years, living conditions for the average Egyptian remained poor and contributed to public discontent. After unrest erupted in January 2011, the Egyptian Government backtracked on economic reforms, drastically increasing social spending to address public dissatisfaction, but political uncertainty at the same time caused economic growth to slow significantly, reducing the government's revenues. Tourism, manufacturing, and construction were among the hardest hit sectors of the Egyptian economy, and economic growth is likely to remain slow during the next several years. The government drew down foreign exchange reserves by more than 50% in 2011 and 2012 to support the Egyptian pound and the dearth of foreign financial assistance - as a result of unsuccessful negotiations with the International Monetary Fund over a multi-billion dollar loan agreement which have dragged on more than 20 months - could precipitate fiscal and balance of payments crises in 2013. | |
| GDP (purchasing power parity): | GDP (purchasing power parity): $537.8 billion (2012 est.) $527.4 billion (2011 est.) $518.2 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP (official exchange rate): | GDP (official exchange rate): $255 billion (2012 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 2% (2012 est.) 1.8% (2011 est.) 5.1% (2010 est.) |
| GDP - per capita (PPP): | GDP - per capita (PPP): $6,600 (2012 est.) $6,600 (2011 est.) $6,600 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars |
| GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 14.7% industry: 37.4% services: 47.9% (2012 est.) |
| Labor force: | 27.24 million (2012 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation: | agriculture: 32% industry: 17% services: 51% (2001 est.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 12.5% (2012 est.) 12% (2011 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | 20% (2005 est.) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: 3.9% highest 10%: 27.6% (2005) |
| Distribution of family income - Gini index: | 34.4 (2001) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices): | Inflation rate (consumer prices): 8.5% (2012 est.) 10.2% (2011 est.) |
| Investment (gross fixed): | Investment (gross fixed): 13.5% of GDP (2012 est.) |
| Budget: | revenues: $56.64 billion expenditures: $83.24 billion (2012 est.) |
| Public debt: | 85% of GDP (2012 est.) 83.6% of GDP (2011 est.) note: data cover central government debt, and includes debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intra-governmental debt; intra-governmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions |
| Agriculture - products: | cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats |
| Industries: | textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 0.5% (2011 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 136.6 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 |
| Electricity - consumption: | 115.8 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - exports: | 1.118 billion kWh (2009 est.) |
| Electricity - imports: | 183 million kWh (2009 est.) |
| Natural gas - production: | 61.33 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - consumption: | 46.16 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - exports: | 15.17 billion cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2010 est.) |
| Natural gas - proved reserves: | 2.186 trillion cu m (1 January 2012 est.) |
| Current account balance: | -$8.417 billion (2012 est.) -$6.521 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports: | $28.37 billion (2012 est.) $27.91 billion (2011 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals, processed food |
| Exports - partners: | Italy 8.7%, India 7.3%, Saudi Arabia 6.1%, US 5.2%, Turkey 4.9%, Spain 4.2%, France 4.2% (2011) |
| Imports: | $58.76 billion (2012 est.) $55.07 billion (2011 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
| Imports - partners: | US 10.7%, China 9.1%, Germany 6.3%, Italy 5.1%, Kuwait 4.7%, Turkey 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2011) |
| Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: | $15.26 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $17.66 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Debt - external: | $34.88 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $33.75 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - at home: | $73.81 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $72.61 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad: | $6.824 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $6.074 billion (31 December 2011 est.) |
| Market value of publicly traded shares: | $48.68 billion (31 December 2011) $82.49 billion (31 December 2010) $89.95 billion (31 December 2009) |
| Exchange rates: | Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 6.05 (2012 est.) 5.9358 (2011 est.) 5.6219 (2010 est.) 5.545 (2009) 5.4 (2008) |
| Fiscal year: | 1 July - 30 June |
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| Communications | |
| Telephones in use: | 8.714 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 23 |
| Cellular Phones in use: | 83.425 million (2011) |
| Telephone system: | general assessment: underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s; principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay domestic: largest fixed-line system in the region; as of 2011 there were multiple mobile-cellular networks with a total of roughly 83 million subscribers international: country code - 20; landing point for Aletar, the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks, Link Around the Globe (FLAG) Falcon and FLAG FEA; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel (2011) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | |
| Television broadcast stations: | |
| Internet country code: | .eg |
| Internet hosts: | 200,430 (2012) |
| Internet users: | 20.136 million (2009) |
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| Transportation | |
| Airports: | 84 (2012) country comparison to the world: 66 |
| Airports (paved runways): | total: 72 over 3,047 m: 15 2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 under 914 m: 6 (2012) |
| Airports (unpaved runways): | total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 3 (2012) |
| Heliports: | 6 (2012) |
| Pipelines: | condensate 320 km; condensate/gas 13 km; gas 6,628 km; liquid petroleum gas 956 km; oil 4,332 km; oil/gas/water 3 km; refined products 895 km; water 13 km (2010) |
| Railways: | total: 5,083 km standard gauge: 5,083 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2009) |
| Roadways: | total: 65,050 km paved: 47,500 km unpaved: 17,550 km (2009) |
| Waterways: | 3,500 km (includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m) (2011) |
| Merchant marine: | total: 67 by type: bulk carrier 16, cargo 20, container 3, passenger/cargo 7, petroleum tanker 12, roll on/roll off 9 foreign-owned: 13 (Denmark 1, France 1, Greece 8, Jordan 2, Lebanon 1) registered in other countries: 42 (Cambodia 4, Georgia 7, Honduras 2, Liberia 3, Malta 1, Marshall Islands 1, Moldova 5, Panama 11, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 2, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra Leone 3, unknown 1) (2010) |
| Ports and terminals: | Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Sidi Kurayr, Suez |
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| Military | |
| Military branches: | Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
| Military service age and obligation: | 18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 18-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; voluntary enlistment possible from age 16 (2012) |
| Manpower available for military service: | males age 16-49: 21,012,199 females age 16-49: 20,145,021 (2010 est.) |
| Manpower fit for military service: | males age 16-49: 18,060,543 females age 16-49: 17,244,838 (2010 est.) |
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