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Communications

Airports [time series]

total: 92 usable: 82 with permanent-surface runways: 66 with runways over 3,659 m: 2 with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 44 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 24

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

51,925 km total; 17,900 km paved, 2,500 km gravel, 13,500 km improved earth, 18,025 km unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

3,500 km (including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta); Suez Canal, 193.5 km long (including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 meters of water

Merchant marine [time series]

168 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,097,707 GRT/1,592,885 DWT; includes 25 passenger, 6 short-sea passenger, 2 passenger-cargo, 88 cargo, 3 refrigerated cargo, 14 roll-on/roll-off, 13 oil tanker, 16 bulk, 1 container

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km

Ports [time series]

Alexandria, Port Said, Suez, Bur Safajah, Damietta

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

5,110 km total; 4,763 km 1,435-meter standard gauge, 347 km 0.750-meter gauge; 951 km double track; 25 km electrified

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading; about 600,000 telephones (est.) - 11 telephones per 1,000 persons; principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; international traffic is carried by satellite - one earth station for each of Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, Indian Ocean INTELSAT, ARABSAT and INMARSAT; by 5 coaxial submarine cables, microwave troposcatter (to Sudan), and microwave radio relay (to Libya, Israel, and Jordan); broadcast stations - 39 AM, 6 FM, and 41 TV

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

exchange rate conversion - $2.05 billion, 5% of GDP (FY92/93)

Manpower availability [time series]

males age 15-49 14,513,752; fit for military service 9,434,020; reach military age (20) annually 581,858 (1993 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for 20% of GDP and employs more than one-third of labor force; dependent on irrigation water from the Nile; world's sixth-largest cotton exporter; other crops produced include rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruit, vegetables; not self-sufficient in food for a rapidly expanding population; livestock - cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats; annual fish catch about 140,000 metric tons

Budget [time series]

revenues $12.6 billion; expenditures $15.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $4 billion (FY92 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Egyptian pound (#E) = 100 piasters

Economic aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $15.7 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $10.1 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $2.9 billion; Communist countries (1970-89), $2.4 billion

Electricity [time series]

14,175,000 kW capacity; 47,000 million kWh produced, 830 kWh per capita (1992)

Exchange rates [time series]

Egyptian pounds (#E) per US$1 - 3.345 (November 1992), 2.7072 (1990), 2.5171 (1989), 2.2233 (1988), 1.5183 (1987)

Exports [time series]

$3.6 billion (f.o.b., FY92 est.) commodities: crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals partners: EC, Eastern Europe, US, Japan

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$38 billion (December 1991 est.)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Illicit drugs [time series]

a transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe and the US; popular transit stop for Nigerian couriers; large domestic consumption of hashish and heroin from Lebanon and Syria

Imports [time series]

$10.0 billion (c.i.f., FY92 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods partners: EC, US, Japan, Eastern Europe

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 7.3% (FY89 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP

Industries [time series]

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, petroleum, construction, cement, metals

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

21% (1992 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (National product) [time series]

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $41.2 billion (1992 est.)

Real GDP per capita (National product per capita) [time series]

$730 (1992 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (National product real growth rate) [time series]

2.1% (1992 est.)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

Egypt has one of the largest public sectors of all the Third World economies, most industrial plants being owned by the government. Overregulation holds back technical modernization and foreign investment. Even so, the economy grew rapidly during the late 1970s and early 1980s, but in 1986 the collapse of world oil prices and an increasingly heavy burden of debt servicing led Egypt to begin negotiations with the IMF for balance-of-payments support. Egypt's first IMF standby arrangement concluded in mid-1987 was suspended in early 1988 because of the government's failure to adopt promised reforms. Egypt signed a follow-on program with the IMF and also negotiated a structural adjustment loan with the World Bank in 1991. In 1991-92 the government made solid progress on administrative reforms such as liberalizing exchange and interest rates but resisted implementing major structural reforms like streamlining the public sector. As a result, the economy has not gained momentum and unemployment has become a growing problem. In 1992-93 tourism has plunged 20% or so because of sporadic attacks by Islamic extremists on tourist groups. President MUBARAK has cited population growth as the main cause of the country's economic troubles. The addition of about 1.4 million people a year to the already huge population of 60 million exerts enormous pressure on the 5% of the land area available for agriculture.

Unemployment rate [time series]

20% (1992 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total area: 1,001,450 km2 land area: 995,450 km2 comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Climate [time series]

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Coastline [time series]

2,450 km

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

Nile is only perennial water source; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; water pollution; desertification

Disputes - international (International disputes) [time series]

administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 km2, the dispute over this area escalated in 1993

Irrigated land [time series]

25,850 km2 (1989 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total 2,689 km, Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 3% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 0% other: 95%

Location [time series]

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, between Sudan and Libya

Map references [time series]

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Maritime claims [time series]

contiguous zone: 24 nm continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Note [time series]

controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean; size and juxtaposition to Israel establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics

Terrain [time series]

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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, Asyu't, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina, Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina, Suhaj

Capital [time series]

Cairo

Constitution [time series]

11 September 1971

Digraph [time series]

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation in US) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Ahmed MAHER El Sayed chancery: 2310 Decatur Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: (202) 232-5400 consulates general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

Executive branch (Elections) [time series]

Advisory Council: last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held June 1995); results - NDP 100%; seats - (258 total, 172 elected) NDP 172 People's Assembly: last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held November 1995); results - NDP 78.4%, NPUG 1.4%, independents 18.7%; seats - (437 total, 444 elected) NDP 348, NPUG 6, independents 83; note - most opposition parties boycotted President: last held 5 October 1987 (next to be held October 1993); results - President Hosni MUBARAK was reelected

Executive branch [time series]

president, prime minister, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

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 that 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

Independence [time series]

28 February 1922 (from UK)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Constitutional Court

Executive branch (Leaders) [time series]

Chief of State: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (was made acting President on 6 October 1981 upon the assassination of President SADAT and sworn in as president on 14 October 1981) Head of Government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986)

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral People's Assembly (Majlis al-Cha'b); note - there is an Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) that functions in a consultative role

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ABEDA, ACC, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AG (observer), AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, MINURSO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMOZ, UNOSOM, UNPROFOR, UPU, UNRWA, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Country name (Names) [time series]

conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt conventional short form: Egypt local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah local short form: none former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)

National holiday [time series]

Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Political parties (Other political or pressure groups) [time series]

Islamic groups are illegal, but the largest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Kamal MURAD; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI; National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN; Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI; New Wafd Party (NWP), Fu'ad SIRAJ AL-DIN; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Ali al-Din SALIH; The Greens Party, Hasan RAJABD; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party, Muhammad Rif'at al-MUHAMI; Democratic Unionist Party, Mohammed 'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK; Democratic Peoples' Party, Anwar AFISI note: formation of political parties must be approved by government

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

Diplomatic representation from the US (US diplomatic representation) [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert PELLETREAU embassy: Lazougi Street, Garden City, Cairo mailing address: APO AE 09839 telephone: [20] (2) 355-7371 FAX: [20] (2) 355-7375 consulate general: Alexandria

People

Birth rate [time series]

33 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Death rate [time series]

9 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

Eastern Hamitic stock 90%, Greek, Italian, Syro-Lebanese 10%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

78.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Labor force [time series]

15 million (1989 est.) by occupation: government, public sector enterprises, and armed forces 36%, agriculture 34%, privately owned service and manufacturing enterprises 20% (1984) note: shortage of skilled labor; 2,500,000 Egyptians work abroad, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Arab states (1988 est.)

Languages [time series]

Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 60.46 years male: 58.61 years female: 62.41 years (1993 est.)

Literacy [time series]

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 48% male: 63% female: 34%

Nationality [time series]

noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Net migration rate [time series]

NEGL

Population [time series]

59,585,529 (July 1993 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.3% (1993 est.) note: the US Bureau of the Census has lowered its 1993 estimate of growth to 2.0% on the basis of a 1992 Egyptian government survey, whereas estimates of other observers go as high as 2.9%

Religions [time series]

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.35 children born/woman (1993 est.)