Egypt

republicIndependence 28 February 1922 (from UK)

Egypt as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 126 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalCairo
LocationNorthern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea,
1994

Every edition of Egypt

Populationas each edition published it
60.77 million July 1994 est. · 54.71m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.95% 1994 est. · 2.3% in 1993
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 23.1 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
Not in this edition 60.46 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
3.77 children per woman 1994 est. · 4.7 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
76.4 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 90 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$2,400 1993 est. · $730 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
0.3% 1993 est. · 2.1% in 1993

Geography

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

25 fields
Coastline
2,450km
Land boundaries
2,689km
total · Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km
Irrigated land
25,850sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

1,001,450 sq km

land area

995,450 sq km

comparative area

slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200-m depth or to depth of exploitation

exclusive economic zone

not specified

territorial sea

12 nm

International disputes

  • administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km;
  • the dispute over this area escalated in 1993, this area continues to be in dispute

Climate

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Natural resources

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

arable land

3%

permanent crops

2%

meadows and pastures

0%

forest and woodland

0%

other

95%

current issues

  • agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands;
  • increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam;
  • desertification;
  • oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats;
  • other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, untreated sewage, and industrial effluents;
  • water scarcity away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source;
  • rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources

natural hazards

  • periods of drought;
  • subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity;
  • hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring

international agreements

  • party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling;
  • signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

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;
  • size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics

People

22 fields
Population
60,765,028
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 1.95% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
28.69Death
8.87Net migration
-0.35
Labor force
15million
(1992 est.)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1990 est.)

Infant mortality rate

76.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

60.79 years

male

58.91 years

female

62.76 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.77 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Egyptian(s)

adjective

Egyptian

Ethnic divisions

Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions

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

Languages

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

total population

48%

male

63%

female

34%

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 (1993 est.)

Government

Republic

35 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

86.3%
NDP 86.3%NPUG 1.3%independents 12.4%

Legislature, 444 seatsseats by party

(454 total, 444 elected, 10 appointed by the president) NDP 383NPUG 6independents 55

Legislature, 172 seatsone dot, one seat

(258 total, 172 elected, 86 appointed by the president) NDP 172

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)

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

Independence

28 February 1922 (from UK)

National holiday

Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Constitution

11 September 1971

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

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);
  • national referendum held 4 October 1993 validated Mubarak's nomination by the People's Assembly to a third 6-year presidential term

head of government

Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986)

cabinet

Cabinet; appointed by the president

People's Assembly (Majlis al-Cha'b)

  • elections last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1995);
  • results - NDP 86.3%, NPUG 1.3%, independents 12.4%;
  • seats - (454 total, 444 elected, 10 appointed by the president) NDP 383, NPUG 6, independents 55;
  • note - most opposition parties boycotted;
  • NDP figures include NDP members who ran as independents and other NDP-affiliated independents

Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura)

  • functions only in a consultative role;
  • elections last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held NA June 1995);
  • results - NDP 100%;
  • seats - (258 total, 172 elected, 86 appointed by the president) NDP 172

Judicial branch

Supreme Constitutional Court

Political parties and leaders

  • National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party;
  • legal opposition parties are;
  • New Wafd Party (NWP), Fu'ad SIRAJ AL-DIN;
  • Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI;
  • National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN;
  • Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Mustafa Kamal MURAD;
  • Democratic Unionist Party, Mohammed 'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK;
  • Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI;
  • Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Ali al-Din SALIH;
  • Nasserist Arab Democratic Party, Dia' al-din DAWUD;
  • Democratic Peoples' Party, Anwar AFIFI;
  • The Greens Party, Kamal KIRAH

note

formation of political parties must be approved by government

Other political or pressure groups

  • the constitution bans religious-based political parties;
  • nonetheless, the government tolerates limited political activity by the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood, which constitutes Mubarak's chief political opposition;
  • trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

Member of

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, UNTAC, UPU, UNRWA, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission

Ambassador Ahmed Maher El SAYED

chancery

2310 Decatur Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone

(202) 232-5400

consulate(s) general

Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission

Ambassador Edward WALKER

embassy

(North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Saleh Street, Garden City, Cairo

mailing address

APO AE 09839-4900

telephone

[20] (2) 355-7371

FAX

[20] (2) 357-3200

Flag

  • 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

Economy

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.

26 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$2,400
(1993 est.)
Real growth rate
0.3%
(1993 est.)industrial production growth: growth rate -0.4% (FY92 est.); accounts for 18% of GDP
Unemployment rate
20%
(1993 est.)

Overview

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 1991-93 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. Egypt probably will continue making uneven progress in implementing the successor programs with the IMF and World Bank it signed onto in late 1993. In 1992-93 tourism 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.

National product

GDP - purchasing power equivalent - $139 billion (1993 est.)

revenues

$16.8 billion

expenditures

$19.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.4 billion (FY94 est.)

Exports

$3.5 billion (f.o.b., FY93 est.)

commodities

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton yarn, raw cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals

partners

EC, Eastern Europe, US, Japan

Imports

$10.5 billion (c.i.f., FY93 est.)

commodities

machinery and equipment, foods, fertilizers, wood products, durable consumer goods, capital goods

partners

EC, US, Japan, Eastern Europe

External debt

$32 billion (March 1993 est.)

capacity

14,175,000 kW

production

47 billion kWh

consumption per capita

830 kWh (1992)

Industries

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

Agriculture

  • 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

Illicit drugs

  • 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 from Lebanon and Syria

recipient

  • 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

Currency

1 Egyptian pound (#E) = 100 piasters

Exchange rates

Egyptian pounds (#E) per US$1 - 3.369 (November 1993), 3.345 (November 1992), 2.7072 (1990), 2.5171 (1989), 2.2233 (1988), 1.5183 (1987)

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

  • 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

total

45,500 km

paved

18,300 km

unpaved

gravel 12,503 km; earth 14,697 km

Inland waterways

  • 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

Pipelines

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

Ports

Alexandria, Port Said, Suez, Bur Safajah, Damietta

Merchant marine

171 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,08,208 GRT/1,617,890 DWT, bulk 16, cargo 88, container 1, oil tanker 14, passenger 27, refrigerated cargo 3, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 7

total

92

usable

82

with permanent-surface runways

66

with runways over 3,659 m

2

with runways 2,440-3,659 m

45

with runways 1,220-2,439 m

23

Telecommunications

  • large system by Third World standards but inadequate for present requirements and undergoing extensive upgrading;
  • 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

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

3 fields

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 15,335,889;
  • fit for military service 9,961,128;
  • reach military age (20) annually 625,748 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.05 billion, 6% of GDP (FY92/93)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Egypt.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/egypt/1994.

How to cite ← 1993 edition 1995 edition →