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Background Note: Egypt
PROFILE
OFFICIAL NAME:
Arab
Republic of Egypt
Geography
Area: 1,001,450 sq. km. (386,000 sq. mi.); approximately equal
to Texas and New Mexico combined.
Cities: Capital--Cairo (pop. estimated at 16 million).
Other cities--Alexandria (6 million), Aswan, Asyut, Port
Said, Suez, Ismailia.
Terrain: Desert, except Nile valley and delta.
Climate: Dry, hot summers; moderate winters.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Egyptian(s).
Population (July 2006 est.): 78,887,007.
Annual growth rate (2006 est.): 1.75%.
Ethnic groups: Egyptian, Bedouin Arab, Nubian.
Religions: Muslim 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6%.
Languages: Arabic (official), English, French.
Education: Years compulsory--ages 6-15. Literacy--total
adult: 58%.
Health: Infant mortality rate (2006 est.)--31.33
deaths/1,000 live births. Life expectancy (2006 est.): 71
years.
Government
Type: Republic.
Independence: 1922.
Constitution: 1971.
Branches: Executive--president, prime minister, cabinet.
Legislative--People's Assembly (444 elected and 10
presidentially appointed members) and Shura (consultative)
Council (176 elected members, 88 presidentially appointed).
Judicial--Supreme Constitutional Court.
Administrative subdivisions: 26 governorates.
Principal political parties: National Democratic Party (ruling).
Principal opposition parties--New Wafd Party, Liberal Party,
National Progressive Unionist Grouping (Tagammau), and Nasserite
Party.
Suffrage: Universal at 18.
Economy
GDP (2005 est.): $303 billion.
Annual growth rate (2005 est.): 4.8%.
Per capita GDP (2005 est.): $4,282.
Natural resources: Petroleum and natural gas, iron ore,
phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead,
zinc.
Agriculture: Products--cotton, rice, onions, beans,
citrus fruits, wheat, corn, barley, sugar.
Industry: Types--food processing, textiles, chemicals,
petrochemicals, construction, light manufacturing, iron and
steel products, aluminum, cement, military equipment.
Trade (FY 2005): Exports--$14.3 billion: petroleum,
clothing and textiles, cotton, fruits and vegetables,
manufactured goods. Major markets--EU, U.S., Middle East,
Japan. Imports--$24.1 billion: machinery and transport
equipment, petroleum products, livestock, food and beverages,
paper and wood products, chemicals. Major suppliers--EU,
U.S., Japan.
PEOPLE AND HISTORY
Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the
second-most populous on the African Continent. Nearly all of the
country's 79 million people live in Cairo and Alexandria;
elsewhere on the banks of the Nile; in the Nile delta, which
fans out north of Cairo; and along the Suez Canal. These regions
are among the world's most densely populated, containing an
average of over 3,820 persons per square mile (1,540 per sq.
km.), as compared to 181 persons per sq. mi. for the country as
a whole. |