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| Egypt | Introduction | Top of Page |
| Background: | Nominally independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. 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 ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure. |
| Egypt | People | Top of Page |
| Population: | 69,536,644 (July 2001 est.) |
| Nationality: | noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian |
| Ethnic groups: | Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% |
| Religions: | Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
| Languages: | Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes |
| Egypt | Government | Top of Page |
| 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: | 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, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj |
| Independence: | 28 February 1922 (from UK) |
| Constitution: | 11 September 1971 |
| Executive branch: | chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since
14 October 1981) head of government: Prime Minister Atef OBEID (since 5 October 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national, popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term |
| Political parties and leaders: | Nasserist Arab
Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National
Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader]
- governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or
Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA];
Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [leader NA] note: formation of political parties must be approved by government |
| Flag description: | 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, which 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 |
| Egypt | Economy | Top of Page |
| Economy - overview: | A series of IMF arrangements - along with massive external debt relief resulting from Egypt's participation in the Gulf war coalition - helped Egypt improve its macroeconomic performance during the 1990s. Sound fiscal and monetary policies through the mid-1990s helped to tame inflation, slash budget deficits, and build up foreign reserves, while structural reforms such as privatization and new business legislation prompted increased foreign investment. By mid-1998, however, the pace of structural reform slackened, and lower combined hard currency earnings resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and sporadic US dollar shortages. External payments were not in crisis, but Cairo's attempts to curb demand for foreign exchange convinced some investors and currency traders that government financial operations lacked transparency and coordination. Monetary pressures have since eased, however, with the 1999-2000 higher oil prices, a rebound in tourism, and a series of mini-devaluations of the pound. The development of a gas export market is a major plus factor in future growth. |
| Industries: | textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
| Currency: | Egyptian pound (EGP) |
