Arab Republic of Egypt

National name: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

President: Hosni Mubarak (1981)

Prime Minister: Ahmed Nazif (2004)

Land area: 384,344 sq mi (995,451 sq km); total area: 386,662 sq mi (1,001,450 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 78,887,007 (growth rate: 1.8%); birth rate: 22.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 31.3/1000; life expectancy: 71.3; density per sq mi: 205

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Cairo, 11,146,000 (metro. area), 7,629,866 (city proper)

Other large cities: Alexandria, 3,891,000; Giza, 2,597,600 (part of Cairo metro. area); Shubra el Khema, 1,018,000 (part of Cairo metro. area); El Mahalla el Kubra, 462,300

Monetary unit: Egyptian pound

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

Ethnicity/race: Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Religions: Islam (mostly Sunni) 90%, Coptic 9%, Christian 1%, other 6%

Literacy rate: 58% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $339.2 billion; per capita $4,400. Real growth rate: 4.7%. Inflation: 4.3%. Unemployment: 10%. Arable land: 3%. Agriculture: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats. Labor force: 21.34 million; agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.). Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc. Exports: $14.33 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals. Imports: $24.1 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels. Major trading partners: Italy, U.S., Syria, Germany, Spain, France, China, UK, Saudi Arabia (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 9.6 million (2005); mobile cellular: 8,583,940 (2005). Radio broadcast stations: AM 42 (plus 15 repeater stations), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999). Television broadcast stations: 98 (Sept. 1995). Internet hosts: 3,401 (2004). Internet users: 4.2 million (2005).

Transportation: Railways: total: 5,063 km (2004). Highways: total: 64,000 km; paved: 49,984 km; unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.). Waterways: 3,500 km; note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2004). Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit. Airports: 87 (2004 est.).

International disputes: Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the two triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is developing the Hala'ib Triangle north of the Treaty line; since the attack on Taba and other Egyptian resort towns on the Red Sea in October 2004, Egypt vigilantly monitors the Sinai and borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip; Egypt does not extend domestic asylum to some 70,000 persons who identify as Palestinians but who largely lack UNRWA assistance and, until recently, UNHCR recognition as refugees.

 

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