Egypt

Introduction

Background

The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C., and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 elevated Egypt as an important world transportation hub. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty from Britain in 1952. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have reaffirmed 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 meet the demands of Egypt's fast-growing population as it implements far-reaching economic reforms, including the reduction of select subsidies, large-scale infrastructure projects, energy cooperation, and foreign direct investment appeals.Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni MUBARAK's ouster in 2011. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new legislature was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Muhammad MURSI won the presidential election. Following protests throughout the spring of 2013 against MURSI's government and the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Armed Forces intervened and removed MURSI from power in July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly MANSOUR. Simultaneously, the government began enacting laws to limit freedoms of assembly and expression. In January 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum and in May 2014 elected former defense minister Abdelfattah ELSISI president. Egypt elected a new legislature in December 2015, its first Hose of Representatives since 2012. ELSISI was reelected to a second four-year term in March 2018. In April 2019, Egypt approved via national referendum a set of constitutional amendments extending ELSISI’s term in office through 2024 and possibly through 2030 if re-elected for a third term. The amendments would also allow future presidents up to two consecutive six-year terms in office, re-establish an upper legislative house, allow for one or more vice presidents, establish a 25% quota for female legislators, reaffirm the military’s role as guardian of Egypt, and expand presidential authority to appoint the heads of judicial councils.  

Geography

Location

Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

Geographic coordinates

27 00 N, 30 00 E

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km
water: 6,000 sq km
country comparison to the world: 31

Area - comparative

more than eight times the size of Ohio; slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries

total: 2,612 km
border countries (4): Gaza Strip 13 km, Israel 208 km, Libya 1115 km, Sudan 1276 km

Coastline

2,450 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12nm
exclusive economic zone: 200nm or the equidistant median line with Cyprus
contiguous zone: 24nm
continental shelf: 200nm

Climate

desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain

vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Elevation

mean elevation: 321 m
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

agricultural land: 3.6% (2011 est.)
arable land: 2.8% (2011 est.)/permanent crops: 0.8% (2011 est.)/permanent pasture: 0% (2011 est.)
forest: 0.1% (2011 est.)
other: 96.3% (2011 est.)

Irrigated land

36,500 sq km (2012)

Population distribution

approximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km of the Nile River and its delta; vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited

Natural hazards

periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes; flash floods; landslides; hot, driving windstorms called khamsin occur in spring; dust storms; sandstorms

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

controls Sinai Peninsula, the only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees from Sudan and the Palestinian territories

People and Society

Population

99,413,317 (July 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 14

Nationality

noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic groups

Egyptian 99.7%, other 0.3% (2006 est.)
note: data represent respondents by nationality

Languages

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

Religions

Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% (2015 est.)

Demographic profile

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third most populous country in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ethiopia. Most of the country is desert, so about 95% of the population is concentrated in a narrow strip of fertile land along the Nile River, which represents only about 5% of Egypt’s land area. Egypt’s rapid population growth – 46% between 1994 and 2014 – stresses limited natural resources, jobs, housing, sanitation, education, and health care.Although the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell from roughly 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just over 3 in the late 1990s, largely as a result of state-sponsored family planning programs, the population growth rate dropped more modestly because of decreased mortality rates and longer life expectancies. During the last decade, Egypt’s TFR decline stalled for several years and then reversed, reaching 3.6 in 2011, and has plateaued the last few years. Contraceptive use has held steady at about 60%, while preferences for larger families and early marriage may have strengthened in the wake of the recent 2011 revolution. The large cohort of women of or nearing childbearing age will sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future (an effect called population momentum).Nevertheless, post-MUBARAK governments have not made curbing population growth a priority. To increase contraceptive use and to prevent further overpopulation will require greater government commitment and substantial social change, including encouraging smaller families and better educating and empowering women. Currently, literacy, educational attainment, and labor force participation rates are much lower for women than men. In addition, the prevalence of violence against women, the lack of female political representation, and the perpetuation of the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continue to keep women from playing a more significant role in Egypt’s public sphere.Population pressure, poverty, high unemployment, and the fragmentation of inherited land holdings have historically motivated Egyptians, primarily young men, to migrate internally from rural and smaller urban areas in the Nile Delta region and the poorer rural south to Cairo, Alexandria, and other urban centers in the north, while a much smaller number migrated to the Red Sea and Sinai areas. Waves of forced internal migration also resulted from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the floods caused by the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970. Limited numbers of students and professionals emigrated temporarily prior to the early 1970s, when economic problems and high unemployment pushed the Egyptian Government to lift restrictions on labor migration. At the same time, high oil revenues enabled Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other Gulf states, as well as Libya and Jordan, to fund development projects, creating a demand for unskilled labor (mainly in construction), which attracted tens of thousands of young Egyptian men.Between 1970 and 1974 alone, Egyptian migrants in the Gulf countries increased from approximately 70,000 to 370,000. Egyptian officials encouraged legal labor migration both to alleviate unemployment and to generate remittance income (remittances continue to be one of Egypt’s largest sources of foreign currency and GDP). During the mid-1980s, however, depressed oil prices resulting from the Iran-Iraq War, decreased demand for low-skilled labor, competition from less costly South Asian workers, and efforts to replace foreign workers with locals significantly reduced Egyptian migration to the Gulf States. The number of Egyptian migrants dropped from a peak of almost 3.3 million in 1983 to about 2.2 million at the start of the 1990s, but numbers gradually recovered.In the 2000s, Egypt began facilitating more labor migration through bilateral agreements, notably with Arab countries and Italy, but illegal migration to Europe through overstayed visas or maritime human smuggling via Libya also rose. The Egyptian Government estimated there were 6.5 million Egyptian migrants in 2009, with roughly 75% being temporary migrants in other Arab countries (Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates) and 25% being predominantly permanent migrants in the West (US, UK, Italy, France, and Canada).During the 2000s, Egypt became an increasingly important transit and destination country for economic migrants and asylum seekers, including Palestinians, East Africans, and South Asians and, more recently, Iraqis and Syrians. Egypt draws many refugees because of its resettlement programs with the West; Cairo has one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world. Many East African migrants are interned or live in temporary encampments along the Egypt-Israel border, and some have been shot and killed by Egyptian border guards.

Age structure

0-14 years: 33.38%(male 17,177,977 /female 16,007,877)
15-24 years: 18.65%(male 9,551,309 /female 8,988,006)
25-54 years: 37.71%(male 19,053,300 /female 18,431,808)
55-64 years: 5.99%(male 2,956,535 /female 2,995,497)
65 years and over: 4.28%(male 2,058,217 /female 2,192,791) (2018 est.)
population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 61.8 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 53.6 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.2 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 12.2 (2015 est.)

Median age

total: 23.9 years (2018 est.)
male: 23.6 years
female: 24.3 years
country comparison to the world: 167

Population growth rate

2.38% (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Birth rate

28.8 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 42

Death rate

4.5 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 204

Net migration rate

-0.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 122

Population distribution

approximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km of the Nile River and its delta; vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited

Urbanization

urban population: 42.7% of total population(2019)
rate of urbanization: 1.86% annual rate of change(2015-20 est.)

Major urban areas - population

20.485 million CAIRO (capital), 5.182 million Alexandria (2019)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.7 years (2014 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Maternal mortality rate

37 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

Infant mortality rate

total: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)
male: 19.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 17 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 85

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 73.2 years (2018 est.)
male: 71.8 years
female: 74.7 years
country comparison to the world: 140

Total fertility rate

3.41 children born/woman (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Contraceptive prevalence rate

58.5% (2014)

Drinking water source

improved: urban: 100% of population
rural: 99% of population
total: 99.4% of population
unimproved: urban: 0% of population
rural: 1% of population
total: 0.6% of population (2015 est.)

Current Health Expenditure

4.6% (2016)

Physicians density

0.79 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Hospital bed density

1.6 beds/1,000 population (2014)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 96.8% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 93.1% of population (2015 est.)
total: 94.7% of population (2015 est.)
unimproved: urban: 3.2% of population (2015 est.)
rural: 6.9% of population (2015 est.)
total: 5.3% of population (2015 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

<.1% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

22,000 (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 83

HIV/AIDS - deaths

<500 (2018 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: intermediate (2016)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016)
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

32% (2016)
country comparison to the world: 18

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

7% (2014)
country comparison to the world: 74

Education expenditures

NA

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 80.8%
male: 86.5%
female: 75% (2017)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 13 years
male: 13 years
female: 13 years (2016)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 29.6%
male: 25.7%
female: 38.3% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33

Government

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)
etymology: the English name "Egypt" derives from the ancient Greek name for the country "Aigyptos"; the Arabic name "Misr" can be traced to the ancient Akkadian "misru" meaning border or frontier

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Cairo
geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: from the Arabic "al-Qahira," meaning "the victorious"

Administrative divisions

27 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj

Independence

28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the military-led revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956); note - it was ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically

National holiday

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

Constitution

history: several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014
amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by one fifth of the House of Representatives members; a decision to accept the proposal requires majority vote by House members; passage of amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote by House members and passage by majority vote in a referendum; articles of reelection of the president and principles of freedom are not amendable unless the amendment "brings more guarantees;" amended 2019 (2019)

Legal system

mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws; judicial review of the constitutionality of laws by the Supreme Constitutional Court

International law organization participation

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: if the father was born in Egypt
dual citizenship recognized: only with prior permission from the government
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President Abdelfattah ELSISI (since 8 June 2014)
head of government: Prime Minister Mostafa MADBOULY (since 7 June 2018)
cabinet: Cabinet ministers nominated by the executive branch and approved by the House of Representatives
elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for 3 consecutive terms); election last held on 26-28 March 2018 (next to be held in 2024); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of Representatives; note - following  a constitutional amendment approved by referendum in April 2019, the presidential term was extended from 4 to 6 years and eligibility extended to 3 consecutive terms
election results: Abdelfattah ELSISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdelfattah ELSISI (independent) 97.1%, Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA (El Ghad Party) 2.9%; note - more than 7% of ballots cast were deemed invalid

Legislative branch

description:
unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab) (596 seats; 448 members directly elected by individual candidacy system, 120 members - with quotas for women, youth, Christians and workers - elected in party-list constituencies by simple majority popular vote, and 28 members appointed by the president; members serve 5-year terms; note - inaugural session held on 10 January 2016

note : a referendum held in April 2019, approved a constitutional amendment - effective following the 2020 election - to restore the upper chamber of the legislative body, designated the Senate, with 180 seats - 60 members to be appointed by the president and 120 members to be directly elected; the amendment also calls for the reduction of the existing People's Assembly from 596 to 450 seats
elections: multi-phase election completed on 16 December 2015 (next to be held in 2020)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -- Free Egyptians Party 65, Future of the Nation 53, New Wafd Party 36, Homeland's Protector Party 18, Republican People's Party 13, Congress Party 12, Al-Nour Party 11, Conservative Party 6, Democratic Peace Party 5, Egyptian National Movement 4, Egyptian Social Democratic Party 4, Modern Egypt Party 4, Freedom Party 3, My Homeland Egypt Party 3, Reform and Development Party 3, National Progressive Unionist Party 2, Arab Democratic Nasserist Party 1, El Serh El Masry el Hor 1, Revolutionary Guards Party 1, independent 351; composition - men 507, women 89, percent of women 14.9%
Note: a referendum held in April 2019 approved a constitutional amendment - effective for the next election - allows the executive branch to restore the upper chamber of the legislative body with 180 seats - 60 members to be appointed by the president and 120 members to be directly elected; the amendment also calls for the reduction of the existing House of Representatives membership from 596 to 450 seats

Judicial branch

highest courts: Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) (consists of the court president and 10 justices); the SCC serves as the final court of arbitration on the constitutionality of laws and conflicts between lower courts regarding jurisdiction and rulings; Court of Cassation (CC) (consists of the court president and 550 judges organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the CC is the highest appeals body for civil and criminal cases, also known as "ordinary justices"; Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) (consists of the court president and NA judges and organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the SAC is the highest court of the State Council
judge selection and term of office: under the 2014 constitution, all judges and justices selected and appointed by the Supreme Judiciary Council and approved as a formality by the president of the Republic; judges appointed for life; under the 2019 amendments, the president has the power to appoint heads of judiciary authorities and courts, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court
subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; courts of limited jurisdiction; Family Court (established in 2004)

Political parties and leaders

Al-Nour [Yunis MAKHYUN]
Arab Democratic Nasserist Party [Dr. Mohamed ABDUL ELLA ]
Congress Party [Omar Al-Mokhtar SEMIDA]
Conservative Party [Akmal KOURTAM]
Democratic Peace Party [Ahmed FADALY]
Egyptian National Movement Party [Gen. Raouf EL SAYED]
Egyptian Social Democratic Party [Farid ZAHRAN]
El Ghad Party [Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA]
El Serh El Masry el Hor [Tarek Ahmed Abbas NADIM]
Freedom Party [Salah HASSABALAH]
Free Egyptians Party [Essam KHALIL]
Homeland’s Protector Party [Lt. Gen. (retired) Galal AL-HARIDI]
Modern Egypt Party [Nabil DEIBIS]
Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) [Mohamed Ashraf RASHAD]
My Homeland Egypt Party [Gen. Seif El Islam ABDEL BARY ]
National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu) Party [Sayed Abdel AAL]
Reform and Development Party [Mohamad Anwar al-SADAT]
Republican People’s Party [Hazim AMR]
Revolutionary Guards Party [Magdy EL-SHARIF]
Wafd Party [Bahaa ABU SHOKA]

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MINUSMA, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Yasser REDA (since 19 September 2015)
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-5131
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Jonathan R. COHEN (since 17 November 2019)
telephone: [20-2] 2797-3300
embassy: 5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo
FAX: [20-2] 2797-3200

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)
note: similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

National symbol(s)

golden eagle, white lotus; national colors: red, white, black

National anthem

name: "Bilady, Bilady, Bilady" (My Homeland, My Homeland, My Homeland)
lyrics/music: Younis-al QADI/Sayed DARWISH
note: adopted 1979; the current anthem, less militaristic than the previous one, was created after the signing of the 1979 peace treaty with Israel; Sayed DARWISH, commonly considered the father of modern Egyptian music, composed the anthem

Economy

Economy - overview

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley where most economic activity takes place. Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but opened up considerably under former Presidents Anwar EL-SADAT and Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Agriculture, hydrocarbons, manufacturing, tourism, and other service sectors drove the country’s relatively diverse economic activity.Despite Egypt’s mixed record for attracting foreign investment over the past two decades, poor living conditions and limited job opportunities have contributed to public discontent. These socioeconomic pressures were a major factor leading to the January 2011 revolution that ousted MUBARAK. The uncertain political, security, and policy environment since 2011 has restricted economic growth and failed to alleviate persistent unemployment, especially among the young.In late 2016, persistent dollar shortages and waning aid from its Gulf allies led Cairo to turn to the IMF for a 3-year, $12 billion loan program. To secure the deal, Cairo floated its currency, introduced new taxes, and cut energy subsidies - all of which pushed inflation above 30% for most of 2017, a high that had not been seen in a generation. Since the currency float, foreign investment in Egypt’s high interest treasury bills has risen exponentially, boosting both dollar availability and central bank reserves. Cairo will be challenged to obtain foreign and local investment in manufacturing and other sectors without a sustained effort to implement a range of business reforms.

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$1.204 trillion (2017 est.)
$1.155 trillion (2016 est.)
$1.107 trillion (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 21

GDP (official exchange rate)

$236.5 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

4.2% (2017 est.)
4.3% (2016 est.)
4.4% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,700 (2017 est.)
$12,800 (2016 est.)
$12,400 (2015 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
country comparison to the world: 124

Gross national saving

9% of GDP (2017 est.)
9.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
10.6% of GDP (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 86.8% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 10.1% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 14.8% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.5% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 16.3% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -28.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 11.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 34.3% (2017 est.)
services: 54% (2017 est.)

Agriculture - products

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Industries

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

Industrial production growth rate

3.5% (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 84

Labor force

29.95 million (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 25.8%
industry: 25.1%
services: 49.1% (2015 est.)

Unemployment rate

12.2% (2017 est.)
12.7% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 161

Population below poverty line

27.8% (2016 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 26.6% (2008)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

31.8 (2015)
29.8 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 124

Budget

revenues: 42.32 billion (2017 est.)
expenditures: 62.61 billion (2017 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

17.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 165

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 202

Public debt

103% of GDP (2017 est.)
96.8% of GDP (2016 est.)
note: data cover central government debt and include debt instruments issued (or owned) by government entities other than the treasury; the data include treasury debt held by foreign entities; the data include debt issued by subnational entities, as well as intragovernmental debt; intragovernmental debt consists of treasury borrowings from surpluses in the social funds, such as for retirement, medical care, and unemployment; debt instruments for the social funds are sold at public auctions
country comparison to the world: 14

Fiscal year

1 July - 30 June

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

23.5% (2017 est.)
10.2% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 217

Central bank discount rate

19.25% (9 July 2017)
15.25% (3 November 2016)
country comparison to the world: 7

Commercial bank prime lending rate

18.18% (31 December 2017 est.)
13.6% (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 20

Stock of narrow money

$43.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$34.51 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Stock of broad money

$43.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$34.51 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Stock of domestic credit

$193.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$178.7 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 46

Market value of publicly traded shares

$27.35 billion (30 December 2016 est.)
$25.07 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$26.33 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world: 59

Current account balance

-$14.92 billion (2017 est.)
-$19.83 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 196

Exports

$23.3 billion (2017 est.)
$20.02 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 68

Exports - partners

UAE 10.9%, Italy 10%, US 7.4%, UK 5.7%, Turkey 4.4%, Germany 4.3%, India 4.3% (2017)

Exports - commodities

crude oil and petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals, processed food

Imports

$59.78 billion (2017 est.)
$57.84 billion (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 50

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Imports - partners

China 7.9%, UAE 5.2%, Germany 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.6%, US 4.4%, Russia 4.3% (2017)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$35.89 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$23.2 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 47

Debt - external

$77.47 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$62.38 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$106.6 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$97.14 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$7.426 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$7.257 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 69

Exchange rates

Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar -
18.05 (2017 est.)
8.8 (2016 est.)
10.07 (2015 est.)
7.7133 (2014 est.)
7.08 (2013 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

Electricity - production

183.5 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 22

Electricity - consumption

159.7 billion kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - exports

1.158 billion kWh (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 57

Electricity - imports

54 million kWh (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 106

Electricity - installed generating capacity

45.12 million kW (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 23

Electricity - from fossil fuels

91% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 82

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

6% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

Electricity - from other renewable sources

2% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 139

Crude oil - production

639,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27

Crude oil - exports

246,500 bbl/day (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29

Crude oil - imports

64,760 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 51

Crude oil - proved reserves

4.4 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Refined petroleum products - production

547,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31

Refined petroleum products - consumption

878,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 25

Refined petroleum products - exports

47,360 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

Refined petroleum products - imports

280,200 bbl/day (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world: 26

Natural gas - production

50.86 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 16

Natural gas - consumption

57.71 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 13

Natural gas - exports

212.4 million cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

Natural gas - imports

7.079 billion cu m (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 29

Natural gas - proved reserves

2.186 trillion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

232.7 million Mt (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 30

Communications

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 6,604,849
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 102,958,194
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 106 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 17

Telephone system

general assessment: one of the largest fixed-line systems in Africa and the Arab region; 4 mobile-cellular networks (3 international and 1 local) cover most populated area of Egypt; Telecom Egypt, the country's only fixed-line operator, is 80% state owned; principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; launch of LTE in late 2017 greatly helped the capabilities of mobile broadband services and will continue to do so for future development (2018)
domestic: fixed-line 8 per 100, mobile-cellular 101 per 100 (2018)
international: country code - 20; landing point for Aletar, Africa-1, FEA, Hawk, IMEWE, and the SEA-ME-WE-3 & 4 submarine cable networks linking to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia ; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel (2019)

Broadcast media

mix of state-run and private broadcast media; state-run TV operates 2 national and 6 regional terrestrial networks, as well as a few satellite channels; dozens of private satellite channels and a large number of Arabic satellite channels are available for free; some limited satellite services are also available via subscription; state-run radio operates about 30 stations belonging to 8 networks; privately-owned radio includes 8 major stations, 4 of which belong to 1 network (2019)

Internet country code

.eg

Internet users

total: 39,097,468
percent of population: 41.3% (2016 est.)
country comparison to the world: 19

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 5,223,311
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 5 (2017 est.)
country comparison to the world: 28

Communications - note

one of the largest and most famous libraries in the ancient world was the Great Library of Alexandria in Egypt (founded about 295 B.C., it may have survived in some form into the 5th century A.D.); seeking to resurrect the great center of learning and communication, the Egyptian Government in 2002 inaugurated the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, an Egyptian National Library on the site of the original Great Library, which commemorates the original archive and also serves as a center of cultural and scientific excellence

Military and Security

Military expenditures

1.25% of GDP (2018)
1.42% of GDP (March 2017)
1.67% of GDP (2016)
1.72% of GDP (2015)
1.69% of GDP (2014)
country comparison to the world: 100

Military and security forces

Egyptian Armed Forces (EAF): Army (includes surface-to-surface missile forces, special forces, Republican Guard), Navy (includes coastal defense, Coast Guard), Air Force, Air Defense Command; Ministry of Interior: Central Security Forces (2019)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation - 18-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation; voluntary enlistment possible from age 15 (2017)

Military - note

The Interior Ministry includes the National Guard, Border Guard Forces, Central Security Forces, and the police.  (2019)

Transportation

National air transport system

number of registered air carriers: 14 (2015)
inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 101 (2015)
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 10,159,464 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 397,531,535mt-km (2015)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

SU (2016)

Airports

83 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 65

Airports - with paved runways

total: 72 (2017)
over 3,047 m: 15 (2017)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36 (2017)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15 (2017)
under 914 m: 6 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 11 (2013)
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2013)
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2013)
under 914 m: 3 (2013)

Heliports

7 (2013)

Pipelines

486 km condensate, 74 km condensate/gas, 7986 km gas, 957 km liquid petroleum gas, 5225 km oil, 37 km oil/gas/water, 895 km refined products, 65 km water (2013)

Railways

total: 5,085 km (2014)
standard gauge: 5,085 km1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2014)
country comparison to the world: 39

Roadways

total: 65,050 km (2017)
paved: 48,000 km (2017)
unpaved: 17,050 km (2017)
country comparison to the world: 73

Waterways

3,500 km(includes the Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in Nile Delta; the Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) is navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m) (2011)
country comparison to the world: 29

Merchant marine

total: 389
by type: bulk carrier 14, container ship 8, general cargo 33, oil tanker 36, other 298 (2018)
country comparison to the world: 44

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Mediterranean Sea - Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said
oil terminal(s): Ain Sukhna terminal, Sidi Kerir terminal
container port(s) (TEUs): Alexandria (1,613,000), Port Said (East) (2,968,308) (2017)
LNG terminal(s) (export): Damietta, Idku (Abu Qir Bay)
Gulf of Suez - Suez

Terrorism

Terrorist groups - home based

Harakat Sawa’d Misr (HASM): aim(s): overthrow the Egyptian Government
area(s) of operation: Cairo, Nile Delta, Western Desert (2018)
Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS)-Sinai Province: aim(s): spread the ISIS caliphate by eliminating the Egyptian Government, destroying Israel, and establishing an Islamic emirate in the Sinai
area(s) of operation: operations are based out of the Sinai Peninsula, but its reach extends to Cairo, the Egyptian Nile Valley, and Gaza; operations mainly target Egyptian security forces, but also include attacks on civilians, as well as kidnappings
note: formerly known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis; core ISIS refers to Egypt as its Wilayat Sinai (2018)
Liwa al-Thawra: aim(s): overthrow the Egyptian Government
area(s) of operation: Cairo, Monofeya, and Qalyubia governorates (2019)

Terrorist groups - foreign based

al-Qa'ida (AQ): aim(s): overthrow the Egyptian Government and, ultimately, establish a pan-Islamic caliphate under a strict Salafi Muslim interpretation of sharia
area(s) of operation: maintains a longtime operational presence and established networks (2018)
Army of Islam (AOI): aim(s): disrupt the Egyptian Government's efforts to provide security and, ultimately, establish an Islamic caliphate
area(s) of operation:  operational mainly in Cairo and the Sinai Peninsula
note: associated with ISIS-Sinai Province; targets Israeli Government interests, sometimes in collaboration with the Mujahidin Shura Council in the Environs of Jerusalem (2018)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international

Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of Halaib region north of the 22nd parallel boundary; Egypt no longer shows its administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps; Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008 highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border; Saudi Arabia claims Egyptian-administered islands of Tiran and Sanafir

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 70,021 (West Bank and Gaza Strip) (2017); 129,779 (Syria) (refugees and asylum seekers), 46,177 (Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 18,004 (South Sudan) (refugees and asylum seekers), 17,514 (Eritrea) (refugees and asylum seekers), 16,210 (Ethiopia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,903 (Somalia) (refugees and asylum seekers), 6,752 (Iraq) (refugees and asylum seekers) (2019)
IDPs: 97,000 (2018)

Trafficking in persons

current situation: Egypt is a source, transit, and destination country for men, women, and children subjected to sex trafficking and forced labor; Egyptian children, including the large population of street children are vulnerable to forced labor in domestic service, begging and agriculture or may be victims of sex trafficking or child sex tourism, which occurs in Cairo, Alexandria, and Luxor; some Egyptian women and girls are sold into "temporary" or "summer" marriages with Gulf men, through the complicity of their parents or marriage brokers, and are exploited for prostitution or forced labor; Egyptian men are subject to forced labor in neighboring countries, while adults from South and Southeast Asia and East Africa – and increasingly Syrian refugees – are forced to work in domestic service, construction, cleaning, and begging in Egypt; women and girls, including migrants and refugees, from Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Middle East are sex trafficked in Egypt; the Egyptian military cracked down on criminal group’s smuggling, abducting, trafficking, and extorting African migrants in the Sinai Peninsula, but the practice has reemerged along Egypt’s western border with Libya
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List – Egypt does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; the government gathered data nationwide on trafficking cases to better allocate and prioritize anti-trafficking efforts, but overall it did not demonstrate increased progress; prosecutions increased in 2014, but no offenders were convicted for the second consecutive year; fewer trafficking victims were identified in 2014, which represents a significant and ongoing decrease from the previous two reporting periods; the government relied on NGOs and international organizations to identify and refer victims to protective services, and focused on Egyptian victims and refused to provide some services to foreign victims, at times including shelter (2015)

Illicit drugs

transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe, Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers; concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial regulations

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