Egypt

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces: Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi (2011)
President: Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (2014)
Prime Minister: Sherif Ismail
Land area: 384,344 sq mi (995,451 sq km); total area: 386,662 sq mi (1,001,450 sq km)
Population (2014 est.): 86,895,099 (growth rate: 1.84%); birth rate: 23.35/1000; infant mortality rate: 22.41/1000; life expectancy: 73.45

Capital and largest city (2011 est.): Cairo, 11.169 million
Other large cities: Alexandria, 4.494 million (2011)
Monetary unit: Egyptian pound
National name: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
Languages: Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Ethnicity/race: Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)
National Holiday: Revolution Day, July 23
Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% (2012 est.)
Literacy rate: 73.9% (2012 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP $551.4 billion (2013 est.); per capita $6,600. Real growth rate: 1.8%. Inflation: 9%. Unemployment: 13.4%. Arable land: 2.87%. Agriculture: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats. Labor force: 27.69 million (2013); agriculture 29%, industry 24%, services 47% (2011 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: $24.81 billion (2013 est.): crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals. Imports: $59.22 billion (2013 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels. Major trading partners: Italy, U.S., Germany, China, UK, Saudi Arabia, India, Turkey, Libya, Ukraine, Russia (2012).
Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 8.557 million (2012); mobile cellular: 96.8 million (2012). 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; about 20 private satellite channels and a large number of Arabic satellite channels are available via subscription; state-run radio operates about 70 stations belonging to 8 networks; 2 privately owned radio stations operational (2008). Internet hosts: 200,430 (2012). Internet users: 20.136 million (2009).
Transportation: Railways: total: 5,083 km (2009). Roadways: total: 137,430 km; (2010 est.). Waterways: 3,500 km; note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2011). Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit. Airports: 83 (2013).

Fun Facts

  • It is nearly one and one-half times the size of Texas
  • THE EGYPTIANS INVENTED THE 365-DAYS A YEAR CALENDAR
  • WORLD’S OLDEST DRESS WAS FOUND HERE. 5000 YEARS OLD
  • THE GREAT PYRAMIDS WAS NOT BUILT BY SLAVES
  • EGYPT HAS MORE THAN 3451 HOURS OF SUN EACH YEAR
  • THERE ARE 5 MILLION FACEBOOK USERS IN EGYPT