About Egypt
Whenever you travel to a new country it is advisable to obtain some information about your destination so that you are better prepared when you arrive. It is for this reason that we have provided a general outline of Egypt for you below.
Please be advised that this information is meant for reference purposes only, and all data contained on this page may change without prior warning. For more up to date information about Egypt, please consult a travel expert before you depart.
Official Name: Gumhūriyyat Miṣr al-‘Arabiyyah/ Arab Republic of Egypt
Capital: Cairo, which is also the largest city.
Location: Located in North Africa and connected to the Middle East via the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt encompasses the lower reaches and the mouth of the Nile and also the Suez Canal, and adjoins the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Israel and the Gaza strip are its neighbours to the North, Sudan to the south, and Libya to the west.
Size: 1,001,450 km²
Climate: Hot dry summers, moderate winters.
Population: 81,713,520 (July 2008 est.), making it the most populous country in the Arab world and the second-most populous in Africa. The vast majority of the population lives near the Nile, the Nile delta, or along the Suez Canal.
Life expectancy at birth: 71.85 years (Male: 69.3 years; Female: 74.52 years (2008 est.))
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: less than 0.1%, around 12,000 people living with HIV/AIDS (2001 est.)
Major illnesses: Bacterial diarrhea, Hepatitis A, and Typhoid fever are all diseases to take precautions against. A Yellow Fever vaccination is also required for those coming from infected areas. Swimming in the Nile or its canals, contact with stagnant water, or drinking untreated water can expose you to bacterial and other infections and the parasitic disease Schistosomiasis, or Bilharzia.
As of March 11, 2008, the WHO has confirmed forty-seven human cases of the H5NI strain of avian influenza, of bird flu, in Egypt since March 2006. These cases have resulted in twenty deaths. You should avoid contact with live poultry.
Ethnic Groups: Eastern Hamitic (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) (99%); Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (mainly Italian and French) (1%)
Languages: Arabic (official), English is widely understood. Adult literacy is at around 58%
Religion: Muslim (mostly Sunni) (90%), Coptic Christian (9%) and other (1%)
Government: Egypt is a republic, with a president elected for six year terms, with no term limits (Hosni Mubarak has been incumbent since 1981), and a bicameral system consisting of a People’s Assembly and an Advisory Council. The government has to approve the formation of political parties, and the constitution bans religious-based parties, although the extremist Muslim Brotherhood, which is technically illegal, is a potentially significant source of opposition. Egypt has also had an official State of Emergency law in place since 1967, with a break in 1980, which was renewed following the assassination of Anwar Sadat and ever since then. This places limits on the possibilities for official and unofficial political opposition.
Head of State: President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak (since October 1981)
Head of Government: Dr Ahmed Nazif (since July 2004)
Military: With around 450,000 personel, the Egyptian armed forces are the largest on the African continent and the 11th largest in the world. There is compulsory military service for males from the age of 18 for 12-36 months.
Economy:
The government introduced reforms in 2005 reducing personal and corporate tax rates, reducing energy subsidies, and privatizing several enterprises, with a result that GDP grew about 5% per year in 2005-06, and topped 7% in 2007. On the other hand, standard of living for most Egyptians has not increased proportionally, and the government still spends a large amount of the budget subsidizing food and fuel, without which support many people would face severe hardship. As a result, Egypt had a budget deficit around 7.5% of GDP in 2007.
Resources, including oil and coal, and in particular natural gas, are some of Egypt’s most important assets. Agriculture remains a major industry but its growth is affected by the limited availability of suitable land; Egypt’s rapidly growing population and the effects of climate change make this one of the most serious issues facing Egypt in the near future.
GDP: Purchasing Power Parity $405.4 billion (2007 est.), Official Exchange Rate $127.9 billion (2007 est.)
For more information about Egypt, the international health insurance plans that we can offer there, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.