EGYPT
The Arab Republic of Egypt occupies the northeastern corner of the African continent and the
Sinai Peninsula. It has an area of about 390,540 square miles (1,011,500 square kilometers), including the
23,440 square miles (60,710 square kilometers) of the Sinai. Ninety-nine percent of the Egyptian
population lives on only 3.5 percent of the land. Most of them are in the Nile River valley and large,
fertile delta of the river. Egypt is bordered on the south by the Republic of the Sudan and on the west by
Libya. Its northern coast is on the Mediterranean Sea, and its eastern coasts are on the Red Sea and the
Gulf of Aqaba, between Sinai and Saudi Arabia. The Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal separate African Egypt
from Sinai. In northern Sinai Egypt's border with Israel was fixed in 1979 by a peace treaty, though the
disputed territory did not return to Egyptian sovereignty until 1982.
The Land and Climate
The headwaters of the Nile River are in the highlands of East Africa. The Nile flows northward
across the Sudan and enters Egypt near Wadi Halfa. It is 4,130 miles (6,650 kilometers) long, with 960
miles (1,545 kilometers) in Egypt. Annual flooding is a natural feature of the Nile. Fed by summer rains in
the highlands, the flood travels northward, reaching Egypt in August.
The Upper Nile is confined to a narrow valley that is no more than 2 miles (3 kilometers) wide.
Outcrops of resistant granite rock form stretches of cascades and rapids called cataracts. The First
Cataract is at Aswan, the only one in Egypt. A dam was built here in 1902 to help control the floodwaters
for irrigation. Four other cataracts are located upstream of Aswan in the Sudan.
The Aswan High Dam is located upstream of the original dam. Construction began in January
1960 and was completed in July 1970. The high dam created Lake Nasser, the largest artificial lake in the
world. It extends for 350 miles (560 kilometers) southward to the Third Cataract and averages 6 miles (10
kilometers) wide. The high dam makes possible the large-scale storage and use of Nile water independent
of natural floods, and it provides Egypt with low-cost hydroelectric power.
Between Aswan and Cairo the Nile Valley widens into a plain ranging in width from 6 to 9 miles
(10 to 15 kilometers). The delta of the Nile begins near Cairo, where the river separates into the
Damietta branch on the west and the Rosetta on the east. The delta, which contains about 8,500 square
miles (22,000 square kilometers), has numerous small waterways and canals. At its northern edge several
large shallow lakes have formed as the delta continues to expand into the Mediterranean. The largest of
these is El Manzala, which is between Damietta and Port Said.
West of the Nile the Western Desert is one of the world's driest areas. It is a low-lying plateau
that gradually rises from a narrow coastal plain to an elevation of more than 3,300 feet (1,000 meters) in
the southwest. In the Libyan Desert large areas are covered by shifting sand dunes. Several large
depressions have been hollowed out of the limestone and sandstone by wind erosion. The oases of
Bahariya, Dakhla, Farafra, and Siwa and the great oasis of Kharga have underground water supplies that
support permanent agriculture. A branch of the Nile, the Bahr Yusef, flows through a gap in the Nile's
western cliffs to water the town of El Faiyum. In Wadi Natrun northwest of Cairo and the Qattara
Depression, the water is salty. Located near Siwa on the edge of the Libyan Plateau, the Qattara is 437
feet (133 meters) below sea level.
The area between the Nile River and the Red Sea is the Arabian, or Eastern, Desert. It is a rugged,
heavily dissected plateau with elevations of more than 3,300 feet (1,000 meters). Along the Red Sea
coast, Jebel, or Mount, Shayib is 7,178 feet (2,188 meters) above sea level. The highest point in Egypt is
in the Musa Mountains of southern Sinai, where Jebel Katherina reaches 8,655 feet (2,638 meters). In the
north is the Sinai Desert, which extends to the coast between the Suez Canal and Israel.
Egypt has an arid climate. Alexandria has the highest rainfall, with a mean of 7.4 inches (18.8
centimeters) annually. Other parts of the Mediterranean coast receive even less rainfall, with only 2.5
inches (6.4 centimeters) annually at Port Said. Most rain falls in the winter, none in the summer. The
mean annual temperature is 69° F (20° C), reaching a high of 80° F (27° C) in the summer.
Cairo is a desert capital. It receives slightly less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) of rainfall annually,
and the mean annual temperature is 71° F (22° C). In the spring and summer early morning fogs on the
Nile Delta provide some additional moisture. The rest of Egypt has only a few centimeters of rainfall
annually. Most of the year is hot and dry, and periodic droughts extending over several years are common.
Aswan, for example, has a mean annual rainfall of 0.2 inch (0.5 centimeter) and a temperature of 80° F
(27° C) with a high of 94° F (34° C) in the summer.
During the spring, hot dry khamsin winds blow northward from the Sahara across Egypt to the
Mediterranean coast. The khamsin, which often produces sandstorms, can last for several days, destroying
crops. Egypt has no forests and only a few permanent grasslands for pasture. At best the deserts support
sparse drought-resistant scrub vegetation.
People
Egypt's population is about 48.5 million. The average annual rate of growth is 1.7 percent. In the
delta and valley of the Nile, densities reach 3,243 persons per square mile (1,252 per square kilometer).
About 49 percent of the population live in cities. The majority of Egyptians live in rural agricultural
villages, some of which have 20,000 or more people.
Egypt's largest cities are Cairo, the capital, and Alexandria. Together they contain about two
thirds of the urban population. Cairo and its suburbs occupy both banks of the Nile just south of the delta.
It is the largest city in Africa. Greater Cairo was estimated to have 10 million people in the mid-1980s.
Giza is its largest suburb. Alexandria, the chief seaport, had about 3 million. Fifteen other cities, most
located in the delta and the valley of the Nile, had populations of 100,000 or more. The Suez Canal cities
of Port Said, Ismailia, and Suez, which were abandoned during the 1967 war with Israel, have been
rebuilt.
Large-scale migration from rural areas to cities, especially Cairo and Alexandria, has caused urban
population growth at twice the average national rate. Both cities have severe housing shortages and lack
basic services. Extensive urban redevelopment programs are under way, and new towns are planned near
Damietta, Cairo, and Aswan. Land reclamation in the Nile and planned agricultural settlements in the
Western Desert are designed to help relieve population pressures.
Most Egyptians are Hamitic Arabs. They are descendants of the Hamites of ancient Egypt and of
the Arabs who migrated to Egypt after the Muslim conquests of the 7th century. The Nubians, who are
related to the Berber tribes of North Africa, are located south of Aswan. They were resettled in new
villages near Kom Ombo when Lake Nasser flooded their homeland. A few Europeans, primarily
Armenians and Greeks, live in cities. Most are in Alexandria.
About 86 percent of the Egyptians, including Nubians, are Sunni Muslims. Islam is the state
religion and the basis for Egyptian law. The largest minority is made up of members of the Coptic church,
one of the oldest Christian churches. The Copts, who are also descended from the Hamites, number about
6 million, or 13.5 percent of the total population. Egypt also has about 250,000 other Christians, and a
small Jewish community remains in Cairo.
Arabic is the official language. Although it is spoken by all Egyptians, there are many dialects.
Classical Arabic is used in printed materials and in the schools. Through radio and television the
government is attempting to develop a vernacular Arabic as the common language. Educated Egyptians
use English and French as second languages. French-language publications have wide circulation in
and Alexandria. The Coptic language, related to ancient Egyptian, is used only in church services. The
Nubian dialect, while still spoken, is no longer written.
Operation of the Economy
Major segments of Egypt's economy are controlled by the government. Most commercial and
industrial companies are either state-owned or are run under government supervision. Only agricultural
land and urban real estate are relatively free of government control. President Gamal Abdel Nasser
instituted a centrally planned socialist economy. His successor, Anwar el-Sadat, encouraged foreign
investment and private enterprise. Increased aid came from petroleum-rich Arab states, primarily the Gulf
Organization for the Development of Egypt.
After the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, most Arab countries withdrew economic and political
support from Egypt. President Hosni Mubarak reestablished ties with Arab countries and instituted policies
to increase exports, particularly of petroleum, and private investment.
From 1970 to 1980 Egypt's gross domestic product (GDP) grew at an average annual rate of 8.1
percent. Agriculture contributed 19 percent, mining 17 percent, and manufacturing, wholesale and retail
trade, and services 12 to 13 percent each. Because of limited opportunities in Egypt, many professionals
and skilled workers took jobs in other Arab countries, primarily the Gulf States and Libya.
Agriculture and Industry
Agriculture in Egypt depends almost entirely on irrigation from the Nile. Barrages and dams on
the Nile, especially the Aswan High Dam, allow water to be stored for use when the river level is low.
Canals distribute it where it is needed throughout the year. Under perennial irrigation, a field may yield
several crops each year. Cotton, rice, corn (maize), and sorghum are grown in summer. Barley, wheat, and
beans are winter crops. Citrus fruits and vegetables are grown on the Mediterranean coast. Although
enough fruits and vegetables are grown for the Egyptian people, only 38 percent of the demand for wheat
is met. Egypt imports about half of its food supplies, primarily wheat and flour.
Three quarters of Egypt's agricultural income is from cotton and rice. Cotton and cotton
products account for 23 percent of its export trade. Egypt produces about one third of the world's
long-staple cotton. The area planted in cotton, however, has declined by half since 1968, and exports
have been limited. Rice, fruits, and vegetables are also export crops. Sugarcane is grown to produce sugar
for Egypt. Most cattle are used as draft animals, and sheep and goats are raised for wool and hair. Despite
recent attempts to improve livestock husbandry, Egypt is a net importer of meat.
Egypt faces growing food shortages. Rapid population growth, rapid urbanization, and an
increased production of commercial export crops have intensified the pressure on a limited supply of
agricultural land. Farms are limited to a maximum of 50 feddans, or 52 acres (21 hectares). Cooperatives
aid farmers by renting implements and distributing seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides. Programs to increase
the cultivated area through land reclamation, however, have not had significant results. The Aswan High
Dam's potential to add 30 percent to the cultivated area has not been realized. In fact, large areas have
gone out of cultivation because of poor drainage and salinization, urban expansion, and industrial
growth--especially in the Nile Delta. The government has plans to reclaim 3 million acres (1.2 million
hectares). The largest projects are at West Nuberiya, which is near Alexandria, and in the northern Tahriv
region. Projects are also planned for the "new territories" in the oases of the Western Desert.
Textiles and food processing are the most important industries. Textiles, primarily cotton,
account for one third of the total output. Food processing, including the refining of sugarcane and
preparation of fruits, is the second largest industry. Iron and steel plants are located at Helwan and El
Dikheila, near Alexandria. An aluminum plant at Nag Hammadi processes imported bauxite. Cement is
produced for the construction industry, but Egypt imports half of the cement used. Ten new cement
plants are under construction. Fertilizer plants that use Egyptian natural gas are located at Takla and El
Dikheila, and plants are planned or under construction at Alexandria, Mansura, and Asyut.
Energy and Natural Resources
Egypt depends on fossil fuels and hydroelectric power for its energy supplies. In the late 1970s
petroleum supplied the majority of the energy and hydroelectric power, 20 percent. Other renewable
resources--such as crop residues, animal wastes, and wood--supplied 14 percent of the total energy
consumed. Industry used 48 percent of the energy; residential, commercial, and municipal, 32 percent; and
transportation, 14 percent. Only 6 percent was for agriculture and irrigation.
Egypt has the capacity to generate 5,610 million kilowatt hours. Two thirds is generated by
hydroelectric plants, most at the Aswan High Dam. Power plants that burn petroleum produce most of the
rest. These facilities are near Cairo and Alexandria and on the Nile Delta. High-voltage transmission lines
link the Aswan hydroelectric plants with Cairo.
Industrialization and a national program of rural electrification have demanded additional
generating capacity. A large coal-burning power plant near Cairo supplies three quarters of the city's
electricity. Eight nuclear reactors, which will generate 8,000 megawatts, are also planned. The first two
units were being built at El Dabaa, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) west of Alexandria. Plans to generate
hydroelectricity by flooding the Qattara Depression with water from the Mediterranean are also under
way.
Crude oil provided about 60 percent of Egypt's export revenues in the early 1980s, helping the
nation to remain financially independent of its Arab neighbors. Petroleum exports have increased since
1976, with crude oil production reaching 860,000 million barrels per day in 1984. The main fields are in
the southern Gulf of Suez and adjacent coastal areas of the Arabian Desert and the Sinai. The offshore
fields of El Morgan, Ramadan, July, October, and Belayim accounted for about 90 percent of the total
crude oil production. In the Western Desert are the major fields of El 'Alamein, Razzak, and Abu Gharadiq.
Large new reserves were found as the Egyptian government encouraged exploration and made
concessions.
Egypt has six petroleum refineries with a total capacity of 369,000 barrels per day. Two are
located near Alexandria (47 percent of the total), two are at Suez, and the others are at Tanta and
Mostarud near Cairo. They are linked by pipeline to the main producing fields. The largest and most
important is the Suez-Mediterranean (Sumed) pipeline, which extends from Ain Sukhna on the Gulf of
Suez to Sidi Krer west of Alexandria. It is being expanded. A new refinery planned for Asyut will be linked
by pipeline to the Ras Gharib and Ras Shuqair fields in the Arabian Desert.
Natural gas is produced from five fields. Located at the edge of the delta, the Abu Madi field
supplies gas to Tanta and Abu Qir, to Alexandria. Cairo (Helwan) is supplied by Abu Gharadiq, which is
124 miles (200 kilometers) to the west. In addition, two offshore fields provide a quarter of total
production. Egypt uses all of the natural gas it produces, and demand is growing rapidly.
Manganese, phosphates, iron ore, and coal are in the western Sinai. Iron ore is also mined near
Aswan, and large deposits have been found in Bahariya. Phosphates are mined in the Nile Valley and near
Safaga in the Arabian Desert. Chromium, lead, asbestos, gypsum, granite, and talc are also mined.
Limestone comes from the cliffs along the Nile.
Transportation, Communication, and Education
Water transportation is of primary importance in Egypt. It has about 1,925 miles (3,100
kilometers) of navigable waterways, half on the Nile and the other half on canals, mostly in the delta. The
main canals are the Nubariya on the delta and the Bahr el Yusef, which links El Faiyum with Asyut on the
Nile.
The Suez Canal is an internatshipping link between the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea.
The canal extends 121 miles (195 kilometers) from Port Said to Suez, on the Gulf of Suez. It has a
624-foot (190-meter) channel and a maximum draft of 54 feet (16.5 meters). Since 1975 the canal has
been expanded to accommodate supertankers. Alexandria, Port Said, and Suez are Egypt's major ports.
Alexandria's port is being expanded, and new ports are planned or are under construction at Dakheila,
Damietta, and Safaga.
Egypt has 3,327 miles (5,355 kilometers) of railways. From Cairo lines extend along the Nile to
Aswan, across the north coast to Salum, and to Alexandria, Port Said, and Suez. A railroad parallels the
west bank of the Suez Canal between Suez and Ismailia. A railway also connects the iron ore mines at
Bahariya with Helwan. A 26-mile (42-kilometer) subway transit system for Cairo began operation in
1988.
Egypt also has about 28,000 miles (45,000 kilometers) of roads, of which about 19,000 miles
(30,600 kilometers) are paved. The 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) Ahmad Hamdi tunnel under the Suez Canal
opened in 1980. Egyptair operates a full schedule of domestic and international flights. Service to Tel
Aviv began in March 1980. The Nuzbah International Airport near Cairo opened in 1983.
Cairo is the major publishing center in the Middle East. It has four major publishing companies.
Al Ahram, which was founded in 1875, is the most authoritative daily newspaper.
Cairo is also a center for radio and television. Egyptian radio and television broadcast in several
African and Asian languages. Egyptians have 14 million radios--more per capita than any other Middle
Eastern or North African country--and nearly 3.5 million television sets.
Illiteracy is one of Egypt's most severe problems. Although elementary schooling is compulsory,
an estimated 55 percent of the population is illiterate.
Secondary-school graduates may take examinations for entrance to universities, or they may
attend technical institutes specializing in agriculture, commerce, and industry. Egypt has 13 independent
universities. The six major state universities are coeducational. The largest of these is the University of
Cairo at Giza, founded as the Egyptian University in 1908. Universities were opened at Alexandria in
1942 and at Asyut in 1957. Ain Shams University, incorporating several other schools near Cairo, was
established in 1950. There are also state universities at Helwan, Mansura, and Tanta.
One of the world's oldest centers of Islamic education is El Azhar University in Cairo. Shortly
after El Azhar Mosque was built in 972, it had one of the leading academies in the Muslim world. Since
1961 it has also provided secular education. The American University in Cairo was founded in 1919, and
the Suez Canal University was established in Ismailia in 1976.
Government
The Arab Republic of Egypt is governed under the 1971 constitution. Islam is the state religion,
and Islamic jurisprudence is the basis of Egyptian law. Arabic is the official language. The constitution
provides for a strong presidency and a unicameral, or one-house, legislature--the People's Assembly. About
half of the members of the assembly must be farmers and workers. Members are elected for five-year
terms by direct universal suffrage. The president has extensive executive powers. He is nominated by at
least one third of the members of the People's Assembly, approved by at least two thirds of them, and
elected by popular referendum.
From 1962 to 1977 the Arab Socialist Union was the only legal political organization in Egypt.
Political parties had been abolished in 1953. In 1976, however, groups within the union were allowed to
support candidates. Political parties were legalized in 1977. The National Democratic party replaced the
Arab Socialist party as the majority, and the Socialist Labor party formed the official opposition.
In 1979 the People's Assembly was expanded from 350 to 392 members, ten of whom the
president appointed. In the 1984 elections new laws required parties to receive at least 8 percent of the
vote in order to be represented, and the number of seats was increased. In 1990 elections the principal
electoral change was to move to voting for individual candidates rather than party lists. The Assembly has
444 members chosen from 222 constituencies and 10 members appointed by the president.
The National Democratic party continued to dominate Egyptian politics. Its strongest
opposition since Egypt became a republic came from the New Wafd party. The other independent parties
were forced to form a coalition in order to gain more than 8 percent of the vote.
History
After the death of the prophet Muhammad in 632, Arabs conquered Egypt in 639 to 641. Most
Egyptians, who were Christians, converted to Islam. Those who resisted despite persecution were called
Copts, from an Arabic word meaning "Egyptian." Arabic replaced the Egyptian language, which was
restricted to use in the Coptic church. In 973 Cairo was founded, replacing the old capital of Al Fustat.
Egypt became part of the Ottoman Empire in 1517. Napoleon I invaded Egypt in 1798, defeating the
Turks in the battle of the Pyramids, but his fleet was destroyed by Britain's Admiral Horatio Nelson. The
British left Egypt by 1803. Mehemet Ali, an Albanian officer in the Ottoman forces, became pasha, or
governor, of Egypt in 1805. He defeated the British at Alexandria in 1807 and conquered most of the
northern Sudan between 1820 and 1822. In 1856 Sa'id Pasha, Mehemet Ali's son, granted Ferdinand de
Lesseps the right to build the Suez Canal. It was opened in 1869 during the reign of Ismail Pasha. To repay
his debts to British and French bankers, Ismail Pasha sold Egypt's shares of Suez stock to Britain, giving it
control of the canal. In 1876, again in debt, he allowed British and French officials strict control of
Egypt's finances. In 1883 British forces occupied Egypt to support the monarchy in the face of a growing
nationalist movement. In 1899 the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan was established under joint British and Egyptian
rule.
In World War I Turkey sided with Germany, but Egypt supported the British. Britain proclaimed
Egypt a protectorate in November 1914 and assumed responsibility for defending the Suez Canal. The
Wafd, or nationalist, movement gained strength in wartime. After failing to reach a settlement with the
Wafd, Britain abolished the protectorate and recognized Egyptian independence on Feb. 28, 1922. Britain
retained responsibility for the security of the Suez Canal and the defense of Egypt.
In 1923 a constitutional monarchy was established with Sultan Fuad as king. He was succeeded in
1936 by his son Farouk. A treaty that year ended the British occupation of Egypt but confirmed its
control of the canal zone and joint rule of the Sudan. When the British left Palestine in 1948, Egypt and
its Arab allies invaded the area proclaimed as the state of Israel. Although defeated, Egypt kept the Gaza
Strip.
Farouk was overthrown by a military junta on July 23, 1952. The Revolutionary Command
Council, which was led by Major General Mohammed Naguib and Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser, controlled
the government. The constitution was abolished, and political parties were dissolved. Egypt was declared a
republic on June 18, 1953, and Nasser became prime minister. An Anglo-Egyptian agreement in the same
year ended the union of Egypt and the Sudan, resulting in independence for Sudan.
After a new Egyptian constitution was approved in June 1956, Nasser was elected president. The
British forces left Egypt in July. Nasser declared the internationally owned Suez Canal Egyptian property.
The United States and Britain had withdrawn financial aid for the Aswan High Dam, and Nasser planned to
use revenues from the canal to finance Egypt's share of the project. Israel invaded Sinai in October, and
British and French forces landed in the canal zone in November. Nasser sank some 40 ships in the canal to
block it. United Nations (UN) pressure brought a cease-fire and withdrawal of forces, and the canal
reopened in March 1957 under Egyptian control, with guarantees of international use.
Egypt and Syriamerged as the United Arab Republic in 1958 and, with Yemen, formed the
United Arab States. Syria withdrew from the union in 1961 after a military coup, and Egypt ousted
Yemen. A 1963 agreement between Egypt, Syria, and Iraq to form another United Arab Republic failed,
though steps were taken in 1965 to join Egypt and Iraq.
Because of tensions between Israel and Syria, Nasser forced UN troops to withdraw from Egypt
and blockaded the Gulf of Aqaba against Israeli shipping. Israel attacked on June 5, 1967, defeating the
allied Arab forces in a six-day war and occupying the Gaza Strip and the Sinai. The Suez Canal was again
blocked by damaged ships. A UN-negotiated cease-fire failed to result in a peace settlement. After the war
Egypt faced severe financial crises and widespread discontent among students and workers. As efforts to
reach a settlement continued through 1970, Egyptian and Israeli forces dueled across the canal.
Nasser died in September 1970 and was succeeded by Anwar el-Sadat. In April 1971 Egypt, Libya,
and Syria agreed to form the Confederation of Arab Republics. Full union was prevented by worsening
relations between Egypt and Libya. On Oct. 6, 1973, Egypt and Syria launched surprise coordinated
attacks on Israeli-held Arab lands. A UN-sponsored cease-fire took effect, and in January 1974 Egypt and
Israel signed a disengagement agreement that returned to Egypt a strip of land east of the Suez Canal. The
canal was reopened in 1975.
Egypt reestablished diplomatic relations with the United States after the 1973 war with Israel. In
1976 Sadat canceled a 1971 mutual friendship treaty with the Soviet Union. In 1977 he became the first
Arab head of state to visit Israel. As a result of the 1979 Camp David agreements, moderated by United
States President Jimmy Carter, Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty that provided for a phased
withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Sinai. As Palestinian autonomy talks continued, the two countries
established diplomatic relations, and Egypt took control of parts of the Sinai. Egypt was suspended from
the Arab League, which it had once dominated, and most member countries withdrew economic aid from
Egypt.
Sadat was assassinated by Muslim extremists in October 1981. Vice-President Hosni Mubarak
became president. In October 1984 Egypt withdrew from its 1971 confederation with Syria and Libya.
Despite economic difficulties, Mubarak remained in control of the government after the 1984 legislative
elections. A five-day mutiny in Cairo by security police in 1986 raised questions about his ability to cope
with forces that were steadily eroding the nation's stability.
In October 1987 Mubarak began a second six-year term after receiving 97 percent of the vote in
a popular referendum. As a result of his moderate policies Egypt gradually improved its relationships with
other Arab states, and many of the members of the Arab League reestablished diplomatic relations with
Egypt. In 1989, Egypt rejoined the Arab League, and Mubarak was elected chairman of the Organization
of African Unity. Egypt was thrust onto center stage in 1990 by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, first
through Mubarak's attempts to bring about an Arab diplomatic solution and later by the deployment of
Egyptian troops and tanks as part of a multinational force in defense of Saudi Arabia.
Author Credit:
This article was contributed by Gary L. Fowler, Chairman and Associate Professor of Geography,
University of Illinois at Chicago.
FURTHER RESOURCES FOR EGYPT
Bendick, Jeanne. Egyptian Tombs (Watts, 1990).
Fodor's Egypt, 1990. (McKay, 1989).
Hart, George. Ancient Egypt (Harcourt, 1990).
Lye, Keith. Take a Trip to Egypt (Watts, 1983).
Romer, John. Ancient Lives (Holt, 1984).
Stead, Miriam. Egyptian Life (Harvard Univ. Press, 1986).
Population
62,359,623 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years
37% (female 11,380,668; male 11,872,728)
15-64 years
59% (female 18,250,706; male 18,641,830)
65 years and over
4% (female 1,204,477; male 1,009,214) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate
1.95% (1995 est.)
Birth rate
28.69 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate
8.86 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate
-0.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate
74.5 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population
61.12 years
male
59.22 years
female
63.12 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.67 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun
Egyptian(s)
adjective
Egyptian
Ethnic divisions
Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other
European (primarily Italian and French) 1%
Religions
Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94% (official estimate), Coptic Christian and other 6% (official estimate)
Languages
Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
total population
48%
male
63%
female
34%
Labor force
16 million (1994 est.)
by occupation
government, public sector enterprises, and armed forces 36%, agriculture 34%, privately owned
service and manufacturing enterprises 20% (1984)
note
shortage of skilled labor; 2,500,000 Egyptians work abroad, mostly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf
Arab states (1993 est.)