Country Profile: Arab Republic of Egypt

Geography

North Africa. 2,450 kilometers of coastline. Capital: Cairo

Government

The legal system is based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes. The president is chosen by the People's Assembly, which is put to a national and popular referendum (yes or no with no opponents). The president appoints a prime minister to run the government.

According to a study done by Shibley Telhami with Zogby International, in October 2005, , no more than 2 percent support Egypt's "ruler," President Hosni Mubarak, and most people in the region believe that Muslim clerics are not participating enough in politics.

According to the BBC: "Although Egypt has changed its constitution to allow the opposition to contest presidential polls, potential candidates must meet strict criteria for participation. A ban remains on religious political parties."

In December, 2005, the National Democratic Party (Mubarak's party and the party of Sadat before him), the allies of the National Democratic Party, kept their parliamentary majority. Supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood, elected as independents, won 20 percent of the seats.

Economy

Figures unless otherwise stated are from the CIA Factbook.

Factbook: "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 has opened up considerably under former President Anwar EL-SADAT and current President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo has aggressively pursued economic reforms to encourage inflows of foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth."

Estimated per capita GDP (2009 U.S. dollars)

2009: $6,000
2008: $5,800
2007: $5,500

GDP annual real (not per capita) growth rate estimate

2009 4.7%
2008 7.2%
2007 7.1%

Unemployment rate

2009: 9.7%
2008: 8.7%

Public debt

2009: 79.8% of GDP

Military expenditures as a percentage of GDP

2005: 3.4%

Population

Living in an urban area: 43% (2008)

July 2009: 78.866 million. Growth rate: 2.033 (ranks 56th)

Migration

2009: More leaving than arriving. A net loss of 0.21 persons per 1,000 population.

Health

Infant mortality (deaths before the age of one year per 1,000 live births)

2009: 27.26
2008: 29.36
2005: 32.59

Average life expectancy at birth

2009: 72.12 years (ranks 122nd)

Religion

Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94 percent. Coptic Christian 6 percent.

Cairo University- February 17, 2006

Ranked 28th among African universities, according to Shibley Telhami in the Washington Post.

Literacy

2008: According to the CIA factbook, illiteracy in Egypt is 28.6 percent.

SOURCES:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/