Egypt, equally ancient and mysterious Egypt shares land borders with Israel and the Gaza Strip to the northeast, Libya to the west and Sudan to the south and has coasts on the east and north by the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, respectively. Generally associated with the Middle East, the country has its most parts in Africa, while the Sinai Peninsula east of the Suez Canal is in Asia.

Occupying an area of about 1,020,000 km, Egypt is home to a great civilization which flourished in the ancient times. The country was ruled by a series of native dynasties for the three millennia till the area fell to the Persians in 341 B.C. Subsequent to the Persian rule, Greeks, Romans and Byzantines came into power.
Islam, the dominant faith with 90% of the population adherents, was introduced by the Arabs who introduced the Arabic language in the 7th century.

The Arabs were supplanted by the Mamluks who continued to rule Egypt till its conquest by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. The completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, an important landmark in the world history, witnessed the emergence of Egypt as a vital world transport centre.

Britain also controlled the government of Egypt for a period of time. However, the country became independent after the World War II.

Capital: Cairo

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

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Total Area: 1,001,450 sq km

Total Population: 1 78,887,007

Population Growth Rate: 1.75%

Sex Ratio: 1.02 male(s)/female

Literacy: 57.7%

Ethnic Groups: Egyptian 98%, Berber, Nubian, Bedouin, and Beja 1%, Greek, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1%

Irrigated land: 34,220 sq km

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

Time Zone: UTC+2

Currency: Egyptian pound (EGP)

Neighbouring countries: Gaza Strip, Israel, Libya, Sudan

Type of govt.: republic

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF

Major Political Parties:
National Democratic Party or NDP, National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu, New Wafd Party or NWP, Tomorrow Party

Participation in International Organizations:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, ONUB, UNITAR, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO,

Major Agricultural Products:
C cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats.

Natural Resources & Minerals:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc.

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

Airports: 88

Railways: 5,063 km

Roadways: 92,370 km

Waterways: 3,500 km

Major Trade Partners: US, Italy, Spain, Syria, France, Germany, Saudi Arabia and China

Exports: $24.22 billion

Imports: $35.86 billion