Geography

Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, between Sudan and Libya

Map references: Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area: total area: 1,001,450 km2 land area: 995,450 km2 comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico 

Land boundaries: total 2,689 km, Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km Coastline: 2,450 km 

Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm 

continental shelf: 200 m depth or to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: not specified territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580
km2, the dispute over this area escalated in 1993

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta Natural resources: petroleum, natural
gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc Land use: arable land: 3% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0% other: 95% Irrigated land: 25,850 km2 (1989 est.)

Environment: Nile is only perennial water source; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
water pollution; desertification Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest
sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean; size and juxtaposition to Israel establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics 



People

Population: 

59,585,529 (July 1993 est.) 

Population growth rate: 2.3% (1993 est.) note: the US Bureau of the Census has lowered its 1993 estimate of growth to 2.0% on the basis of a 1992 Egyptian
government survey, whereas estimates of other observers go as high as 2.9% 

Birth rate: 33 births/1,000 population (1993 est.) Death rate: 9 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.) 

Infant mortality rate: 78.3 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.) 

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 60.46 years male: 58.61 years female: 62.41 years (1993 est.) Total fertility rate: 4.35 children born/woman (1993
est.)

Nationality: noun: Egyptian(s) adjective: Egyptian

Ethnic divisions: Eastern Hamitic stock 90%, Greek, Italian, Syro-Lebanese 10% 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) 

total population: 48% male: 63% female: 34% 

Labor force: 15 million (1989 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 (1988
est.)