Egypt | Facts & Information

Updated September 9, 2022 | Infoplease Staff

Infoplease has everything you need to know about Egypt. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about Egypt's geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. If that's not enough, click over to our collection of world maps and flags.

Facts & Figures

  • President: Gen. Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (2014)

    Prime Minister: Mostafa Madbouly (2018)

    Land area: 384,344 sq mi (995,451 sq km); total area: 386,662 sq mi (1,001,450 sq km)

    Population (2022 est.): 107,770,524 (growth rate: 1.68%); birth rate: 21.46/1000; infant mortality rate: 17.7/1000; life expectancy: 74.45

    Capital and largest city (2022 est.): Cairo, 21.750 million

    Other large cities: Alexandria, 5.484 million; Bur Sa'id, 764,000 (2022)

    Monetary unit: Egyptian pound

    National name: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

    Current government officials

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

    Ethnicity/race: Egyptian 99.6%, other 0.4% (2006 census)

    National Holiday: Revolution Day, July 23

    Religions: Muslim (predominantly Sunni) 90%, Christian (majority Coptic Orthodox, other Christians include Armenian Apostolic, Catholic, Maronite, Orthodox, and Anglican) 10% (2012 est.)

    Literacy rate: 71.2% (2017 est.)

    Economic summary: GDP/PPP $1,223,040,000,000 (2020 est.); per capita $12,000. Real growth rate: 4.2%. Inflation: 9.3%. Unemployment: 7.86%. Arable land: 2.8%. Agriculture: cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats. Labor force: 24.113 million (2020); agriculture 25.8%, industry 25.1%, services 49.1% (2015 est.). Industries: textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures. Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc. Exports: $40.1 billion (2020 est.): crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals. Major trading partners (exports): United States 9%, United Arab Emirates 6%, Italy 6%, Turkey 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, India 5% (2019). Imports: $72.48 billion (2020 est.): machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels. Major trading partners (imports): China 15%, Russia 7%, United States 6%, Saudi Arabia 6%, Germany 5%, Turkey 5% (2019).

    Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 9,858,331 (2020); mobile cellular: 95,357,427 (2020). Broadcast media: mix of state-run and private broadcast media; state-run TV operates 2 national and 6 regional terrestrial networks as well as a few satellite channels; about 20 private satellite channels and a large number of Arabic satellite channels are available via subscription; state-run radio operates about 70 stations belonging to 8 networks; 2 privately owned radio stations operational (2019). Internet hosts: 200,430 (2012). Internet users: 73,680,770 (2020).

    Transportation: Railways: total: 5,085 km (2014). Roadways: total: 65,050 km; (2018 est.). Waterways: 3,500 km; note: includes Nile River, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches) navigable by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 17.68 m (2018). Ports and harbors: Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Suez, Zeit. Airports: 83 (2021).

    International disputes: Sudan claims but Egypt de facto administers security and economic development of Halaib region north of the 22nd parallel boundary; Egypt no longer shows its administration of the Bir Tawil trapezoid in Sudan on its maps; Gazan breaches in the security wall with Egypt in January 2008 highlight difficulties in monitoring the Sinai border; Saudi Arabia claims Egyptian-administered islands of Tiran and Sanafir.

    Major sources and definitions

See also: