Conventional name: Arab Republic of Egypt (Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah).
Surface area: 1.001.449 km².
Comparison with a European country : About twice the size of Spain.
Capital: Cairo.
Population: 80 milions of inhabitants.
Young People under 25 years old: 54%.
GDP/ inhab: 5 900 dollars
Ethnic Background : Eastern Hamitic (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greeks, Nubians (approx.160.000), Armenians, other Europeans (primarily Italians and Frenchs) 1%.
Religions : Muslims Sunni 94%, Christians (Orthodox Copts, Catholics and Armenians) and other 6%.
Language: Arabic.
Currency : 1 Egyptian pound (EGP) = 100 piasters (1 Egyptian £= 0,24 €uros, 31.05.02)
Unemployment Rate (2001): 12%
Year of Independence : 1936 (from the United Kingdom)
Admitted in the United Nations in: 1945.
Member of : League of Arab States, OIC, COMESA, W.T.O.
State nature: Unitary Republic
Regime nature: Presidential
Formalities: Passport valid for 6 months after the date of entry and visa issued at the airport.
Sources (figures) : Economist Intelligence Unit, UN Population Database, CIA.
Useful websites
- The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: http://www.mfa.gov.eg/mfa_portal/en-gb/
- The sites of the Embassies in Egypt: http://www.dalelujo.com/ambassades/...
- News of the country on Afrik: http://www.afrik-news.com/
EU - Egypt relations
- The first cooperation agreement between the EC and Egypt was signed in 1977.
- The main activities financed by the protocols and EU-Egypt bilateral funds were: public enterprise reform and privatization program (€ 43 million), Programme for Private Sector Development (€ 45 million), reforming the financial sector / Banking Central (€ 11.7 million), support for the Population Programme in Upper Egypt (10 million €).
- The MEDA program until 2000 has been the main instrument to manage the aid through the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
- The Association Agreement between EU and Egypt was signed in June 2001 after nearly five years of negotiations, coming into action in 2004. The association agreement includes the establishment of new institutional structures for intensification of political dialogue and cooperation in the fields of education and culture and the fight against crime.
