Basic Information
Official Name: Arab Republic of Egypt or Egypt.
Capital: Cairo.
Estimated population: 71,897,547 (January 2005)
- Websites:
- CIA World Factobook: Egypt http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/eg.html
- Al-Ahram Newspaper http://www.ahram.org.eg/
- Map of Egypt http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/africa/egypt_pol97.jpg
Summary
Egypt is situated in the north-east of Africa, with the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Red Sea on the east. Egypt borders Libya to the west, Sudan to the south and Israel to the east. The area of Egypt is 1,02 million square kilometres. The capital is Cairo, and other main cities are Giza, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Port Said, Ismaileya, Marsa Matrouh, El Arish and Suez. Egypt is divided into 26 governorates. The main ethnic groups are Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Berbers and Bedouins) who comprise 99%; Nubian; Armenian; Italian; and Greek communities. The main religious groups are Sunni Muslim and Coptic Orthodox Christians. Other religious groups include Roman Catholic, Coptic Catholic, Protestants and there are a small number of Shia Muslims, Bahais and Jews. Arabic is the official language.
- Websites:
- CIA World Factbook: Egypt http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/eg.html
- US State Department Report on Human Rights Practices 2002 - Egypt http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2002/18274.htm
