Moving to Egypt: visas, cost of living & immigrant guide

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Population

111,247,248

Population Growth Rate

1.49%

Population Distribution

approximately 95% of the population lives within 20 km of the Nile River and its delta

vast areas of the country remain sparsely populated or uninhabited

Urban Population

• population: 43.1% of total population rate of
• urbanization: 1.9% annual rate of change

Population in Major Urban Areas

22.183 million CAIRO (capital), 5.588 million Alexandria, 778,000 Bur Sa'id

Population: Male/Female

• male: 57,142,484
• female: 54,104,764

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Age Structure

• years: 33.8% (male 19,349,395/female 18,243,571) 15-64
• years: 60.6% (male 34,646,369/female 32,792,151) 65 years and
• over: 5.6% (male 3,146,720/female 3,069,042)

Median Age

• total: 24.4 years
• male: 24.3 years
• female: 24.4 years

Birth Rate - births/1,000 population

20

Death Rate - deaths/1,000 population

4.3

Total Fertility Rate - children born/woman

2.65

Gross reproduction rate

1

Contraceptive Prevalance Rate - female 12-49

58.5%

Contraceptive Prevalence Rate - female 12-49

58.5%

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

71.1%

Mean Age for Mother's First Birth (age 25-49)

22.6

Mother's mean age at first birth

22.6

Sex Ratio at Birth - male/female

• birth: 1.06 male(s)/female 0-14
• years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64
• years: 1.06 male(s)/female 65 years and
• over: 1.03 male(s)/female total
• population: 1.06 male(s)/female

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Net Migration Rate - migrant(s)/1,000 population

-0.3

Demographic profile

Egypt is the most populous country in the Arab world and the third-most-populous country in Africa, behind Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Most of the country is desert, so about 95% of the population is concentrated in a narrow strip of fertile land along the Nile River, which represents only about 5% of Egypt’s land area.

Egypt’s rapid population growth – 46% between 1994 and 2014 – stresses limited natural resources, jobs, housing, sanitation, education, and health care.

Although the country’s total fertility rate (TFR) fell from roughly 5.5 children per woman in 1980 to just over 3 in the late 1990s, largely as a result of state-sponsored family planning programs, the population growth rate dropped more modestly because of decreased mortality rates and longer life expectancies.

During the last decade, Egypt’s TFR decline stalled for several years and then reversed, reaching 3.6 in 2011, and is under 3 as of 2022.

Contraceptive use has held steady at about 60%, while preferences for larger families and early marriage may have strengthened in the wake of the recent 2011 revolution.

The large cohort of women of or nearing childbearing age will sustain high population growth for the foreseeable future (an effect called population momentum).

Nevertheless, post-MUBARAK governments have not made curbing population growth a priority.

To increase contraceptive use and to prevent further overpopulation will require greater government commitment and substantial social change, including encouraging smaller families and better educating and empowering women.

Currently, literacy, educational attainment, and labor force participation rates are much lower for women than men.

In addition, the prevalence of violence against women, the lack of female political representation, and the perpetuation of the nearly universal practice of female genital cutting continue to keep women from playing a more significant role in Egypt’s public sphere.

Population pressure, poverty, high unemployment, and the fragmentation of inherited land holdings have historically motivated Egyptians, primarily young men, to migrate internally from rural and smaller urban areas in the Nile Delta region and the poorer rural south to Cairo, Alexandria, and other urban centers in the north, while a much smaller number migrated to the Red Sea and Sinai areas.

Waves of forced internal migration also resulted from the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and the floods caused by the completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1970.

Limited numbers of students and professionals emigrated temporarily prior to the early 1970s, when economic problems and high unemployment pushed the Egyptian Government to lift restrictions on labor migration.

At the same time, high oil revenues enabled Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and other Gulf states, as well as Libya and Jordan, to fund development projects, creating a demand for unskilled labor (mainly in construction), which attracted tens of thousands of young Egyptian men.

Between 1970 and 1974 alone, Egyptian migrants in the Gulf countries increased from approximately 70,000 to 370,000.

Egyptian officials encouraged legal labor migration both to alleviate unemployment and to generate remittance income (remittances continue to be one of Egypt’s largest sources of foreign currency and GDP).

During the mid-1980s, however, depressed oil prices resulting from the Iran-Iraq War, decreased demand for low-skilled labor, competition from less costly South Asian workers, and efforts to replace foreign workers with locals significantly reduced Egyptian migration to the Gulf States.

The number of Egyptian migrants dropped from a peak of almost 3.3 million in 1983 to about 2.2 million at the start of the 1990s, but numbers gradually recovered.

In the 2000s, Egypt began facilitating more labor migration through bilateral agreements, notably with Arab countries and Italy, but illegal migration to Europe through overstayed visas or maritime human smuggling via Libya also rose.

The Egyptian Government estimated there were 6.5 million Egyptian migrants in 2009, with roughly 75% being temporary migrants in other Arab countries (Libya, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates) and 25% being predominantly permanent migrants in the West (US, UK, Italy, France, and Canada).

During the 2000s, Egypt became an increasingly important transit and destination country for economic migrants and asylum seekers, including Palestinians, East Africans, and South Asians and, more recently, Iraqis and Syrians.

Egypt draws many refugees because of its resettlement programs with the West; Cairo has one of the largest urban refugee populations in the world.

Many East African migrants are interned or live in temporary encampments along the Egypt-Israel border, and some have been shot and killed by Egyptian border guards.

Ethnic Groups

Egyptian 99.7%, other 0.3%

Language Note

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

Nationality Noun

• noun: Egyptian(s)
• adjective: Egyptian

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Literacy - total population

73.1%

Literacy - male

78.8%

Literacy - female

67.4%

Literacy Definition

age 15 and over can read and write

Education Expenditures - percent of GDP

2.5%

Total School Life Expectancy - (primary to tertiary)

• total: 14 years
• male: 14 years
• female: 14 years

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Life Expectancy at Birth

• population: 75 years
• male: 73.8 years
• female: 76.2 years

Infant Mortality Rate

• total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant Mortality Rate - total deaths/1,000 live births

• total: 16.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• male: 17.8 deaths/1,000 live births
• female: 15.9 deaths/1,000 live births

Maternal Mortality Rate - deaths/100,000 live births

17

Physicians Density - physicians/1,000 population

.75

Hospital Bed Density - beds/1,000 population

1.4

Health Expenditures - percent of GDP

4.4%

Major Infectious Diseases - degree of risk

• risk: intermediate food or waterborne
• diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

32%

Tobacco Use

• total: 24.3%
• male: 48.1%
• female: 0.4%

Alcohol consumption per capita

• total: 0.14 liters of pure alcohol
• beer: 0.09 liters of pure alcohol
• wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol
• spirits: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol other
• alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol

Drinking Water Source - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 99.7% of population
• rural: 99.7% of population
• total: 99.7% of population
• unimproved: urban: 0.3% of population
• rural: 0.3% of population
• total: 0.3% of population

Sanitation Facility Access - percent of urban population improved

• improved: urban: 99.9% of population
• rural: 98.2% of population
• total: 98.9% of population
• unimproved: urban: 0.1% of population
• rural: 1.8% of population
• total: 1.1% of population

Underweight - percent of children under five years

7%

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Economic Overview

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley where most economic activity takes place.

Egypt's economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but opened up considerably under former Presidents Anwar EL-SADAT and Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK.

Agriculture, hydrocarbons, manufacturing, tourism, and other service sectors drove the country’s relatively diverse economic activity.

Despite Egypt’s mixed record for attracting foreign investment over the past two decades, poor living conditions and limited job opportunities have contributed to public discontent.

These socioeconomic pressures were a major factor leading to the January 2011 revolution that ousted MUBARAK.

The uncertain political, security, and policy environment since 2011 has restricted economic growth and failed to alleviate persistent unemployment, especially among the young.

In late 2016, persistent dollar shortages and waning aid from its Gulf allies led Cairo to turn to the IMF for a 3-year, $12 billion loan program.

To secure the deal, Cairo floated its currency, introduced new taxes, and cut energy subsidies - all of which pushed inflation above 30% for most of 2017, a high that had not been seen in a generation.

Since the currency float, foreign investment in Egypt’s high-interest treasury bills has risen exponentially, boosting both dollar availability and central bank reserves.

Cairo will be challenged to obtain foreign and local investment in manufacturing and other sectors without a sustained effort to implement a range of business reforms.

Industries

Textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$12,100.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.8%

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GDP - Gross Domestic Product (PPP)

$1,223,040,000,000 (USD)

GDP Per Capita

$12,100.00 (USD)

GDP - real growth rate

3.8%

GDP - official exchange rate

$342,800,000,000 (USD)

GDP - composition, by end use

• consumption: 84.4% Government
• consumption: 12% Investment in fixed
• capital: 12.1% Investment in
• inventories: 0.4% Exports of goods and
• services: 12.7% Imports of goods and
• services: -21.6%

GDP by Sector- agriculture

11.3%

GDP by Sector- Industry

35.8%

GDP by Sector- services

52.9%

Industrial Growth Rate

0.6%

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Inflation Rate

12.1%

Exchange Rate per US Dollar

9.71

Currency Name and Code

Egyptian pounds (EGP)

Fiscal Year

1 July - 30 June

Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate

12.5%

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Labor Force

31,960,000

Unemployment Rate

13.1%

Major Industries

Textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

Agriculture Products

Cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

Population Below Poverty Line

25.2%

Child Labor - # of children ages 5-14

1,066,526

Child Labor - % of children ages 5-14

7%

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Labor Force By Occupation- agriculture

29.2%

Labor Force By Occupation- industry

23.5%

Labor Force By Occupation- services

47.3%

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Annual Budget

$60,090,000,000 (USD)

Public Debt (% of GDP)

92.6%

Budget Surplus or Deficit - percent of GDP

-9.4%

Taxes and other revenues - percent of GDP

17.5%

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Full Country Name

Arab Republic of Egypt

Country Name

Egypt

Local - Long

Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah

Local - Short

Misr

Former Name

United Arab Republic (short-lived unification with Syria)

Etymology- history of name

the English name "Egypt" derives from the ancient Greek name for the country "Aigyptos"; the Arabic name "Misr" can be traced to the ancient Akkadian "misru" meaning border or frontier

Independence

• 28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status
• the military-led revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956)
• note - it was ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically

National Holiday

Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

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Government Type

presidential republic

Constitution

• history: several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014
• amendments: proposed by the president of the republic or by one fifth of the House of Representatives members; a decision to accept the proposal requires majority vote by House members; passage of amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote by House members and passage by majority vote in a referendum; articles of reelection of the president and principles of freedom are not amendable unless the amendment "brings more guarantees;" amended 2019

Legal System:

mixed legal system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws; judicial review of the constitutionality of laws by the Supreme Constitutional Court

Executive Branch:

• chief of state: President Abdelfattah ELSISI (since 8 June 2014)
• head of government: Prime Minister Mostafa MADBOULY (since 7 June 2018)
• cabinet: Cabinet ministers nominated by the executive branch and approved by the House of Representatives
• elections/appointments: president elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 6-year term (eligible for 3 consecutive terms); election last held on 26 to 28 March 2018 (next to be held 10 to 12 December 2023); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of Representatives; note - following a constitutional amendment approved by referendum in April 2019, the presidential term was extended from 4 to 6 years and eligibility extended to 3 consecutive terms
• election results: Abdelfattah ELSISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdelfattah ELSISI (independent) 97.1%, Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA (El Ghad Party) 2.9%; note - more than 7% of ballots cast were deemed invalid

Legislative Branch:

• Description: bicameral Parliament consists of: Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh) (300 seats; 100 members directly elected in single seat constituencies, 100 directly elected by closed party-list vote, and 100 appointed by the president;
• Note: the upper house, previously the Shura Council, was eliminated in the 2014 constitution, reestablished as the Senate, following passage in a 2019 constitutional referendum and approved by the House of Representatives in June 2020 House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab) (596 seats; 448 members directly elected by individual candidacy system, 120 members - with quotas for women, youth, Christians and workers - elected in party-list constituencies by simple majority popular vote, and 28 members appointed by the president; members of both houses serve 5-year terms
• Elections: Senate - first round held on 11-12 August 2020 (9-10 August for diaspora); second round held on 8-9 September (6-7 September for diaspora) (next to be held in 2025) House of Representatives - last held 24-25 October and 7-8 November 2020) (next to be held in 2025)
• Election Results: - Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nation's Future Party 100, independent 100;
• Composition: men 260, women 40, percent of women 13.3% House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Nation's Future Party 316, Republican People's Party 50, New Wafd Party 26, Homeland Defenders Party 23, Modern Egypt Party 11, Reform and Development Party 9, Al-Nour Party 7, Egyptian Conference Party 7, Egyptian Freedom Party 7, Egyptian Social Democratic Party 7, Tagammu 6, Justice Party 2, Etradet Geel Party 1, independent 124;
• Composition: men 428, women 164, percent of women 27.5%;
• Note: total Parliament percent of women 22.8%

Judicial Branch:

• office: under the 2014 constitution, all judges and justices selected and appointed by the Supreme Judiciary Council and approved as a formality by the president of the Republic; judges appointed for life; under the 2019 amendments, the president has the power to appoint heads of judiciary authorities and courts, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court
• subordinate courts: Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; courts of limited jurisdiction; Family Court (established in 2004)

Regions or States:

27 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj

Political Parties and Leaders:

• Al-Nour [Yunis MAKHYUN]
• Arab Democratic Nasserist Party [El Etehad el Masri el ARABI]
• Congress Party [Omar Al-Mokhtar SEMIDA]
• Conservative Party [El Mohafezin]
• Democratic Peace Party [Ahmed FADALY]
• Egyptian National Movement Party [Gen. Raouf EL SAYED]
• Egyptian Social Democratic Party [Farid ZAHRAN]
• El Ghad Party [Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA]
• El Serh El Masry el Hor [Tarek Ahmed Abbas NADIM]
• Eradet Geel Party [Tayseer MATAR]
• Free Egyptians Party [Essam KHALIL]
• Freedom Party [Mamdouuh HASSAN]
• Justice Party Homeland’s Protector Party [Lt. Gen. (retired)
• Galal AL-HARIDI]
• Modern Egypt Party [Nabil DEIBIS]
• My Homeland Egypt Party [Gen. Seif El Islam ABDEL BARY ]
• Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) [Abdel Wahab Abdel RAZEQ]
• National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu)
• Party [Sayed Abdel AAL]
• Reform and Development Party [Mohamad Anwar al-SADAT]
• Republican People’s Party [Hazim AMR]
• Revolutionary Guards Party [Magdy EL-SHARIF]
• Wafd Party [Abdel Sanad YAMAMA]

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

Citizenship Criteria:

• birth: no citizenship by descent
• only: if the father was born in Egypt dual citizenship
• recognized: only with prior permission from the government residency requirement for
• naturalization: 10 years

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Capital Name

Cairo

Capital - geographic coordinate

30 03 N, 31 15 E

Capital Time Difference

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight Savings Time

+1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Thursday in October

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International Organization Participation:

• ABEDA
• AfDB
• AFESD
• AMF
• AU
• BRICS
• BSEC (observer)
• CAEU
• CD
• CICA
• COMESA
• D-8
• EBRD
• FAO
• G-15
• G-24
• G-77
• IAEA
• IBRD
• ICAO
• ICC (national committees)
• ICRM
• IDA
• IDB
• IFAD
• IFC
• IFRCS
• IHO
• ILO
• IMF
• IMO
• IMSO
• Interpol
• IOC
• IOM
• IPU
• ISO
• ITSO
• ITU
• LAS
• LCBC (observer)
• MIGA
• MINURSO
• MONUSCO
• NAM
• OAPEC
• OAS (observer)
• OIC
• OIF
• OSCE (partner)
• PCA
• UN
• UNAMID
• UNCTAD
• UNESCO
• UNHCR
• UNIDO
• UNISFA
• UNMISS
• UNOCI
• UNOOSA
• UNRWA
• UNWTO
• UPU
• WCO
• WFTU (NGOs)
• WHO
• WIPO
• WMO
• WTO

International Law Organization Participation:

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt

Diplomatic Representation from US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Herro MUSTAFA GARG (since November 2023)
• Embassy: 5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo
• Mailing Address: 7700 Cairo Place, Washington DC 20512-7700
• Telephone: [20-2] 2797-3300
• FAX: [20-2] 2797-3200
• Email: ConsularCairoACS@state.gov
• Website: https://eg.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic Representation in the US:

• Chief of Mission: Ambassador Motaz Mounir ZAHRAN (since 17 September 2020)
• Chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
• Telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400; [1] (202) 895-5408
• FAX: [1] (202) 244-5131; [1] (202) 244-4319
• Email: consulate@egyptembassy.net
• Website: https://www.egyptembassy.net/
• Consulate(s) General: Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York

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Geographic Location

Africa

Geographic Coordinates

27 00 N, 30 00 E

Total Area

386,660 Square Miles 1,001,450 Square Kilometers

Land Area

384,343 Square Miles 995,450 Square Kilometers

Water Area

2,317 Square Miles 6,000 Square Kilometers

Land Boundaries

1,656 Miles 2,665 Kilometers

Border Countries

Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline

1,522 Miles 2,450 Kilometers

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Terrain

Vast desert plateau interrupted by the Nile Valley and delta

Highest Point

2,629 Meters

Highest Point Location

Mount Catherine 2,629 m

Lowest Point

-133 Meters

Lowest Point Location

Qattara Depression -133 m

Natural Resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, rare earth elements, zinc

Irrigated Land

13,212 Square Miles 34,220 Square Kilometers

Time Zone

UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Daylight saving time

+1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Thursday in October

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Climate

From November to April, temperatures range in Cairo from 40° to 65°F, and during the hot period, May to October, from 70° to 110°F.

The Mediterranean coast is usually 10° cooler, while Upper Egypt is 10° to 20° warmer.

Extreme temperatures during both seasons are moderated by the prevailing northerly winds.

The exception is the hot, dry southerly Khamaseen, named for the number 50 because it occurs in a 50-day timeframe from April to June.

With winds up to 90 miles an hour, the resulting sandstorms close down airports and roads.

Terrain

Vast desert plateau interrupted by the Nile Valley and delta

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

Total Area

386,660 Square Miles 1,001,450 Square Kilometers

Border Countries

Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Environment - Current Issues

• agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands
• increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam
• desertification
• oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats
• other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents
• limited natural freshwater resources away from the Nile, which is the only perennial water source
• rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources

Environment - International Agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

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Exports

$14,730,000,000 (USD)

Imports

$50,070,000,000 (USD)

Major Exports

Crude oil and petroleum products, fruits and vegetables, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals, processed food

Major Imports

Machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

Top Export Partners

Saudi Arabia 9.1%, Italy 7.5%, Turkey 5.8%, UAE 5.1%, United States 5.1%, UK 4.4%, India 4.1%

Top Import Partners

China 13%, Germany 7.7%, United States 5.9%, Turkey 4.5%, Russia 4.4%, Italy 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%

Export Partners

Saudi Arabia 9.1%, Italy 7.5%, Turkey 5.8%, UAE 5.1%, United States 5.1%, UK 4.4%, India 4.1%

Import Partners

China 13%, Germany 7.7%, United States 5.9%, Turkey 4.5%, Russia 4.4%, Italy 4.4%, Saudi Arabia 4.1%

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Country Description

Egypt is a republic with a developing economy. It has extensive facilities for tourists.

Safety & Security

Political protests occur often throughout Egypt.

We remind U.S. citizens that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into violence.

Demonstrations have led to frequent violent clashes between police and protesters, resulting in deaths, injuries, and property damage.

In some areas, protesters have blocked major streets and bridges, burned tires and debris, established unofficial checkpoints, and thrown rocks and Molotov cocktails.

Security forces have responded with tear gas, crowd-control measures, and firearms to disperse demonstrations.

Protests can occur with little to no warning in any area, but Cairo's Tahrir Square; Nasr City near Rabaa Aladawiya; Dokki near Cairo University; and Salah Salem Road, as well as the AlQaed Ibrahim, Sidi Gaber and Sidi Beshr areas of Alexandria have been favored locations for rallies and demonstrations, particularly on Fridays.

Protests and incidents of political violence have occurred with greater frequency at universities.

Although the state of emergency and curfew imposed in August 2013 were rescinded in November, armed security forces remain heavily deployed in many areas.

On June 28, 2013, a U.S. citizen was killed during a demonstration in Alexandria.

Women in particular are advised to avoid demonstrations as there have been multiple reports of gender-based violence and sexual assaults against both foreign and Egyptian women.

U.S. citizens are advised that it is illegal to photograph certain facilities in Egypt, and enforcement of this law is particularly strict at demonstrations.

U.S. citizens have been detained, questioned and in some cases deported for taking pictures or videos of protests or military and police personnel, facilities and equipment.

Protests and public disorder are not confined to Cairo and Alexandria.

Sohag, Suez, Port Said, Fayoum, Minya, Qena, Asyut, and the Sinai Peninsula have also witnessed incidents of political violence.

U.S.

Embassy personnel traveling to these areas require advance approval.

Egyptian authorities also restrict the travel of foreigners to certain locales.

U.S. citizens planning to travel beyond Cairo and Alexandria should contact the Embassy prior to travel.

Large gatherings in Egypt, including sporting events such as soccer matches, can cause major traffic disruptions and sometimes turn violent.

U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution if attending soccer matches in Egypt, be aware of the potential for snarled traffic and agitated crowds after sporting events, and avoid venues--such as bars and coffee houses--where large numbers of people gather to watch sporting events on television.

We strongly urge you to avoid crowds, to exercise extreme caution if within the vicinity of any large public gatherings, and to stay well away from demonstrations.

U.S. citizens are urged to remain alert to local security developments and to be vigilant regarding their personal security by knowing the locations of police and fire stations, hospitals, and other places to relocate to feel secure.

If you are concerned for your security, you should exercise personal responsibility, remove yourself from the situation, and relocate to an area where you feel secure.

U.S. citizens are advised to avoid urban areas after dark.

U.S. citizens should also carry identification and a cell phone or other means of communication that works in Egypt.

U.S. citizens are encouraged to make common sense plans to deal with security situations and to investigate alternate means of communication in country, evacuation insurance, and alternative destinations both within and outside the country in case of emergency.

Terrorism: Egypt witnessed several terrorist incidents in 2013.

A large number of these incidents specifically targeted Egyptian security forces and infrastructure, including the attempted assassination of the Minister of Interior, attacks on police stations, and the discoveries of explosive devices in Cairo and elsewhere

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Crime

Following the Revolution in January 2011, the incidence of crime, including attacks on foreigners, increased throughout the country.

Travelers should apply common sense personal security measures when moving about, particularly in urban areas after dark, to avoid becoming a victim.

While the majority of incidents reported are crimes of opportunity, such as purse snatching and theft, there is growing and serious concern of incidents that involve weapons, including car-jackings.

There have been multiple reports of men on motorcycles or in cars grabbing purses or other valuables in drive-by assaults.

U.S. citizens are advised to carry mobile phones in pockets rather than on belts or in purses.

Avoid wearing headphones, which make the wearer more vulnerable and readily advertise the presence of a valuable item.

Limit or avoid display of jewelry as it attracts attention and could prompt a robbery attempt.

Limit cash and credit cards carried on your person.

Be sure to store valuables, wallet items, and passports in a safe place.

Travelers are strongly cautioned not to leave valuables such as cash, jewelry, and electronic items unsecured in hotel rooms or unattended in public places.

Women are vulnerable to sexual harassment and verbal abuse; the Embassy has received numerous reports of foreigners being groped in taxis and while in public places.

Travelers are cautioned to be aware of their surroundings and to be cautious going anywhere with a stranger alone.

Criminal Penalties

While you are traveling in Egypt, you are subject to its laws.

The Egyptian legal system is different from the legal system in the United States.

If you break Egyptian laws, your U.S. passport will not prevent arrest or prosecution.

Punishments often are harsher in Egypt for comparable crimes than they are in the United States.

You may be detained and taken in for questioning if you do not have proper identification, such as a passport.

Although the enforcement of traffic laws generally is lax, foreigners are subject to extra scrutiny and driving under the influence could result in arrest or detainment.

Be aware that you can also be prosecuted for violating U.S. laws while in Egypt.

Do not purchase counterfeit or pirated goods, such as DVDs.

They are illegal in Egypt and in the United States.

Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States.

While some countries routinely notify the U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested, others do not.

If you are arrested or detained in Egypt, you should immediately ask authorities to notify the U.S.

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Medical Facilities

Medical care in Egypt falls short of U.S. standards.

The U.S.

Embassy in Cairo can provide a list of local hospitals and English-speaking physicians.

Emergency and intensive care facilities are limited.

Most Nile cruise boats do not have a ship's doctor, but some employ a medical practitioner of uncertain qualification.

Hospital facilities in Luxor and Aswan are inadequate, and they are nonexistent at most other ports-of-call.

The Egyptian ambulance service hotline is 123, but Egyptian ambulance service is not reliable.

Beaches on the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts are generally unpolluted.

However, persons who swim in the Nile or its canals, walk barefoot in stagnant water, or drink untreated water are at risk of exposure to bacterial and other infections and the parasitic disease schistosomiasis (bilharzia).

It is generally safe to eat freshly prepared cooked food in hotels, on Nile cruise boats, and in mainstream restaurants.

When selecting a restaurant, select a clean and reputable place,eat only freshly prepared, cooked foods, avoid all uncooked food including raw fruits and vegetables.

Tap water in many locations is not potable.

It is best to drink bottled water or water that has been boiled and filtered.

Well-known brands of bottled beverages are generally considered to be safe if the seal is intact.

Traffic Safety

While in Egypt, you may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States.

The information below concerning Egypt is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Driving in Egypt, a country with one of the world’s highest rates of road fatalities per mile driven, is a challenge.

Even seasoned residents of Cairo must use extraordinary care and situational awareness to navigate the hectic streets of the capital.

Traffic rules routinely are ignored.

Any visiting U.S. citizens thinking about driving in Cairo should carefully consider their options, take the utmost precautions, and drive defensively.

Drivers should be prepared for motorists not using their headlights at night; few, if any, road markings; vehicles traveling at high speeds; vehicles traveling the wrong way on one-way streets; divided highways and connecting ramps; pedestrians dodging in and out of traffic; and a variety of animals on the roads.

Traffic lights in Cairo are not functional.

Instead, major intersections are staffed by police who gesture to indicate which cars may move.

Pedestrians should exercise extreme caution when traversing roadways, especially in high-volume/high-velocity streets such as Cairo's Corniche, which follows the east bank of the Nile River.

Motorists in Egypt should be especially cautious during the rare winter rains, which can cause extremely slippery road surfaces or localized flooding.

Accidents involving public mini- and microbuses are frequent, including serious incidents involving fatalities.

Riders also are subject to pick-pocketing and other crimes.

For these reasons, the

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Airports - total

83

Airports with Paved Runways

72

Heliports

7

Railways

3,158 Miles 5,083 Kilometers

Roadways- total

85,395 Miles 137,430 Kilometers

Roadways- paved

78,754 Miles 126,742 Kilometers

Waterways

2,175 Miles 3,500 Kilometers

Ports and Terminals

Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Port Said, Sidi Kurayr, Suez

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Pipelines: Condensate

302 Miles 486 Kilometers

Pipelines: Gas

4,962 Miles 7,986 Kilometers

Pipelines: Liquid Petroleum Gas

595 Miles 957 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil

3,247 Miles 5,225 Kilometers

Pipelines: Oil/Gas/Water

23 Miles 37 Kilometers

Pipelines: Refined Products

556 Miles 895 Kilometers

Pipelines: Water

40 Miles 65 Kilometers

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Telephones

8,714,000

Cell Phones

83,425,000

Internet Users

20,136,000

Internet Country Code

.eg

Internet Hosts

200,430

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

Telephone System

• assessment: underwent extensive upgrading during the 1990s; principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay
• Domestic: largest fixed-line system in the region; as of 2011 there were multiple mobile-cellular networks with a total of roughly 83 million subscribers
• International: country code - 20; landing point for Aletar, the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks, Link Around the Globe (FLAG) Falcon and FLAG FEA; satellite earth stations - 4 (2 Intelsat - Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean, 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat); tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel

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Electricity Consumption- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

115,800,000,000

Electricity Exports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

1,118,000,000

Electricity Imports- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

183,000,000

Electricity Production- Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

136,600,000,000

Natural Gas Consumption - Kilowatt Hours (kWh)

46,170,000,000

Natural Gas Exports- Cubic Meters (cu m)

10,510,000,000

Natural Gas Production- Cubic Meters (cu m)

61,260,000,000

Natural Gas Reserves- Cubic Meters (cu m)

2,186,000,000,000

Oil Consumption- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

816,300

Oil Exports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

85,000

Oil Imports- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

48,740

Oil Production- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

711,500

Oil Reserves- Barrels Per Day (bbl/day)

4,400,000,000

Anthem Lyrics English

My homeland, my homeland, my hallowed land, Only to you, is my due hearty love at command, My homeland, my homeland, my hallowed land, Only to you is my due hearty love at command, Mother of the great ancient land, My sacred wish and holy demand, All should love, awe and cherish thee, Gracious is thy Nile to humanity, No evil hand can harm or do you wrong, So long as your free sons are strong, My homeland, my homeland, my hallowed land, Only to you, is my due hearty love at command