4.2% of GDP (2006)
Government
Egypt
Country name:
conventional long form: Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form: Egypt
local long form: Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form: Misr
former: United Arab Republic (with Syria)
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: Cairo
geographic coordinates: 30 03 N, 31 15 E
time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during
Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last
Thursday in September
Administrative divisions:
26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al
Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El
Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah
(Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al
Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As
Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef),
Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai),
Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina'
(North Sinai), Suhaj (Sohag)
Independence:
28 February 1922 (from UK)
National holiday:
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
Constitution:
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March
2007
Legal system:
based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes);
judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees
validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction with reservations
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed NAZIF (since 9 July
2004)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term (no
term limits); note - a national referendum in May 2005 approved a
constitutional amendment that changed the presidential election to a
multicandidate popular vote; previously the president was nominated
by the People's Assembly and the nomination was validated by a
national, popular referendum; last referendum held 26 September
1999; first election under terms of constitutional amendment held 7
September 2005; next election scheduled for 2011
election results: Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote
- Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%
Legislative branch:
bicameral system consists of the People's Assembly or Majlis
al-Sha'b (454 seats; 444 elected by popular vote, 10 appointed by
the president; members serve five-year terms) and the Advisory
Council or Majlis al-Shura that traditionally functions only in a
consultative role but 2007 constitutional amendments could grant the
Council new powers (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88
appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term
elections for half of the elected members)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 7 and
20 November, 1 December 2005;(next to be held November-December
2010); Advisory Council - last held June 2007 (next to be held
May-June 2010)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA;
seats by party - NDP 311, NWP 6, Tagammu 2, Tomorrow Party 1,
independents 112 (12 seats to be determined by rerun elections, 10
seats appointed by President); Advisory Council - percent of vote by
party - NA; seats by party - NDP 84, Tagammu 1, independents 3
Judicial branch:
Supreme Constitutional Court
Political parties and leaders:
National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni
MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat
EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Mahmoud ABAZA]; Tomorrow Party
[Moussa Mustafa MOUSSA]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the
government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are
listed
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal)
note: despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties
and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood
constitutes Hosni MUBARAK's potentially most significant political
opposition
International organization participation:
ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, COMESA,
EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt
(signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURCAT,
MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE
(partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL,
UNMIS, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador (designate) Sameh SHOUKRY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 895-5400
FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Margaret SCOBEY
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah St., Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900; 5 Tawfik
Diab Street, Garden City, Cairo
telephone: [20] (2) 2797-3300
FAX: [20] (2) 2797-3200
Flag description:
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the
national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with
a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name
of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; design is
based on the Arab Liberation flag and similar to the flag of Syria,
which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an
Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has
a plain white band
Economy
Egypt
Economy - overview:
Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is
bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic
activity takes place. In the last 30 years, the government has
reformed the highly centralized economy it inherited from President
Gamel Abdel NASSER. In 2005, Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF's government
reduced personal and corporate tax rates, reduced energy subsidies,
and privatized several enterprises. The stock market boomed, and GDP
grew about 5% per year in 2005-06, and topped 7% in 2007. Despite
these achievements, the government has failed to raise living
standards for the average Egyptian, and has had to continue
providing subsidies for basic necessities. The subsidies have
contributed to a sizeable budget deficit - roughly 7.5% of GDP in
2007 - and represent a significant drain on the economy. Foreign
direct investment has increased significantly in the past two years,
but the NAZIF government will need to continue its aggressive
pursuit of reforms in order to sustain the spike in investment and
growth and begin to improve economic conditions for the broader
population. Egypt's export sectors - particularly natural gas - have
bright prospects.
GDP (purchasing power parity):
$405.4 billion (2007 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):
$127.9 billion (2007 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:
7.1% (2007 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):
$5,000 (2007 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 13.8%
industry: 38.1%
services: 48% (2007 est.)
Labor force:
22.1 million (2007 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 32%
industry: 17%
services: 51% (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate:
9.1% (2007 est.)
Population below poverty line:
20% (2005 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 29.5% (2000)
Distribution of family income - Gini index:
34.4 (2001)
Investment (gross fixed):
21.2% of GDP (2007 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $35.05 billion
expenditures: $44.83 billion (2007 est.)
Fiscal year:
1 July - 30 June
Public debt:
105.8% of GDP (2007 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
9.5% (2007 est.)
Central bank discount rate:
9% (31 December 2007)
Commercial bank prime lending rate:
12.51% (31 December 2007)
Stock of money:
$27.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of quasi money:
$102.6 billion (31 December 2007)
Stock of domestic credit:
$113.9 billion (31 December 2007)
Agriculture - products:
cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water
buffalo, sheep, goats
Industries:
textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals,
hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures
Industrial production growth rate:
7.5% (2007 est.)
Electricity - production:
109.1 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - consumption:
96.2 billion kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - exports:
557 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - imports:
208 million kWh (2006 est.)
Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 81%
hydro: 19%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Oil - production:
664,000 bbl/day (2007 est.)
Oil - consumption:
652,700 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:
204,700 bbl/day (2005 est.)
Oil - imports:
140,000 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - proved reserves:
3.7 billion bbl (1 January 2008 est.)
Natural gas - production:
47.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:
31.8 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - exports:
15.7 billion cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - imports:
0 cu m (2007 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:
1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2008 est.)
Current account balance:
$500.9 million (2007 est.)
Exports:
$24.45 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Exports - commodities:
crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products,
chemicals
Exports - partners:
US 9.7%, Italy 9.5%, Spain 7.6%, Syria 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.9%, UK
4.2% (2007)
Imports:
$44.95 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)
Imports - commodities:
machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels
Imports - partners:
US 11.7%, China 9.7%, Italy 6.4%, Germany 6.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%,
Russia 4.3% (2007)
Economic aid - recipient:
ODA, $925.9 million (2005)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
$31.37 billion (31 December 2007 est.)
Debt - external:
$29.2 billion (30 June 2007)
Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
$48.46 billion (2007 est.)
Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
$1.295 billion (2007 est.)
Market value of publicly traded shares:
$93.48 billion (2006)
Currency (code):
Egyptian pound (EGP)
Currency code:
EGP
Exchange rates:
Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006),
5.78 (2005), 6.1962 (2004), 5.8509 (2003)
Communications
Egypt
Telephones - main lines in use:
11.229 million (2007)
Telephones - mobile cellular:
30.065 million (2007)
Telephone system:
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading
during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Telecom Egypt, the landline
monopoly, has been increasing service availability and in 2007
fixed-line density stood at 14 per 100 persons; as of 2007 there
were three mobile-cellular networks and service is expanding rapidly
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah,
Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and
microwave radio relay
international: country code - 20; landing point for both the
SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks; linked to the
international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the
Globe); 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 (2007)
Radio broadcast stations:
AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999)
Radios:
20.5 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations:
98 (September 1995)
Televisions:
7.7 million (1997)
Internet country code:
.eg
Internet hosts:
175,342 (2008)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs):
50 (2000)
Internet users:
8.62 million (2007)
Transportation
Egypt
Airports:
88 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
under 914 m: 5 (2007)
Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2007)
Heliports:
3 (2007)
Pipelines:
condensate 483 km; condensate/gas 74 km; gas 6,466 km; liquid
petroleum gas 957 km; oil 5,518 km; oil/gas/water 37 km; refined
products 895 km (2007)
Railways:
total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2006)
Roadways:
total: 92,370 km
paved: 74,820 km
unpaved: 17,550 km (2004)
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
(2006)
Merchant marine:
total: 67
by type: bulk carrier 11, cargo 28, container 2, passenger/cargo 4,
petroleum tanker 13, roll on/roll off 9
foreign-owned: 10 (Denmark 1, Greece 8, Lebanon 1)
registered in other countries: 58 (Cambodia 13, Georgia 12, Honduras
3, North Korea 1, Malta 1, Moldova 1, Panama 17, Saint Kitts and
Nevis 2, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 3, Saudi Arabia 1, Sierra
Leone 3, Togo 1) (2008)
Ports and terminals:
Ayn Sukhnah, Alexandria, Damietta, El Dekheila, Sidi Kurayr, Suez
Military
Egypt
Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command
Military service age and obligation:
18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service
obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation
(2008)
Manpower available for military service:
males age 16-49: 21,247,777
females age 16-49: 20,406,408 (2008 est.)
Manpower fit for military service:
males age 16-49: 18,153,158
females age 16-49: 17,405,837 (2008 est.)
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually:
male: 825,300
female: 786,590 (2008 est.)
Military expenditures:
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)
Transnational Issues
Egypt
Disputes - international:
while Sudan retains claim to the Hala'ib Triangle north of the 1899
Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, both states withdrew their
military presence in the 1990s and Egypt has invested in and
effectively administers the area; 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
Refugees and internally displaced persons:
refugees (country of origin): 60,000 - 80,000 (Iraq); 70,198
(Palestinian Territories); 12,157 (Sudan) (2007)
Trafficking in persons:
current situation: Egypt is a transit country for women trafficked
from Eastern European countries to Israel for sexual exploitation,
and is a source for children trafficked within the country for
commercial sexual exploitation and domestic servitude, although the
extent to which children are trafficked internally is unknown;
children were also recruited for domestic and agricultural work;
some of these children face conditions of involuntary servitude,
such as restrictions on movement, non-payment of wages, threats, and
physical or sexual abuse
tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Egypt is on the Tier 2 Watch List
for the third year in a row because it did not provide evidence of
increasing efforts to investigate and prosecute traffickers;
however, in July 2007, the government established the "National
Coordinating Committee to Combat and Prevent Trafficking in
Persons," which improved inter-governmental coordination on
anti-trafficking initiatives; Egypt made no discernible efforts to
punish trafficking crimes in 2007 and the Egyptian penal code does
not prohibit all forms of trafficking; Egypt did not increase its
services to trafficking victims during the reporting period (2008)
Illicit drugs:
transit point for cannabis, heroin, and opium moving to Europe,
Israel, and North Africa; transit stop for Nigerian drug couriers;
concern as money laundering site due to lax enforcement of financial
regulations
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008
======================================================================
@El Salvador
Introduction
El Salvador
Background:
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and from the
Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war, which cost
about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when the
government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
military and political reforms.
Geography
El Salvador
Location:
Central America, bordering the North Pacific Ocean, between
Guatemala and Honduras
Geographic coordinates:
13 50 N, 88 55 W
Map references:
Central America and the Caribbean
Area:
total: 21,040 sq km
land: 20,720 sq km
water: 320 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Land boundaries:
total: 545 km
border countries: Guatemala 203 km, Honduras 342 km
Coastline:
307 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Climate:
tropical; rainy season (May to October); dry season (November to
April); tropical on coast; temperate in uplands
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow coastal belt and central plateau
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro El Pital 2,730 m
Natural resources:
hydropower, geothermal power, petroleum, arable land
Land use:
arable land: 31.37%
permanent crops: 11.88%
other: 56.75% (2005)
Irrigated land:
450 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
25.2 cu km (2001)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 1.28 cu km/yr (25%/16%/59%)
per capita: 186 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes destructive
earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely susceptible to
hurricanes
Environment - current issues:
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; contamination of soils
from disposal of toxic wastes
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes,
Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Geography - note:
smallest Central American country and only one without a coastline
on Caribbean Sea
People
El Salvador
Population:
7,066,403 (July 2008 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 35.8% (male 1,291,147/female 1,237,453)
15-64 years: 59% (male 1,987,671/female 2,179,620)
65 years and over: 5.2% (male 162,100/female 208,412) (2008 est.)
Median age:
total: 22.2 years
male: 21.1 years
female: 23.4 years (2008 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.679% (2008 est.)
Birth rate:
25.72 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Death rate:
5.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Net migration rate:
-3.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 22.19 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 25.06 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.18 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 72.06 years
male: 68.45 years
female: 75.84 years (2008 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.04 children born/woman (2008 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
0.7% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
29,000 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
2,200 (2003 est.)
Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and
typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: dengue fever
water contact disease: leptospirosis (2008)
Nationality:
noun: Salvadoran(s)
adjective: Salvadoran
Ethnic groups:
mestizo 90%, white 9%, Amerindian 1%
Religions:
Roman Catholic 57.1%, Protestant 21.2%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.9%,
Mormon 0.7%, other religions 2.3%, none 16.8% (2003 est.)
Languages:
Spanish, Nahua (among some Amerindians)
Literacy:
definition: age 10 and over can read and write
total population: 80.2%
male: 82.8%
female: 77.7% (2003 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 12 years
male: 12 years
female: 12 years (2006)
Education expenditures:
3.1% of GDP (2006)
Government
El Salvador
Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of El Salvador
conventional short form: El Salvador
local long form: Republica de El Salvador
local short form: El Salvador
Government type:
republic
Capital:
name: San Salvador
geographic coordinates: 13 42 N, 89 12 W
time difference: UTC-6 (1 hour behind Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
Administrative divisions:
14 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Ahuachapan,
Cabanas, Chalatenango, Cuscatlan, La Libertad, La Paz, La Union,
Morazan, San Miguel, San Salvador, San Vicente, Santa Ana,
Sonsonate, Usulutan
Independence:
15 September 1821 (from Spain)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 15 September (1821)
Constitution:
20 December 1983
Legal system:
based on civil and Roman law with traces of common law; judicial
review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted
compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1 June
2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1 June
2004); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
head of government: President Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez (since 1
June 2004); Vice President Ana Vilma Albanez DE ESCOBAR (since 1
June 2004)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for a single five-year term; election last held 21
March 2004 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez elected president;
percent of vote - Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez 57.7%, Schafik HANDAL
35.6%, Hector SILVA 3.9%, other 2.8%
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa (84 seats;
members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve three-year
terms)
elections: last held 12 March 2006 (next to be held in March 2009)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party -
ARENA 34, FMLN 32, PCN 10, PDC 6, CD 2
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (15 judges are selected by the
Legislative Assembly; the 15 judges are assigned to four Supreme
Court chambers - constitutional, civil, penal, and administrative
conflict)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Party or PDC [Rodolfo PARKER]; Democratic
Convergence or CD [Ruben ZAMORA] (formerly United Democratic Center
or CDU); Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front or FMLN [Medardo
GONZALEZ]; National Conciliation Party or PCN [Ciro CRUZ ZEPEDA];
National Republican Alliance or ARENA [Elias Antonio SACA Gonzalez];
Popular Social Christian Party or PPSC [Rene AGUILUZ]; Revolutionary
Democratic Front or FDR [Julio Cesar HERNANDEZ Carcamo]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
labor organizations - Electrical Industry Union of El Salvador or
SIES; Federation of the Construction Industry, Similar Transport and
other activities, or FESINCONTRANS; National Confederation of
Salvadoran Workers or CNTS; National Union of Salvadoran Workers or
UNTS; Port Industry Union of El Salvador or SIPES; Salvadoran Union
of Ex-Petrolleros and Peasant Workers or USEPOC; Salvadoran Workers
Central or CTS; Workers Union of Electrical Corporation or STCEL;
business organizations - National Association of Small Enterprise or
ANEP; Salvadoran Assembly Industry Association or ASIC; Salvadoran
Industrial Association or ASI
International organization participation: