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GENERAL INFORMATION
Capital
Cairo
Official name
Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah (Arab Republic of Egypt)
Area
1,001,450 square kilometer including the Sinai; only 66,000 km2 is inhabitable.
Geographical data
| In the north Egypt borders to the Mediterranean Sea, in the west to Libia, in the south to Sudan. East of Egypt are the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba and to the northeast Egypt borders to Israel and the Gaza Strip. Remarkable is the very narrow inhabitable Nile Valley going from south to north, while more than 95% of the country consists of deserts. The main part of Egypt lies on the African continent but the Sinai belongs to Asia. |
Population
| Arround 75 million people live in Egypt. More than 90% of the population is of Eastern-Hamitic origin but has been totally arabised. The largest minority is formed by the Nubians (about 6 million people) who mainly live in southern Egypt. There are also some small groups of Berbers and Bedouin nomads. |
Religion
90 percent Sunni Islam; 10 percent Christian, including Coptic, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian churches.
Languages
| Almost 98% of the population speaks Egyptian-Arabic, a dialect of the Modern Standard Arabic. It is also the most important Arabic spoken since Egypt produces most of the Arab films, tv-series and music. Almost everyone in the countries where Arabic is spoken can understand an Egyptian. There are some minorities which speak Nubian, Berber and Coptic. English and French are widely spoken by educated Egyptians. |
Government
a presidential republic. The head of state is the president, elected by popular referendum to a six-year term. The prime minister, appointed by the president, is head of government. The legislature is unicameral and made up of the Majilis ash-Sha'ab (People's Assembly), with 454 members. Voting age is 18.
Passport & Visa Requirements
U.S. citizens: A passport valid for at least six months beyond the intended length of stay, a visa, and a return or onward ticket are required. It is possible to obtain a visa at many ports of entry, but not at any land crossings.
* These requirements are subject to change. Check with the embassy or consulate in your home country before you depart.
Phone Code
The international telephone access code is 20. The city code for Cairo is 02, for Alexandria 03, for Luxor 095, for Port Said 066, for Suez 062, and for Aswan 097. Omit the zero if calling from abroad. To place an outgoing international call, dial 00 plus the country code and number. For directory assistance, dial 140.
Time Zone
Egypt time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich mean time, or 7 hours ahead of New York and Montréal, 1 hour behind Moscow, and 7 hours behind Tokyo. Egypt observes daylight saving time from May until October.
Business Hours
Banks are open 8:30 AM–2 PM, Sunday–Thursday, and closed on Friday and Saturday. Shopping hours vary by the season. In winter, stores are generally open 9 AM–6 PM (sometimes later). In summer, store hours are 9 AM–12:30 PM and 5 PM–8 PM Saturday through Thursday. Though most stores are closed on Sunday, some are also closed on Friday.
Climate
Egypt has a desert climate with hot, dry summers and moderate winters. Difference in temperature in the day and night can be quite big. The hot summer starts in May while in November the mild winter starts. Rainfall is very sporadically and only falls in the north.
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Flora and fauna
| The valley along the Nile is a highly cultivated landscape where date palms prevail. And of course the protected lotus and papyrus, sumbols of Egypt, grow near the Nile. The most common animals are the many fish species in the Nile and the Red Sea and there are many bird species. In the deserts still live some wild animals. |
Domestic Airlines.
Egypt has two national carriers for internal flights, Egyptair and Air Sinai. Egyptair flies daily from Cairo to Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Hurghada and twice a week to Kharga Oasis. Air Sinai flies from Cairo to Hurghada, Al Arish, Taba, Sharm el Shaykh, St. Catherine’s Monastery, El Tor, and to Tel Aviv, Israel.
Weather
Egypt is generally hot and dry year-round, except during the winter (November to March). Summer temperatures range from 31° C (88° F) along the Mediterranean coast to as high as 50° C (122° F) in the inland southern town of Aswan. Desert areas experience a notably large temperature range, getting as cold as 8° C (46° F) on winter nights. Winter rains are common along the Mediterranean coast, as is humidity. In Cairo, however, rain is rare. One distinct characteristic about Egypt's climate is the khamsin, a hot, dry wind that brings sand and dust storms in from the Sahara during the spring season.
Month |
Cairo
Min/
Max |
Alexandria
Min/
Max |
Luxor
Min/
Max |
Aswan
Min/
Max |
Hurghada
Air/
Water
Average |
Sharm
Air/
Water
Average |
Jan |
47/66
|
49/65
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42/74
|
46/75
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75/64
|
75/64
|
Feb |
48/69
|
49/67
|
44/78
|
49/79
|
77/64
|
77/64
|
March |
52/75
|
52/70
|
51/84
|
54/86
|
79/68
|
79/68
|
April |
56/83
|
58/75
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60/95
|
63/97
|
88/77
|
88/77
|
May |
63/90
|
62/80
|
69/103
|
71/101
|
95/79
|
95/79
|
June |
5
68/95 |
69/83
|
72/107
|
76/108
|
99/82
|
99/82
|
July |
71/96
|
73/86
|
74/106
|
76/108
|
107/82
|
107/82
|
Aug |
71/95
|
73/87
|
74/107
|
76/107
|
108/84
|
108/84
|
Sept |
68/89
|
71/85
|
71/101
|
72/103
|
100/81
|
100/81
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Oct |
64/86
|
64/82
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64/95
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66/99
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90/77
|
90/77
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Nov |
54/75
|
59/76
|
54/85
|
58/86
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79/73
|
79/73
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Dec |
51/69
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52/69
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45/76
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50/69
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79/66
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79/66
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Money
The basic unit of currency in Egypt is the pound, abbreviated E£. (In Arabic, the pound is called a guineh.) The pound is divided into 100 piastres, and each piastre into 10 millims. Bills are available in denominations of E£ 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100, and 25 and 50 piastres, while coins are available in denominations of 5, 10 and 25 piastres.
Credit cards are accepted by larger hotels, restaurants and shops—especially those which cater to tourists—but cash is still the preferred method of payment. Traveler's checks can be changed at most banks and are accepted as payment at many tourist shops, hotels, and restaurants. Don't forget to take your passport when exchanging money. There is a shortage of small change in Egypt. Be sure to ask for plenty of coins in small denominations when changing money.
Tipping
Tipping (called baksheesh in Egypt) is common practice for most services, regardless of how inconsequential. In hotels and restaurants, a service charge of about 12 percent is added to the bill, but an extra 5 percent tip is customary. Taxi fares often include a tip, but if your driver has given especially good service, tip about 10 percent; tips for porters and bellhops is about a pound. Many people rely on tipping to supplement their incomes, so it is important to be aware of the practice and to remember to carry small change.
Customs
Incoming cars, motorcycles and video cameras will be assessed a duty, but personal clothing, work equipment, one bottle of liquor and 200 cigarettes, or 25 cigars, or 200 grams of tobacco may be brought into the country duty-free. Gifts up to the value of E£500 may also be brought in duty-free. Note:All cash, traveler's checks, and credit cards must be declared on arrival.
Measurements
The metric system is standard throughout the country.
Electricity
The electrical current in most areas is 220 volts , 50 Hz AC, although some rural areas still use 110–130 volts, 60 Hz AC. Plugs are the two-pin European style. Visitors from abroad who wish to operate personal small electronic items should bring a plug adapter and a transformer (these can be difficult to find in Egypt).
Driving
Road conditions are satisfactory throughout most of the country. Traffic in Cairo is extremely heavy, and challenging. Private automobile touring is not recommended without suitable vehicles and tour guide.
Emergencies
In an emergency dial 123 for an ambulance, 122 to reach the police, and 125 for a fire emergency. Note: The tourist police are often more helpful to foreigners than the regular police. Pharmacists in Egypt usually speak English, and in Cairo a few pharmacies are open 24 hours.
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