Official Name:

Arab Republic of Egypt

Capital:

Cairo (Population: Approx. 17 million)

Area:

1.001 million sq km

Population:

72,391,061 million (Campas October 9, 2006)

Literacy Rate:

74.25% (of total adult)

Time:

Summer: Two-and-a-half hours behind IST

Winter: Three-and-a-half hours behind IST

Main Cities:

Cairo, Giza, Alexandria, Port Said, Suez, Luxor, Aswan, Asyut, Ismailia

Religion:

Islam (Almost 90% Egyptians are Sunni

Muslims; significant Coptic Christian minority)

Neighbours:

East: Israel and Gaza Strip,

South: Sudan,

West: Libya.

Language:

Arabic is the official language. English and French are widely spoken among the educated.

Currency:

Egyptian Pound (1 LE = 100 Piasters)

Approx. US$ 1 = LE 5.51 (Dec. 07)

Constitution:

Adopted in 1971, Officially termed "Islamic"

Political System:

Presidential form of government.

Parliament:

Bicameral

Majlis Al-Sha’ab (People's Assembly - 444 elected representatives and 10 nominated by the President). Elections held in Dec. 2005; National Democratic Party (311 seats); Opposition (9); Muslim Brotherhood (88); Independents (24); and 12 seats yet to be contested.

Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council - 176   elected members, 88 nominated by the President)

Administration:

Divided into 28 Governorates, each with a capital and a Governor appointed by the President.

Head of State:

H. E. Mr. Mohamed Hosni Mubarak (since 1981), (In September 2005 President Mubarak got re-elected for a fifth consecutive six years term in a first ever multi-candidate Presidential Election)

Prime Minister:

H. E. Dr. Ahmed Nazif (since July 2004), (President Mubarak reappointed him in December 2005 for fresh term)

Foreign Minister:

H. E. Mr. Ahmed Abul Gheit (since July 2004 till date)

Indian Community:

Approx. 2500, mostly professionals and businessmen; a few students in Al-Azhar University)

Climate:

Desert, hot dry summers (Max. Temp about 40º C) and moderate winters (Min. Day-time Temp about 15º C). Average annual rainfall is less than 50 mm except on the coastal strip (100-200 mm). In spring, sand and dust storms called Khamsin blow in and can reduce visibility (even in Cairo) to less than 100 ft.

Financial Year:

July 1- June 30

Business Hours:

Embassy: 0800-1630 hrs (Sun-Thurs)

Local Government: 0800-1430 hrs (Sun-Thurs)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Trade and Industry observe Friday & Saturday as weekly holidays.

Major Indian Exports

: Frozen meat, rice, cotton yarn, gas oil (Solar), tobacco leaf, power liquid, synthetic staple fibre, new pneumatic tyres, phthalic anhydride, oil cake, single yarn, motor  vehicles, sesamum seeds, ferrochromium, motorcycles, motor vehicle parts, motor vehicles, furnace electrodes, ethyl acetate, polythene terephthalate, synthetic org. pigments, refined cane sugar, other yarns.

Major Indian Imports

: Petroleum, refined, crude and products, raw cotton, coking coal, retort carbon, wood charcoal, clover seeds, bed & table linen, leather, asphalt articles, synthetic staple fibre, marble – crude and blocks, lucerne seeds, new pneumatic tyres,ferrous waste (scrap), plastic, copper articles, cotton, copper tubes, synthetic filament, wool, polypropyln, asphalt mixtures, scrap paper waste.