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Compare Belgium (2001) - Egypt (2002)
Compare Belgium (2001) z Egypt (2002)
| Belgium (2001) | Egypt (2002) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | 10 provinces (French: provinces, singular - province; Flemish: provincien, singular - provincie); Antwerpen, Brabant Wallon, Hainaut, Liege, Limburg, Luxembourg, Namur, Oost-Vlaanderen, Vlaams Brabant, West-Vlaanderen; note - the Brussels Capitol Region is not included within the 10 provinces | 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina', Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina', Suhaj |
| Age structure | 0-14 years:
17.48% (male 916,957; female 876,029) 15-64 years: 65.57% (male 3,390,145; female 3,336,908) 65 years and over: 16.95% (male 709,212; female 1,029,511) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 33.96% (male 12,292,185; female 11,721,469)
15-64 years: 62.18% (male 22,190,637; female 21,775,504) 65 years and over: 3.86% (male 1,191,091; female 1,541,459) (2002 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | sugar beets, fresh vegetables, fruits, grain, tobacco; beef, veal, pork, milk | cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats |
| Airports | 42 (2000 est.) | 92 (2001) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total:
24 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2000 est.) |
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 3 (2002) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
18 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 16 (2000 est.) |
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 9 (2002) |
| Area | total:
30,510 sq km land: 30,230 sq km water: 280 sq km |
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
| Area - comparative | about the size of Maryland | slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico |
| Background | Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy. | The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood, coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and west, allowed for the the development of one of the world's great civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the conquest by Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt. Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegience to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in 1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile river in the agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium through economic reform and massive investment in communications and physical infrastructure. |
| Birth rate | 10.74 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 24.41 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Budget | revenues:
$114.8 billion expenditures: $117 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (1999) |
revenues: $21.5 billion
expenditures: $26.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.9 billion (2001) |
| Capital | Brussels | Cairo |
| Climate | temperate; mild winters, cool summers; rainy, humid, cloudy | desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters |
| Coastline | 66 km | 2,450 km |
| Constitution | 7 February 1831, last revised 14 July 1993; parliament approved a constitutional package creating a federal state | 11 September 1971 |
| Country name | conventional long form:
Kingdom of Belgium conventional short form: Belgium local long form: Royaume de Belgique/Koninkrijk Belgie local short form: Belgique/Belgie |
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) |
| Currency | Belgian franc (BEF); euro (EUR)
note: on 1 January 1999, the EU introduced the euro as a common currency that is now being used by financial institutions in Belgium at a fixed rate of 40.3399 Belgian francs per euro and will replace the local currency for all transactions in 2002 |
Egyptian pound (EGP) |
| Death rate | 10.1 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 7.58 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Debt - external | $28.3 billion (1999 est.) | $29 billion (2001 est.) |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 27 Boulevard du Regent, B-1000 Brussels mailing address: PSC 82, Box 002, APO AE 09710 telephone: [32] (2) 508-2111 FAX: [32] (2) 511-2725 |
chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
embassy: 5 Latin America St., Garden City, Cairo mailing address: Unit 64900, Box 15, APO AE 09839-4900 telephone: [20] (2) 797-3300 FAX: [20] (2) 797-3200 |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Alexis REYN chancery: 3330 Garfield Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 333-6900 FAX: [1] (202) 333-3079 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York |
chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 895-5440 FAX: [1] (202) 244-4319 consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco |
| Disputes - international | none | Egypt and Sudan each claim to administer triangular areas which extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel (in the north, the "Hala'ib Triangle", is the largest with 20,580 sq km); in 2001, the two states agreed to discuss an "area of integration" and withdraw military forces in the overlapping areas |
| Economic aid - donor | ODA, $764 million (1997) | - |
| Economic aid - recipient | - | ODA, $2.25 billion (1999) |
| Economy - overview | This modern private enterprise economy has capitalized on its central geographic location, highly developed transport network, and diversified industrial and commercial base. Industry is concentrated mainly in the populous Flemish area in the north, although the government is encouraging investment in the southern region of Wallonia. With few natural resources, Belgium must import substantial quantities of raw materials and export a large volume of manufactures, making its economy unusually dependent on the state of world markets. About three-quarters of its trade is with other EU countries. Belgium's public debt is expected to fall below 100% of GDP in 2002, and the government has succeeded in balancing is budget. Belgium became a charter member of the European Monetary Union (EMU) in January 1999. Economic growth in 2000 was broad based, putting the government in a good position to pursue its energy market liberalization policies and planned tax cuts. | Egypt improved its macroeconomic performance throughout most of the last decade by following IMF advice on fiscal, monetary, and structural reform policies. As a result, Cairo managed to tame inflation, slash budget deficits, and attract more foreign investment. In the past three years, however, the pace of reform has slackened, and excessive spending on national infrastructure projects has widened budget deficits again. Lower foreign exchange earnings since 1998 resulted in pressure on the Egyptian pound and periodic dollar shortages. Monetary pressures have increased since 11 September 2001 because of declines in tourism, Suez canal tolls, and exports, and Cairo has devalued the pound several times in the past year. The development of a gas export market is a major bright spot for future growth prospects. |
| Electricity - consumption | 75.089 billion kWh (1999) | 64.721 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - exports | 8.207 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - imports | 9.055 billion kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production | 79.829 billion kWh (1999) | 69.592 billion kWh (2000) |
| Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
40.01% hydro: 0.42% nuclear: 58.33% other: 1.24% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 77%
hydro: 23% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point:
North Sea 0 m highest point: Signal de Botrange 694 m |
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m |
| Environment - current issues | the environment is exposed to intense pressures from human activities: urbanization, dense transportation network, industry, intense animal breeding and crop cultivation; air and water pollution also have repercussions for neighboring countries; uncertainties regarding federal and regional responsibilities (now resolved) have impeded progress in tackling environmental challenges | 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; very limited natural fresh water 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:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Antarctic-Marine Living Resources, Antarctic Seals, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
| Ethnic groups | Fleming 58%, Walloon 31%, mixed or other 11% | Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% |
| Exchange rates | euros per US dollar - 1.0659 (January 2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); Belgian francs per US dollar - 34.77 (January 1999), 36.229 (1998), 35.774 (1997), 30.962 (1996) | Egyptian pounds per US dollar - market rate - 4.5000 (January 2002), 4.4900 (2001), 3.6900 (2000), 3.4050 (1999), 3.3880 (1998), 3.3880 (1997) |
| Executive branch | chief of state:
King ALBERT II (since 9 August 1993); Heir Apparent Prince PHILIPPE, son of the monarch head of government: Prime Minister Guy VERHOFSTADT (since 13 July 1999) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch and approved by Parliament elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch and then approved by Parliament note: government coalition - VLD, PRL, PS, SP, AGALEV, and ECOLO |
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Atef Mohammed ABEID (since 5 October 1999) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president nominated by the People's Assembly for a six-year term, the nomination must then be validated by a national, popular referendum; national referendum last held 26 September 1999 (next to be held NA October 2005); prime minister appointed by the president election results: national referendum validated President MUBARAK's nomination by the People's Assembly to a fourth term |
| Exports | $181.4 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | $7.1 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
| Exports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, diamonds, metals and metal products | crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals |
| Exports - partners | EU 76% (Germany 18%, France 18%, Netherlands 12%, UK 10%) (1999) | EU 43% (Italy 18%, Germany 4%, UK 3.2%), US 15%, Middle East 11%, Asian countries 9%, (2000) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
| Flag description | three equal vertical bands of black (hoist side), yellow, and red; the design was based on the flag of France | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars, and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band |
| GDP | purchasing power parity - $259.2 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $258 billion (2001 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
1.4% industry: 26% services: 72.6% (2000 est.) |
agriculture: 14%
industry: 30% services: 56% (2001) |
| GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $25,300 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $3,700 (2001 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 4.1% (2000 est.) | 2.5% (2001 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 50 50 N, 4 00 E | 27 00 N, 30 00 E |
| Geography - note | crossroads of Western Europe; majority of West European capitals within 1,000 km of Brussels which is the seat of both the EU and NATO | controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics; dependence on upstream neighbors; dominance of Nile basin issues; prone to influxes of refugees |
| Heliports | 1 (2000 est.) | 2 (2002) |
| Highways | total:
145,774 km paved: 116,182 km (including 1,674 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,592 km (1999) |
total: 64,000 km
paved: 50,000 km unpaved: 14,000 km (1996) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
3.7% highest 10%: 20.2% (1992) |
lowest 10%: 4%
highest 10%: 25% (1995) |
| Illicit drugs | growing producer of synthetic drugs; transit point for US-bound ecstasy; source of precursor chemicals for South American cocaine processors; transshipment point for cocaine, heroin, hashish, and marijuana entering Western Europe | transit point for Southwest Asian and Southeast Asian heroin and opium moving to Europe, Africa, and the US; transit stop for Nigerian couriers; concern as money-laundering site due to lax banking regulations |
| Imports | $166 billion (c.i.f., 2000) | $164 billion f.o.b. (2001 est.) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, chemicals, metals and metal products | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
| Imports - partners | EU 71% (Germany 18%, Netherlands 17%, France 14%, UK 9%) (1999) | EU 36% (Germany 8%, Italy 8%, France 6%), US 18%, Asian countries 13%, , Middle East 6% (2000) |
| Independence | 21 July 1831 (from the Netherlands) | 28 February 1922 (from UK) |
| Industrial production growth rate | 5.5% (2000 est.) | 1.8% (2001 est.) |
| Industries | engineering and metal products, motor vehicle assembly, processed food and beverages, chemicals, basic metals, textiles, glass, petroleum, coal | textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
| Infant mortality rate | 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 58.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 2.2% (2000 est.) | 2.3% (2001) |
| International organization participation | ACCT, AfDB, AsDB, Australia Group, Benelux, BIS, CCC, CE, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EIB, EMU, ESA, EU, FAO, G- 9, G-10, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOGIP, UNMOP, UNRWA, UNTSO, UPU, WADB (nonregional), WCL, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO, ZC | ABEDA, ACC, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-15, G-19, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 61 (2000) | 50 (2000) |
| Irrigated land | NA sq km | 33,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
| Judicial branch | Supreme Court of Justice or Hof van Cassatie (in Dutch) or Cour de Cassation (in French) (judges are appointed for life by the monarch) | Supreme Constitutional Court |
| Labor force | 4.34 million (1999) | 20.6 million (2001 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | services 73%, industry 25%, agriculture 2% (1999 est.) | agriculture 29%, industry 22%, services 49% (2000 est.) |
| Land boundaries | total:
1,385 km border countries: France 620 km, Germany 167 km, Luxembourg 148 km, Netherlands 450 km |
total: 2,665 km
border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1,273 km |
| Land use | arable land:
24% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 20% forests and woodland: 21% other: 34% |
arable land: 2.85%
permanent crops: 0.47% other: 96.68% (1998 est.) |
| Languages | Dutch 58%, French 32%, German 10%, legally bilingual (Dutch and French) | Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes |
| Legal system | civil law system influenced by English constitutional theory; judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations | based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations |
| Legislative branch | bicameral Parliament consists of a Senate or Senaat in Dutch, Senat in French (71 seats; 40 members are directly elected by popular vote, 31 are indirectly elected; members serve four-year terms) and a Chamber of Deputies or Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers in Dutch, Chambre des Representants in French (150 seats; members are directly elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: Senate and Chamber of Deputies - last held 13 June 1999 (next to be held in NA 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - VLD 15.4%, CVP 14.7%, PRL 10.6%, PS 9.7%, VB 9.4%, SP 8.9%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.1%, PSC 6.0%, VU 5.1%; seats by party - VLD 11, CVP 10, PS 10, PRL 9, VB 6, SP 6, ECOLO 6, AGALEV 5, PSC 5, VU 3; Chamber of Deputies - percent of vote by party - VLD 14.3%, CVP 14.1%, PS 10.2%, PRL 10.1%, VB 9.9%, SP 9.5%, ECOLO 7.4%, AGALEV 7.0%, PSC 5.9%, VU 5.6%; seats by party - VLD 23, CVP 22, PS 19, PRL 18, VB 15, SP 14, ECOLO 11, PSC 10, AGALEV 9, VU 8, FN 1 note: as a result of the 1993 constitutional revision that furthered devolution into a federal state, there are now three levels of government (federal, regional, and linguistic community) with a complex division of responsibilities; this reality leaves six governments each with its own legislative assembly; for other acronyms of the listed parties see Political parties and leaders |
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 - which functions only in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve NA-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA November 2005); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next to be held NA) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NDP 88%, independents 8%, opposition 4%; seats by party - NDP 398, NWP 7, Tagammu 6, Nasserists 2, LSP 1, independents 38, undecided 2; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%, independents 1%; seats by party - NA |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population:
77.96 years male: 74.63 years female: 81.46 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 64.05 years
male: 61.96 years female: 66.24 years (2002 est.) |
| Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 98% male: NA% female: NA% |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 51.4% male: 63.6% female: 38.8% (1995 est.) |
| Location | Western Europe, bordering the North Sea, between France and the Netherlands | Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip |
| Map references | Europe | Africa |
| Maritime claims | continental shelf:
median line with neighbors exclusive fishing zone: median line with neighbors (extends about 68 km from coast) territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Merchant marine | total:
21 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 32,912 GRT/53,161 DWT ships by type: cargo 6, chemical tanker 9, petroleum tanker 6 (2000 est.) |
total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,331,186 GRT/1,987,964 DWT
ships by type: bulk 23, cargo 58, container 2, liquefied gas 1, passenger 61, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 3 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience:, Denmark 1, Germany 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 3, Monaco 1, Ukraine 1 (2002 est.) |
| Military branches | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Medical Service | Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure | $2.5 billion (FY01) | $4.04 billion (FY99/00) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 1.2% (FY99) | 4.1% (FY99/00) |
| Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
2,517,596 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 19,030,030 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
2,079,624 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 12,320,902 (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - military age | 19 years of age | 20 years of age (2002 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
63,247 (2001 est.) |
males: 712,983 (2002 est.) |
| National holiday | Independence Day, 21 July (1831) | Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) |
| Nationality | noun:
Belgian(s) adjective: Belgian |
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian |
| Natural hazards | flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land, protected from the sea by concrete dikes | periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms |
| Natural resources | coal, natural gas | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc |
| Net migration rate | 0.97 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.24 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
| Pipelines | crude oil 161 km; petroleum products 1,167 km; natural gas 3,300 km | crude oil 1,171 km; petroleum products 596 km; natural gas 460 km |
| Political parties and leaders | AGALEV (Flemish Greens) [Dos GEYSELS]; ECOLO (Francophone Greens) [no president]; Flemish Christian Democrats or CVP (Christian People's Party) [Stefaan DE CLERCK, president]; Flemish Liberal Democrats or VLD [Karel DE GUCHT, president]; Flemish Socialist Party or SP [Patrick JANSSENS, president]; Francophone Christian Democrats or PSC (Social Christian Party) [Joelle MILQUET, president]; Francophone Liberal Reformation Party or PRL [Daniel DUCARME, president]; Francophone Socialist Party or PS [Elio DI RUPO, president]; National Front or FN [Daniel FERET]; Vlaams Blok or VB [Frank VANHECKE]; Volksunie or VU [leader vacant]; other minor parties | Nasserist Arab Democratic Party or Nasserists [Dia' al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK] - governing party; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Khalid MUHI AL-DIN]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or LSP [leader NA]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | Christian and Socialist Trade Unions; Federation of Belgian Industries; numerous other associations representing bankers, manufacturers, middle-class artisans, and the legal and medical professions; various organizations represent the cultural interests of Flanders and Wallonia; various peace groups such as Pax Christi and groups representing immigrants | despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes MUBARAK's potentially most significant political opposition; MUBARAK tolerated limited political activity by the Brotherhood for his first two terms, but moved more aggressively since then to block its influence; civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned |
| Population | 10,258,762 (July 2001 est.) | 70,712,345 (July 2002 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | 4% | 23% (FY95/96 est.) |
| Population growth rate | 0.16% (2001 est.) | 1.66% (2002 est.) |
| Ports and harbors | Antwerp (one of the world's busiest ports), Brugge, Gent, Hasselt, Liege, Mons, Namur, Oostende, Zeebrugge | Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez |
| Radio broadcast stations | FM 79, AM 7, shortwave 1 (1998) | AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) |
| Radios | 8.075 million (1997) | 20.5 million (1997) |
| Railways | total:
3,437 km (2,446 km electrified; 2,563 km double track) standard gauge: 3,437 km 1.435-m gauge (1998) |
total: 4,955 km
standard gauge: 4,955 km 1,435-m gauge (42 km electrified; 1,560 km double-track) (2000 est.) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 75%, Protestant or other 25% | Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
| Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.69 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.77 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
| Telephone system | general assessment:
highly developed, technologically advanced, and completely automated domestic and international telephone and telegraph facilities domestic: nationwide cellular telephone system; extensive cable network; limited microwave radio relay network international: 5 submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) and 1 Eutelsat |
general assessment: large system; underwent extensive upgrading during 1990s and is reasonably modern; Internet access and cellular service are available
domestic: principal centers at Alexandria, Cairo, Al Mansurah, Ismailia, Suez, and Tanta are connected by coaxial cable and microwave radio relay international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat; 5 coaxial submarine cables; tropospheric scatter to Sudan; microwave radio relay to Israel; a participant in Medarabtel and a signatory to Project Oxygen (a global submarine fiber-optic cable system) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 4.769 million (1997) | 3,971,500 (December 1998) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 974,494 (1997) | 380,000 (1999) |
| Television broadcast stations | 25 (plus 10 repeaters) (1997) | 98 (September 1995) |
| Terrain | flat coastal plains in northwest, central rolling hills, rugged mountains of Ardennes Forest in southeast | vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta |
| Total fertility rate | 1.61 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.99 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 8.4% (2000 est.) | 12% (2001 est.) |
| Waterways | 2,043 km (1,528 km in regular commercial use) | 3,500 km
note: including the Nile, Lake Nasser, Alexandria-Cairo Waterway, and numerous smaller canals in the delta; Suez Canal (193.5 km including approaches), used by oceangoing vessels drawing up to 16.1 m of water |
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