Faroe Islands (2001) | Egypt (2004) | |
Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 49 municipalities | 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:
22.62% (male 5,193; female 5,136) 15-64 years: 63.64% (male 15,463; female 13,596) 65 years and over: 13.74% (male 2,802; female 3,471) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 33.4% (male 13,038,369; female 12,418,254)
15-64 years: 62.2% (male 23,953,949; female 23,419,418) 65 years and over: 4.3% (male 1,407,248; female 1,880,183) (2004 est.) |
Agriculture - products | milk, potatoes, vegetables; sheep; salmon, other fish | cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats |
Airports | 1 (2000 est.) | 89 (2003 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 38 1,524 to 2,437 m: 17 under 914 m: 4 (2004 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 7 (2004 est.) |
Area | total:
1,399 sq km land: 1,399 sq km water: 0 sq km (some lakes and streams) |
total: 1,001,450 sq km
land: 995,450 sq km water: 6,000 sq km |
Area - comparative | eight times the size of Washington, DC | slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico |
Background | The population of the Faroe Islands is largely descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948. | 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 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 of 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 allegiance 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 | 13.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 23.84 births/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$488 million expenditures: $484 million, including capital expenditures of $21 million (1999) |
revenues: $14.69 billion
expenditures: $19.03 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (2003) |
Capital | Torshavn | Cairo |
Climate | mild winters, cool summers; usually overcast; foggy, windy | desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters |
Coastline | 1,117 km | 2,450 km |
Constitution | 5 June 1953 (Danish constitution) | 11 September 1971 |
Country name | conventional long form:
none conventional short form: Faroe Islands local long form: none local short form: Foroyar |
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 | Danish krone (DKK) | Egyptian pound (EGP) |
Death rate | 8.69 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 5.3 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Debt - external | $64 million (1999) | $30.34 billion (2003 est.) |
Dependency status | part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark since 1948 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | chief of mission: Ambassador C. David WELCH
embassy: 8 Kamal El Din Salah 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 | none (self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | chief of mission: Ambassador M. Nabil FAHMY
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, and San Francisco |
Disputes - international | Faroese are considering proposals for full independence | Egypt and Sudan retain claims to administer the triangular areas that extend north and south of the 1899 Treaty boundary along the 22nd Parallel, but have withdrawn their military presence; Egypt is economically developing and effectively administers the "Hala'ib Triangle" north of the Treaty line |
Economic aid - recipient | $135 million (annual subsidy from Denmark) (1999) | ODA, $1.2 billion (2001) |
Economy - overview | The Faroese economy has had a strong performance since 1994, mostly as a result of increasing fish landings and high and stable export prices. Unemployment is falling and there are signs of labor shortages in several sectors. The positive economic development has helped the Faroese Home Rule Government produce increasing budget surpluses which in turn help to reduce the large public debt, most of it owed to Denmark. However, the total dependence on fishing makes the Faroese economy extremely vulnerable, and the present fishing efforts appear in excess of what is required to ensure a sustainable level of fishing in the long term. Oil finds close to the Faroese area give hope for deposits in the immediate Faroese area, which may eventually lay the basis for a more diversified economy and thus less dependence on Denmark and Danish economic assistance. Aided by a substantial annual subsidy (15% of GDP) from Denmark, the Faroese have a standard of living not far below the Danes and other Scandinavians. | Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP growth in the range of 2-3 percent in 2001-03. Egyptian officials in late 2003 and early 2004 proposed new privatization and customs reform measures, but the government is likely to pursue these initiatives cautiously and gradually to avoid a public backlash over potential inflation or layoffs associated with the reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January 2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent inflationary pressure. The existence of a black market for hard currency is evidence that the government continues to influence the official exchange rate offered in banks. In September 2003, Egyptian officials increased subsidies on basic foodstuffs, helping to calm a frustrated public but widening an already deep budget deficit. Egypt's balance-of-payments position was not hurt by the war in Iraq in 2003, as tourism and Suez Canal revenues fared well. The development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment. |
Electricity - consumption | 158.1 million kWh (1999) | 69.96 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 170 million kWh (1999) | 75.23 billion kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
58.82% hydro: 41.18% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Slaettaratindur 882 m |
lowest point: Qattara Depression -133 m
highest point: Mount Catherine 2,629 m |
Environment - current issues | NA | 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, 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: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Scandinavian | Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% |
Exchange rates | Danish kroner per US dollar - 7.951 (January 2001), 8.093 (2000), 6.976 (1999), 6.701 (1998), 6.604 (1997), 5.799 (1966) | Egyptian pounds per US dollar - 5.8509 (2003), 4.4997 (2002), 3.973 (2001), 3.4721 (2000), 3.3953 (1999) |
Executive branch | chief of state:
Queen MARGRETHE II of Denmark (since 14 January 1972), represented by High Commissioner Ms. Vibeke LARSEN, chief administrative officer (since NA) head of government: Prime Minister Anfinn KALLSBERG (since 15 May 1998) cabinet: Landsstyri appointed by the prime minister elections: the monarch is hereditary; high commissioner appointed by the monarch; following legislative elections, the leader of the party that wins the most seats is usually elected prime minister by the Faroese Parliament; election last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held no later than April 2002) election results: Anfinn KALLSBERG elected prime minister; percent of parliamentary vote - 52.8% note: coalition of People's Party, Republican Party and Home Rule Party |
chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October 1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed NAZIF (since 9 July 2004) 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 | $471 million (f.o.b., 1999) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | fish and fish products 94%, stamps, ships (1999) | crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals |
Exports - partners | Denmark 32%, UK 21%, France 9%, Germany 7%, Iceland 5%, US 5% (1996) | US 13.3%, Italy 12.3%, UK 7.9%, France 4.7%, Germany 4.7%, India 4.2% (2003) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | 1 July - 30 June |
Flag description | white with a red cross outlined in blue that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag) | 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, Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $910 million (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $295.2 billion (2003 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
27% industry: 11% services: 62% (1999) |
agriculture: 17%
industry: 33% services: 50% (2003) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $20,000 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $4,000 (2003 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 5% (2000 est.) | 3.1% (2003 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 62 00 N, 7 00 W | 27 00 N, 30 00 E |
Geography - note | archipelago of 17 inhabited islands and one uninhabited island, and a few uninhabited islets; strategically located along important sea lanes in northeastern Atlantic; precipitous terrain limits habitation to small coastal lowlands | controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, a 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 | - | 2 (2003 est.) |
Highways | total:
463 km paved: 454 km unpaved: 9 km (1999) |
total: 64,000 km
paved: 49,984 km unpaved: 14,016 km (1999 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 3.7%
highest 10%: 29.5% (1999) |
Illicit drugs | - | 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 financial regulations and enforcement |
Imports | $469 million (c.i.f., 1999) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment 29%, consumer goods 36%, raw materials and semi-manufactures 32%, fuels, fish and salt (1999) | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels |
Imports - partners | Denmark 28%, Norway 26%, Germany 7%, UK 6% Sweden 5%, Iceland 4%, US (1999) | US 13.6%, Germany 7.4%, Italy 7%, France 6.6%, China 4.8%, Saudi Arabia 4.3% (2003) |
Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of Denmark; self-governing overseas administrative division of Denmark) | 28 February 1922 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 8% (1999 est.) | 1.5% (2003 est.) |
Industries | fishing, fish processing, shipbuilding, construction, handicrafts | textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals |
Infant mortality rate | 6.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 33.9 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 34.64 deaths/1,000 live births female: 33.12 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 5.1% (1999) | 4.3% (2003 est.) |
International organization participation | NC, NIB | ABEDA, ACCT, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, ONUB, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | - |
Irrigated land | 0 sq km | 33,000 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | none | Supreme Constitutional Court |
Labor force | 24,250 (October 2000) | 20.19 million (2003 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | fishing, fish processing, and manufacturing 33%, construction and private services 33%, public services 34% | agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 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:
6% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 0% other: 94% (1996) |
arable land: 2.87%
permanent crops: 0.48% other: 96.65% (2001) |
Languages | Faroese (derived from Old Norse), Danish | Arabic (official), English and French widely understood by educated classes |
Legal system | Danish | 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 | unicameral Faroese Parliament or Logting (32 seats; members are elected by popular vote on a proportional basis from the seven constituencies to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 30 April 1998 (next to be held not later than April 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - Republican Party 23.8%, People's Party 21.3%, Social Democratic Party 21.9%, Union Party 18%, Home Rue Party 7.7%, Center Party 4.1%; seats by party - Republican Party 8, People's Party 8, Social Democratic Party 7, Union Party 6, Home Rule Party 2, Center Party 1 note: election of 2 seats to the Danish Parliament was last held on 11 March 1998 (next to be held not later than March 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Social Democratic Party 1, People's Party 1 |
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 six-year terms)
elections: People's Assembly - three-phase voting - last held 19 October, 29 October, 8 November 2000 (next to be held NA October-November 2005); Advisory Council - last held May-June 2004 (next to be held May-June 2007) election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
78.59 years male: 75.12 years female: 82.06 years |
total population: 70.71 years
male: 68.22 years female: 73.31 years (2004 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% note: similar to Denmark proper |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 57.7% male: 68.3% female: 46.9% (2003 est.) |
Location | Northern Europe, island group between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway | 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 |
Map references | Europe | Africa |
Maritime claims | continental shelf:
200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM or agreed boundaries or median line territorial sea: 3 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation |
Merchant marine | total:
6 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 23,247 GRT/11,736 DWT ships by type: cargo 2, petroleum tanker 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 159 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,194,696 GRT/1,754,815 DWT
by type: bulk 18, cargo 41, container 5, passenger 64, petroleum tanker 14, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea/passenger 4 foreign-owned: China 2, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 6, Lebanon 2, Turkey 1 registered in other countries: 50 (2004 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of Denmark | - |
Military branches | defense is the responsibility of Denmark; no organized native military forces; only a small Police Force and Coast Guard are maintained | Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $NA | $2,443.2 million (2003) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | NA% | 3.6% (2003) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49: 20,340,716 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49: 13,148,944 (2004 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males: 756,233 (2004 est.) |
National holiday | Olaifest, 29 July | Revolution Day, 23 July (1952) |
Nationality | noun:
Faroese (singular and plural) adjective: Faroese |
noun: Egyptian(s)
adjective: Egyptian |
Natural hazards | NA | periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms |
Natural resources | fish, whales, hydropower | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc |
Net migration rate | 2.89 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.22 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.) |
Pipelines | - | condensate 289 km; condensate/gas 94 km; gas 6,115 km; liquid petroleum gas 852 km; oil 5,032 km; oil/gas/water 36 km; refined products 246 km (2004) |
Political parties and leaders | Center Party [Jenis A. RANA]; Home Rule Party [Helena Dam a NEYSTABO]; People's Party [Oli BRECKMANN]; Republican Party [Hogni HOYDAL]; Social Democratic Party [Joannes EIDESGAARD]; Union Party [Edmund JOENSEN] | 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 [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [No'man GOMA]; Socialist Liberal Party or Al-Ahrar [Hilmi SALIM]; Tomorrow Party or Al-Ghad [Ayman NOUR]
note: formation of political parties must be approved by the government |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | 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 | 45,661 (July 2001 est.) | 76,117,421 (July 2004 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 16.7% (2000 est.) |
Population growth rate | 0.78% (2001 est.) | 1.83% (2004 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Torshavn, Klaksvik, Tvoroyri, Runavik, Fuglafjorour | Alexandria, Al Ghardaqah, Aswan, Asyut, Bur Safajah, Damietta, Marsa Matruh, Port Said, Suez |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 13, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 42 (plus 15 repeaters), FM 14, shortwave 3 (1999) |
Radios | 26,000 (1997) | - |
Railways | 0 km | total: 5,063 km
standard gauge: 5,063 km 1.435-m gauge (62 km electrified) (2003) |
Religions | Evangelical Lutheran | Muslim (mostly Sunni) 94%, Coptic Christian and other 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 1.06 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: 0.75 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2004 est.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 18 years of age; universal and compulsory |
Telephone system | general assessment:
good international communications; good domestic facilities domestic: digitalization was completed in 1998; both NMT (analog) and GSM (digital) mobile telephone systems are installed international: satellite earth stations - 1 Orion; 1 fiber-optic submarine cable to the Shetland Islands, linking the Faroe Islands with Denmark and Iceland; fiber-optic submarine cable connection to Canada-Europe cable |
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: country code - 20; 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 | 24,851 (1999) | 8,735,700 (2003) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 10,761 (1999) | 5,797,500 (2003) |
Television broadcast stations | 3 (plus 43 low-power repeaters) (September 1995) | 98 (September 1995) |
Terrain | rugged, rocky, some low peaks; cliffs along most of coast | vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta |
Total fertility rate | 2.3 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.95 children born/woman (2004 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 1% (October 2000) | 9.9% (2003 est.) |
Waterways | none | 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 (2004) |