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)

EG

republic

Cairo

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

28 February 1922 (from UK)

Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

11 September 1971

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

18 years of age; universal and compulsory

chief of state: President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (since 14 October
1981)
head of government: Prime Minister Atef OBEID (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

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 - last held 29 November 1995 (next to be
held NA November 2000); Advisory Council - last held 7 June 1995 (next
to be held NA)
election results: People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NDP
72%, independents 25%, opposition 3%; seats by party - NDP 317,
independents 114, NWP 6, NPUG 5, Nasserist Arab Democratic Party 1,
LSP 1; Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NDP 99%,
independents 1%; seats by party - NA

Supreme Constitutional Court

Democratic Unionist Party [Mohammed
'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK]; Green Party ; Misr al-Fatah Party
(Young Egypt Party) ; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party [Dia'
al-din DAWUD]; National Democratic Party or NDP [President Mohammed
Hosni MUBARAK, leader] - governing party; National Progressive
Unionist Grouping or NPUG ; New Wafd Party or NWP
; Social Justice Party ;
Socialist Labor Party or SLP ; Socialist Liberal Party
or LSP ; Umma Party 
note: formation of political parties must be approved by government

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 has moved more
aggressively in the past six years to block its influence; trade
unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

ABEDA, ACC, ACCT
(associate), 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, Inmarsat, Intelsat,
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

chief of mission: Ambassador Nabil FAHMY
chancery: 3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:  (202) 895-5400
FAX:  (202) 244-4319, 5131
consulate(s) general: Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel C. KURTZER
embassy: (North Gate) 8, Kamel El-Din Salah Street, Garden City, Cairo
mailing address: Unit 64900, APO AE 09839-4900
telephone:  (2) 3557371
FAX:  (2) 3573200

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