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Geographical area
Almost 1 million square kilometres. Most of the country is desert or semi-desert and 99% of the population lives in the fertile Nile Valley or Delta, which is just 4 - 6% of the total surface area of the country.
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Capital
Cairo. Almost a third of the population (approx. 23 million) reside in the capital and outer lying suburbs.
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Population
Approximately 70 million people (the most populous country in the Arab world).
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People
99% are Egyptians, Bedouins and Berbers. The remaining 1% are Nubians, Armenians and other Europeans (mostly Italian and French).
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Language
Arabic is the official language, though English and French are widely spoken in major towns and tourist centres.
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System of Government
Presidential Republic with a democracy.
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Currency
Egyptian Pounds (E£, EGP or LE). LE£1 consists of 100 Piastres.
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Exchange rate (July 08)
Egypt - GBP £1 = LE £10.56 Jordan - GBP £1 = JOD 1.40
USD $1 = LE£5.35 USD $1 = JD£0.70 (subject to fluctuation).
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Religion
Egypt is an Islamic country with 90% of the population Sunni Muslims. The remaining 10% are Coptic Christians and followers of other faiths.
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Time Zones
Egypt is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time. Daylight saving time (+3 hours) is observed from 1 May to 30 September.
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Weather
Mainly hot and dry. Temperatures exceed 38ºC during Egypt's summer (from May to September) with extremes of up to 45ºC. When the weather hot, where possible we ammend out daily sightseeing program to suit. We visit sites in the cool of the early morning and upon sunset leaving the middle of the day free for resting or relaxing by the pool.
Temperatures drop during the winter months from late November to February ranging from 15 - 25ºC on the Mediterranean coast to 15 - 30ºC in Aswan in the south. During winter nights, temperatures can plummet to below 10ºC on the coast and in Cairo. In the desert, days are scorching hot, but bitterly cold at night. Alexandria in the north receives the most rain (approx. 20cm per year), whilst Aswan in the south has received an average of 10mm in the last 5 years.
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Trading hours
0900 - 1300hrs and 1700 - 2200hrs in summer and 1000-1800hrs in winter, often with a long break in the afternoon. Many shops are closed on Friday and Sunday and hours may change during Ramadan.
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Voltage
Standard voltage is 220V AC, 50 Hz. Sockets require European plug with a small diameter prong (two round pins). You will need a power adaptor for all electical items.
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