World Factbook
Egypt
Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
Last updated: 2026-03-28 (today)
Flag
description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; centered in the white band is the national emblem, a gold Eagle of Saladin; it faces the left side, with a shield on its chest, above a scroll with the country's name in Arabic meaning: the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black) overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white)
note: similar to the flags of Syria (two green stars in the white band), Iraq (an Arabic inscription centered in the white band), and Yemen (plain white band)
Capital
name
Cairo
etymology
the ancient Egyptian name of the original city was Khere-ohe or Kheri-aha; the modern city's name may also derive from the Arabic al-qahir , meaning "the victorious;" this is an Arabic name for the planet Mars, which was in the ascendant on the day in 969 A.D. when construction on the new part of the city began
time difference
UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
daylight saving time
+1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends last Friday in October
geographic coordinates
30 03 N, 31 15 E
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Citizenship
citizenship by birth
no
citizenship by descent only
if the father was born in Egypt
dual citizenship recognized
only with prior permission from the government
residency requirement for naturalization
10 years
Constitution
history
several previous; latest approved by a constitutional committee in December 2013, approved by referendum held on 14-15 January 2014, ratified by interim president on 19 January 2014
amendment process
proposed by the president of the republic or by one fifth of the House of Representatives members; a decision to accept the proposal requires majority vote by House members; passage of amendment requires a two-thirds majority vote by House members and passage by majority vote in a referendum; articles of reelection of the president and principles of freedom are not amendable unless the amendment "brings more guarantees"
Country name
former
United Arab Republic (short-lived unification with Syria)
etymology
the English name Egypt derives from the ancient Greek name for the country, "Aguptos," and the ancient Roman name, "Aegyptus," with the Greek form coming from the words aia gupos , or "land of the vulture;" the Arabic name for the country, Misr, can be traced to the Assyrian word misir , meaning "fort"
local long form
Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
local short form
Misr
conventional long form
Arab Republic of Egypt
conventional short form
Egypt
Independence
28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the military-led revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956)
note: the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically around 3200 B.C.
Legal system
mixed system based on Napoleonic civil and penal law, Islamic religious law, and vestiges of colonial-era laws; Supreme Constitutional Court reviews laws
Government type
presidential republic
Judicial branch
highest court(s)
Supreme Constitutional Court (SCC) (consists of the court president and 10 justices); the SCC serves as the final court of arbitration on the constitutionality of laws and conflicts between lower courts regarding jurisdiction and rulings; Court of Cassation (CC) (consists of the court president and 550 judges organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the CC is the highest appeals body for civil and criminal cases, also known as "ordinary justices"; Supreme Administrative Court (SAC) (consists of the court president and NA judges and organized in circuits with cases heard by panels of 5 judges); the SAC is the highest court of the State Council
subordinate courts
Courts of Appeal; Courts of First Instance; courts of limited jurisdiction; Family Court (established in 2004)
judge selection and term of office
under the 2014 constitution, all judges and justices selected and appointed by the Supreme Judiciary Council and approved as a formality by the president of the Republic; judges appointed for life; under the 2019 amendments, the president has the power to appoint heads of judiciary authorities and courts, the prosecutor general, and the head of the Supreme Constitutional Court
Executive branch
cabinet
Cabinet ministers nominated by the executive branch and approved by the House of Representatives
chief of state
President Abdel Fattah EL-SISI (since 8 June 2014)
election results
2023: Abdel Fattah EL-SISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdel Fattah EL-SISI (independent) 89.6%, Hazam OMAR (Republican People’s Party) 4.5%, Farid ZAHRAN (Egyptian Social Democratic Party 4%, Abdel-Samad YAMAMA 1.9% 2018: Abdelfattah ELSISI reelected president in first round; percent of valid votes cast - Abdelfattah ELSISI (independent) 97.1%, Moussa Mostafa MOUSSA (El Ghad Party) 2.9%; note - more than 7% of ballots cast were deemed invalid
head of government
Prime Minister Mostafa MADBOULY (since 7 June 2018)
most recent election date
10-12 December 2023
election/appointment process
president elected by absolute-majority popular vote in 2 rounds, if needed, for a 6-year term (eligible for 3 consecutive terms); prime minister appointed by the president, approved by the House of Representatives
expected date of next election
2029
National holiday
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)
National color(s)
red, white, black
National heritage
total World Heritage Sites
7 (6 cultural, 1 natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales
Memphis and its Necropolis (c); Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (c); Nubian Monuments (c); Saint Catherine Area (c); Abu Mena (c); Historic Cairo (c); Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) (n)
Political parties
Al-Nour Arab Democratic Nasserist Party Congress Party Conservative Party Democratic Peace Party Egyptian National Movement Party Egyptian Social Democratic Party El Ghad Party El Serh El Masry el Hor Eradet Geel Party Free Egyptians Party Freedom Party Justice Party Homeland’s Protector Party Modern Egypt Party My Homeland Egypt Party Nation's Future Party (Mostaqbal Watan) National Progressive Unionist (Tagammu) Party Reform and Development Party Republican People’s Party Revolutionary Guards Party Wafd Party
Legislative branch
legislative structure
bicameral
National anthem(s)
title
"Bilady, Bilady, Bilady" (My Homeland, My Homeland, My Homeland)
history
adopted 1979; the current anthem was written after the 1979 peace treaty with Israel; the composer is considered the father of modern Egyptian music; of the three verses, only the first verse is sung, preceded and followed by the chorus
lyrics/music
Younis-al QADI/Sayed DARWISH
National symbol(s)
golden eagle, white lotus
National coat of arms
adopted in 1984, the coat of arms features the national symbol, the Eagle of Saladin; the eagle holds a golden scroll with the name of the country, “Gumhuriyet Miṣr al-ʿArabiyyah” (Arab Republic of Egypt), in Arabic script; the shield on the eagle’s chest shows the national colors of red, white, and black
Administrative divisions
27 governorates ( muhafazat , singular - muhafazat ); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Suhaj
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nuwab)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
596 (568 directly elected; 28 appointed)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
10/24/2020 to 12/8/2020
expected date of next election
November 2025
percentage of women in chamber
27.7%
parties elected and seats per party
Future of the Nation (Mostakbal Watan) (317); Republican People's party (El Shaab el Gomhory) (49); Independents (117); Other (109)
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
Senate (Majlis Al-Shiyoukh)
term in office
5 years
number of seats
300 (200 directly elected; 100 appointed)
electoral system
mixed system
scope of elections
full renewal
most recent election date
8/4/2025 to 8/28/2025
expected date of next election
July 2030
percentage of women in chamber
10.7%
parties elected and seats per party
Future of the Nation (Mostakbal Watan) (148); Republican People's party (17); Independents (88); Other (47)
Diplomatic representation in the US
FAX
(202) 244-4319
chancery
3521 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone
[1] (202) 895-5400
chief of mission
Ambassador Motaz Mounir ZAHRAN (since 17 September 2020)
consulate(s) general
Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York
email address and website
embassy@egyptembassy.net https://www.egyptembassy.net/
Diplomatic representation from the US
FAX
[20-2] 2797-3200
embassy
5 Tawfik Diab St., Garden City, Cairo
telephone
[20-2] 2797-3300
mailing address
7700 Cairo Place, Washington DC 20512-7700
chief of mission
Ambassador Herro MUSTAFA GARG (since 15 November 2023)
consulate(s) general
Alexandria
email address and website
ConsularCairoACS@state.gov https://eg.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BRICS, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CD, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, LCBC (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNISFA, UNMISS, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; non-party state to the ICCt