Egypt General Informations:

Egypt, commonly known as The Motherland of the Worldd, Land of Civilizationss and The Greatest Power in Human Historyy, is reputed worldwide for its distinct 7,000-year-old record of civilization and immense wealth of knowledge. This has made Egypt a master and pioneer of science, arts, culture, architecture as well as almost all fields of human knowledge.


Amongst all civilizations and nations, Egypt has always maintained a unique position. Historically, Egypt is universally acknowledged as the world's most ancient state with a unified societal entity within its current geographical borders.


Through this area there runs the River Nile starting from the Great Lakes in the heart of Africa, through northern Sudan where the Ethiopian tributaries collecting rain water flows into its main course.
Running past the cataract area south of Aswan, it calms down, flowing smoothly down to its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea.


 Egypt has been referred to as the ''Gift of the Nile'' due to the river that has nourished the desert land and sustained one of the most ancient, continuous civilizations in the world.


The country has long captured the world's imagination as the magical land of the Pharaohs and their awe-inspiring Pyramids of Giza, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World to survive.


Details
General Information about Egypt:
Total Area: 
1,001,500 square kilometers (386,662 square miles).


Capital:
Cairo.


Population:
75,550,000.


Ethnic Groups:
99 percent Egyptian, & Bedouin; 1 percent other, including Nubian, Armenian, and European.


Official Language:
Arabic. English and French are widely spoken by educated Egyptians. 


Religion:
85 percent Sunni Muslim; 15 percent Christian, including Coptic, Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Armenian churches.


Government: 
a presidential republic. The head of state is the president, elected by popular referendum to a six-year term. The prime minister, appointed by the president, is head of government. The legislature is unicameral and made up of the Majilis ash-Sha''''ab (People''s Assembly), with 454 members. Voting age is 18.


Phone Code:
The international telephone access code is 20. The city code for Cairo is 02, for Alexandria 03, for Luxor 095, for Port Said 066, for Suez 062, and for Aswan 097. Omit the zero if calling from abroad.To place an outgoing international call, dial 00 plus the country code and number. For directory assistance, dial 140.


Time Zone:
Egypt time is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich mean time, or 7 hours ahead of New York and Montrral, 1 hour behind Moscow, and 7 hours behind Tokyo. Egypt observes daylight saving time from May until October.


Business Hours:
Banks are open 8:30 AMM2 PM, SundayyThursday, and closed on Friday and Saturday. Shopping hours vary by the season. In winter, stores are generally open 9 AMM6 PM (sometimes later). In summer, store hours are 9 AMM12:30 PM and 5 PMM8 PM Saturday through Thursday. Though most stores are closed on Sunday, some are also closed on Friday.


Holidays:
New Year''''s Day (1 January), Ramadan (month-long festival of daytime fasting; dates vary), End of Ramadan/Eid al-Fitr (three-day celebration; dates vary), Sinai Liberation Day (25 April), Labor Day (1 May), Islamic New Year (date varies), Evacuation Day (18 June) Revolution Day (23 July), Prophet Mohammed''''s Birthday (celebration date varies), National Day/Armed Forces Day (6 October), Suez City and National Liberation Day (24 October), and Victory Day (23 December).


Note: Normal business hours may be disrupted around the time of Muslim festivals. For the lunar month preceding Eid al-Fitr, for instance, Muslims fast during the day, so restaurants are often closed during the day, or are open to sell only beverages.


Weather:
Egypt is generally hot and dry year-round, except during the winter (November to March). Summer temperatures range from 311 C (888 F) along the Mediterranean coast to as high as 500 C (1222 F) in the inland southern town of Aswan. Desert areas experience a notably large temperature range, getting as cold as 88 C (466 F) on winter nights. Winter rains are common along the Mediterranean coast, as is humidity. In Cairo, however, rain is rare. One distinct characteristic about Egypt''''s climate is the khamsin, a hot, dry wind that brings sand and dust storms in from the Sahara during the spring season.


Money:
The basic unit of currency in Egypt is the pound, abbreviated EE. (In Arabic, the pound is called a guineh.) The pound is divided into 100 piastres, and each piastre into 10 millims. Bills are available in denominations of EE 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100, and 25 and 50 piastres, while coins are available in denominations of 5, 10 and 25 piastres. For current international exchange rates, see the Currency Converter.Credit cards are accepted by larger hotels, restaurants and shopssespecially those which cater to touristssbut cash is still the preferred method of payment. Traveler''''s checks can be changed at most banks and are accepted as payment at many tourist shops, hotels, and restaurants. Don''''t forget to take your passport when exchanging money.
There is a shortage of small change in Egypt. Be sure to ask for plenty of coins in small denominations when changing money.


Tipping:
Tipping (called baksheesh in Egypt) is common practice for most services, regardless of how inconsequential. In hotels and restaurants, a service charge of about 12 percent is added to the bill, but an extra 5 percent tip is customary. Taxi fares often include a tip, but if your driver has given especially good service, tip about 10 percent; tips for porters and bellhops is about a pound. Many people rely on tipping to supplement their incomes, so it is important to be aware of the practice and to remember to carry small change.


Customs:
Incoming cars, motorcycles and video cameras will be assessed a duty, but personal clothing, work equipment, one bottle of liquor and 200 cigarettes, or 25 cigars, or 200 grams of tobacco may be brought into the country duty-free. Gifts up to the value of EE500 may also be brought in duty-free.


Note: Cash money over 10000 Egyptian pound must be declared on arrival.Fireworks, explosives, any printed matter, photographs, video, film or phonographs that could be considered are prohibited from being brought into the country. 


Measurements:
The metric system is standard throughout the country.


Electricity:
The electrical current in most areas is 220 volts , 50 Hz AC, although some rural areas still use 1100130 volts, 60 Hz AC. Plugs are the two-pin European style. Visitors from abroad who wish to operate personal small electronic items should bring a plug adapter and a transformer (these can be difficult to find in Egypt). 


Driving:
Road conditions are satisfactory throughout most of the country. Traffic in Cairo is extremely heavy, and challenging. Private automobile touring in desert areas is not recommended without suitable vehicles and a guide. A driver''''s license from one''''s home country as well as an international driving permit (available from most auto clubs in your home country) are required. All vehicles must carry a fire extinguisher and a red hazard triangle. See Transportation for more details.


Emergencies:
In an emergency dial 123 for an ambulance, 122 to reach the police, and 125 for a fire emergency. Note: The tourist police are often more helpful to foreigners than the regular police.
Pharmacists and Doctors in Egypt usually speak English, and in Cairo a few pharmacies are open 24 hours.