1. Egypt

2.  386,660 sq mi.  38 th largest country.  Approximately the size of California and Texas combined.  Extremely arid desert, 99% of Egypt’s population lives on 5.5% of the total land area  Transcontinental nation

3.  ≈83 million people  3 rd most populated country in Africa  Almost all of the people are located along the banks of the Nile river.  90% of people follow Islam  Others follow mostly Christianity  People are divided between urban and rural people.

4.  Rural farmers are called fellahin  In the past 40 yrs., there has been a huge population increase  This is due to medical advances and an increase in agriculture  Egyptians are largest ethnic group at 98%, other groups include Bedouin tribes, Siwis, and ancient Nubian communities

5.  Egyptian media is influential in both Egypt and the rest of the Arab world  There is a fair amount of freedom from government control in Egyptian media  In the Egyptian constitution, freedom of the media is guaranteed but there are still many laws restricting it

6.  Islam is the dominant religion in Egypt  90% of people are Muslims  The Egyptian Muslims are mostly Sunni  Most non-Muslims are Christians, at about 10% of the population  Largest Middle Eastern Christian community  Only about 200 Jews  The Ancient Egyptian religion has virtually disappeared from use

7.  President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak has been in power since October, 14 1981, after Anwar Sadat’s assassination  Mubarak is on his fifth term as President  Mubarak leads the National Democratic Party  Prime minister Ahmed Nazif was sworn in on July 9, 2004  It is a multi-party semi-presidential system

8.  Power is divided between President and PM  In practice, the President has almost all the power  There have been mostly single-candidate elections for President  Holds regular multi-partly parliamentary elections

9.  President of Egypt from 1970 to 1981  Started the October War to regain the Sinai Peninsula from the Israelis, it failed  Helped pass the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Treaty which stopped the fighting between the two countries, gave Sinai back to Egypt, and made Egypt the first Arab nation to recognize Egypt as a country  A fatwa is taken out on Sadat and he is assassinated in 1981 after several years of turmoil in Egypt

10.  The Egyptian bureaucracy is powerful in Egypt  The bureaucracy continues to grow in Egypt  The Egyptian bureaucracy is so large that it often blocks development

11.  Judiciary in Egypt is separate from government, has both secular and religious courts  Based on French judicial concepts  Plays an important role in the political process  Highest court is Supreme Constitutional Court  Has a “Court of Cassation” and is a tool to provide uniform interpretation and application of law  Court of Cassation deals mostly with challenges brought by the public prosecution

12.  6000 B.C: Neolithic culture rooted in the Nile Valley  3200 B.C: First known use of hieroglyphs  3150 B.C: Unification of Egypt under King Menes  2700 – 2200 B.C: Pyramids were built  343 B.C: Persians conquer the Egyptians  30 B.C: Augustus Caesar conquers Egypt

13.  619: Persians invade Byzantine-controlled Egypt.  639: Arabs invade Egypt  646: Muslims retake Alexandria, ends the Græco-Roman control of Egypt (975 years)  1250: Mamluks take control of Egypt  1517: Ottoman Turks conquer Egypt

14.  1798: France, under Napoleon, conquers Egypt.  1801: France forced out by Ottoman Turks and Great Britain.  1801: Muhammad Ali emerges as the leader of Egypt.  1882: British and French forces put down a nationalist uprising  1906: Dinshaway Incident results in neutral Egyptians favoring independence  1922: Great Britain declares Egyptian independence  1952: Egyptian Revolution; overthrow of the constitutional monarchy for a republic system

15.  11 th largest military in the world  450,000 active troops  Largest navy in the Middle East (60,000 troops)  Egyptian Air Force: 30,000 personal  Army estimated at 340,000 troops  Military Ages: 18 – 49 years  $2.5 Billion (plus $1.3 billion of U.S. aid) spent on the military yearly  Only country in the Middle East to have a spy satellite

16.  Currency: Egyptian pound  GDP: $5,500  Over 24 million people in the labor force (51% services, 32% agriculture, 17% industry)  Unemployment: 8.7%  Imports: 21% comes from China and US (combined)  Exports: 9.7% of all exports go to the US

17.  Head of state: President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak (since 14 October 1981)  Head of government: Prime Minister Ahmed Mohamed Nazif (since 9 July 2004)

18.  Elected by popular vote for six year terms without term limits  Previously the president was nominated by the People’s Assembly and validated by a national referendum (last referendum held September 26, 1999)  Appoints vice presidents, prime ministers, and the Council of Ministers--the cabinet (no current VP)  Supreme commander of the armed forces and presides over the National Security Council, which coordinates defense policy and planning  may declare war with the approval (in practice automatically given) of the parliament, conclude treaties, and issue decrees on national security affairs

19.  Preoccupied with foreign policy  Can legislate by decree during "emergencies," and when parliament is not in session  Submits issues to national referendum  Can dissolve parliament at will  Enjoys a legislative veto

20.  Leader of the largest political party in parliament  appointed and removed by the president, not by parliament  Heads the cabinet, which proposes laws to parliament as well as amendments during parliamentary meetings

21.  Bicameral legislature (People’s Assembly and Shura Council)  located in Cairo, Egypt's capital  enacts laws  approves the general policy of the State  supervises the work of the government  has the power to vote to impeach the President of the Republic,  Can replace the government and its Prime Minister by a vote of no-confidence

22.  Aka Majilis Al-Sha’ab ‎  Lower house, but plays a more important role in drafting legislation and day-to-day legislative duties  222 constituencies, each has two Assembly members  first past the post electoral system  Elected over 3 stages, every 5 years  Made up of 454 deputies  444 are popularly elected  10 are appointed by the President  at least one half of the members should be workers and farmers

23.  five-year term but can be dissolved earlier by the president  may demand the resignation of the cabinet by voting a motion of censure  Powers according to the constitution:  Legislation  Review and approval of agreements and treaties  Review and approval of the State plan and budget  Oversight of the work of the Executive  Discussion of the President of the Republic's statement and the government program  Amendments to the Constitution  Approval of declarations of war and emergency

24.  Aka Majilis Al-Shura  Upper house, "the Consultative Council“  created in 1980 through a Constitutional Amendment  264 members  174 members are directly elected and the 88 are appointed by the President of the Republic  six-year terms  one half of the Council renewed every three years  The Council may not be dissolved except by a Presidential decree and only in case of necessity.

25.  Members of the Council have parliamentary immunity  Candidate Criteria  Hold the Egyptian nationality as well as being the  son of an Egyptian national.  Be not less than 35 years old upon election or nomination.  Have completed military service or be exempted therefrom.  Powers- the council must ratify:  Proposals for the amendment of one or more Articles of the Constitution.  Constitutional amendment bills  All treaties or agreements affecting Egypt’s territorial integrity or sovereignty

26.  National Democratic Party  Nationalist Party  established in 1978 by late president Anwar Sadat  chaired by President Hosni Mubarak since 1981  current ruling political party  maintains the a majority of the People's Assembly (317 out of 444 seats in 2005 election)  New Wafd Party ("New Delegation Party“)  nationalist liberal party  won 6 out of 454 seats in the People's Assembly  Leader is Mahmoud Abaza  National Progressive Unionist Party  Socialist party  won 2 out of 454 seats  Leader is Mohamed Refaat El-Saeed

27.  Large influence in Africa and Middle East  Headquarters of the Arab League located in Cairo  Harsh policy on immigration  Largest trading partner: The EU  Strongly supported US in counter-terrorism, yet refused to send troops to Afghanistan and oppose US occupation of Iraq

28.  The Romans controlled Egypt for 975 years  Ottoman Turks took control of Egypt in 1517  Egyptian leader of the early 17 th century was Muhammad Ali  Great Britain declares Egypt independent in 1922  Egypt creates it’s own government 30 years after independence  Very large military, ranking 11 th in the world  Advanced military, only country in the Middle East to have a spy satellite

29.  Currency is the Egyptian pound  Average GDP amount compared to other countries  Majority of the workforce holds jobs in services  Unemployment isn’t too bad (8.7%)  Greatly influences politics in the surrounding regions  Immigration tactics are harsh, sometimes lethal  Good trading relations with the EU  Strongly against terrorism, yet against occupation

30.  Size of California and Texas combined  Most civilization is along the Nile  90% Muslim  Fellahin – rural farmers  Fair amount to freedom, still some restriction on media  President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak has been in power since 1981, after Sadat’s assassination  Mubarak leads National Democratic Party  Is a semi-presidential system  Power is divided between PM and President

31.  In practice, the President has most of the power  Mostly single-candidate elections for President  Anwar Sadat was President from 1970 to 1981  Assassinated  Started October War to regain Sinai Peninsula, loses war  Gains Sinai in Egyptian-Israeli Treaty with help of President Jimmy Carter  Powerful Bureaucracy in Egypt  So large that it often blocks development  Judiciary is separate from government

32.  Judiciary has both secular and religious courts  Supreme Constitutional Court is highest court  Court of Cassation helps provide uniform interpretation of law

33.  Semi-presidential system with president and prime minister  Prime minister is appointed and removed by the president  Leader of the largest political party in parliament  Bicameral legislature made up of People’s Assembly and Shura Council  People’s assembly is lower house, but more powerful