Egypt

Occupying the northeast corner of the African continent, Egypt is bisected by the highly fertile Nile valley, where most economic activity takes place. Egypt’s economy was highly centralized during the rule of former President Gamal Abdel NASSER but has opened up considerably under former President Anwar EL-SADAT and current President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK. Cairo from 2004 to 2008 aggressively pursued economic reforms to attract foreign investment and facilitate GDP growth. The global financial crisis has slowed the reform efforts. The budget deficit climbed to over 8% of GDP and Egypt’s GDP growth slowed to 4.6% in 2009, predominately due to reduced growth in export-oriented sectors, including manufacturing and tourism, and Suez Canal revenues. In 2010, the government spent more on infrastructure and public projects, and exports drove GDP growth to more than 5%, but GDP growth in 2011 is unlikely to bounce back to pre-global financial recession levels, when it stood at 7%. Despite the relatively high levels of economic growth over the past few years, living conditions for the average Egyptian remain poor.

$500.9 billion (2010 est.)

$475.7 billion (2009 est.)

$454.8 billion (2008 est.)

$216.8 billion (2010 est.)

5.3% (2010 est.)

4.6% (2009 est.)

7.2% (2008 est.)

$6,200 (2010 est.)

$6,000 (2009 est.)

$5,900 (2008 est.)

26.1 million (2010 est.)

9.7% (2010 est.)

9.4% (2009 est.)

20% (2005 est.)

34.4 (2001)

18.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

80.5% of GDP (2010 est.)

80.9% of GDP (2009 est.)

12.8% (2010 est.)

11.9% (2009 est.)

8.5% (31 December 2009)

11.5% (31 December 2008)

11.98% (31 December 2009 est.)

12.33% (31 December 2008 est.)

$37.8 billion (31 December 2010 est)

$33.42 billion (31 December 2009 est)

$166.2 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$146.7 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$145.6 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$131.5 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$89.95 billion (31 December 2009)

$85.89 billion (31 December 2008)

$139.3 billion (31 December 2007)

cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats

textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals, light manufactures

5.5% (2010 est.)

118.4 billion kWh (2007 est.)

104.1 billion kWh (2007 est.)

814 million kWh (2007 est.)

251 million kWh (2007 est.)

680,500 bbl/day (2009 est.)

683,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

89,300 bbl/day (2009 est.)

48,450 bbl/day (2009 est.)

4.3 billion bbl (1 January 2010 est.)

62.7 billion cu m (2009 est.)

42.5 billion cu m (2009 est.)

8.55 billion cu m (2009 est.)

0 cu m (2009 est.)

1.656 trillion cu m (1 January 2010 est.)

$270 million (2010 est.)

-$3.195 billion (2009 est.)

$25.34 billion (2010 est.)

$23.09 billion (2009 est.)

crude oil and petroleum products, cotton, textiles, metal products, chemicals, processed food

US 7.95%, Italy 7.26%, Spain 6.78%, India 6.69%, Saudi Arabia 5.53%, Syria 5.3%, France 4.39%, South Korea 4.27% (2009)

$46.52 billion (2010 est.)

$45.56 billion (2009 est.)

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, wood products, fuels

US 9.92%, China 9.63%, Germany 6.98%, Italy 6.88%, Turkey 4.94% (2009)

$35.72 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$33.93 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$30.61 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$29.66 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$72.41 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$66.71 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

$4.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

$4.272 billion (31 December 2009 est.)

Egyptian pounds (EGP) per US dollar - 5.6124 (2010), 5.545 (2009), 5.4 (2008), 5.67 (2007), 5.725 (2006)