Egypt Country Risk

Country Facts:

Population:

Egypt is the 16th most populated country in the world with 88 487 396 inhabitants in July 2015. Its population median age is average with 25.3 years old. Egypt has 22.9 births/1 000 population with a fertility rate of 2.83 children born per woman and 4.77 deaths/1 000 population.

The life expectancy at birth is 73.7 years. We can also pinpoint that the obesity rate is one of the higher in the world with 27.7%. Egypt is the most populous country in North Africa and the Arab world, the third-most populous in Africa (after Nigeria and Ethiopia), and the fifteenth-most populous in the world. The great majority of its people live near the banks of the Nile River, an area of about 40,000 square kilometres (15,000 sq mi), where the only arable land is found.
The country is very industrialized with 43.1% of urban population. The main city is Cairo, the capital, with 18 772 000 inhabitants. The population is mainly concentrated along the Nile (notably Cairo and Alexandria), in the Delta and near the Suez Canal. Egyptians are divided demographically into those who live in the major urban centres and the fellahin, or farmers, that reside in rural villages.

Culture:

People speak mainly Arabic, the. English and French are widely understood by educated classes. Arabic was adopted by the Egyptians after the Arab invasion of Egypt.[1] The spoken languages are: Egyptian Arabic (68%), Sa'idi Arabic (29%), Eastern Egyptian Bedawi Arabic (1.6%), Sudanese Arabic (0.6%), Domari (0.3%), Nobiin (0.3%), Beja (0.1%), Siwi and others. The largest religion is Islam (predominantly Sunni) with 90% of the population. There is also Coptic Christians (10%).
Egypt is a predominantly Sunni Muslim country with Islam as its state religion. The percentage of adherents of various religions is a controversial topic in Egypt. Although Egypt was a majority Christian country before the 7th Century, after Islam arrived, the country was slowly Islamified to become a majority Muslim country.[2] Egypt emerged as a centre of politics and culture in the Muslim world. Under Anwar Sadat, Islam became the official state religion and Sharia the main source of law.[3] It is estimated that 15 million Egyptians follow Native Sufi orders, with the Sufi leadership asserting that the numbers are much greater as many Egyptian Sufis are not officially registered with a Sufi order.

Political System:

The unicameral House of Representatives (Majlis Al-Nowaab) has 596 seats including 120 reserved for women, youths, Christians and workers. Its members are elected by direct popular vote. The last election was in December 2015. Inspired by the 2010 Tunisian revolution, Egyptian opposition groups led demonstrations and labor strikes countrywide, culminating in President Hosni Mubarak's ouster. Egypt's military assumed national leadership until a new parliament was in place in early 2012; later that same year, Mohammed Morsi won the presidential election. Following often violent protests throughout the spring of 2013 against Morsi's government and the Muslim Brotherhood, and massive antigovernment demonstrations, the Egyptian Armed Forces intervened and removed Morsi from power in July 2013 and replaced him with interim president Adly Mansour. In January 2014, voters approved a new constitution by referendum and in May 2014 elected Abdel Fattah Al Sisi president.
The principal political parties are : Al-Dustour, Al-Karama Party , Al-Wasat Party, Al-Watan, Building and Development Party, Congress Party, Egyptian National Movement Party, Egyptian Social Democratic Party, El Tagamu'u Party, ree Egyptians Party, New Wafd Party, Popular Current Party, Reform and Development Party, Socialist Popular Alliance and Strong Egypt Party.

[1] "Arab Invasions: The First Islamic Empire". historytoday.com.
[2] Kristin Deasy (October 2012). "The Sufis' Choice: Egypt's Political Wild Card". World Affairs Journal. Retrieved 6 July 2013.
[3] Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. Retrieved14 December 2011.

World Economic Forum's Indicators for Egypt in 2015