Location: Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea, between Sudan and Libya

Map references: Africa, Middle East, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area:
total area: 1,001,450 sq km
land area: 995,450 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico

Land boundaries: total 2,689 km, Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km

Coastline: 2,450 km

Maritime claims:
contiguous zone: 24 nm
continental shelf: 200-m depth or to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: not specified
territorial sea: 12 nm

International disputes: administrative boundary with Sudan does not coincide with international boundary creating the "Hala'ib Triangle," a barren area of 20,580 sq km; the dispute over this area escalated in 1993, this area continues to be in dispute

Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters

Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc

Land use:
arable land: 3%
permanent crops: 2%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 0%
other: 95%

Irrigated land: 25,850 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment:
current issues: agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salinization below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, untreated sewage, and industrial effluents; water scarcity away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining natural resources
natural hazards: periods of drought; subject to frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber, Wetlands, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change

Note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics

NOTE: The information regarding Egypt on this page is re-published from the 1995 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Egypt Geography 1995 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Egypt Geography 1995 should be addressed to the CIA.