Long-form name: Arab Republic of Egypt

Type: republic

Capital: Cairo

Administrative divisions: 24 governorates (muhafazat, singular--muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Ismailiyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf, Bur Said, Dumyat, Janub Sina, Matruh, Shamal Sina, Suhaj

Independence: 28 February 1922 (from UK); formerly United Arab Republic

Constitution: 11 September 1971

Legal system: based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

National holiday: Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Cabinet

Legislative branch: unicameral People's Assembly (Majlis al-Chaab); note--there is an Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura) that functions in a consultative role

Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court

Leaders: Chief of State--President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (was made acting President on 6 October 1981 upon the assassination of President Sadat and sworn in as President on 14 October 1981); Head of Government--Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986)

Political parties and leaders: formation of political parties must be approved by government; National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Kamal MURAD; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI; National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN; Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI; New Wafd Party (NWP), Fuad SIRAJ AL-DIN; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Ali al-Din SALIH; Democratic Unionist Party, Muhammad Abd al-Mun'im TURK; The Greens Party, Hasan RAJAB

Suffrage: universal and compulsory at age 18

Elections: President--last held 5 October 1987 (next to be held October 1993); results--President Hosni MUBAREK was reelected; People's Assembly--last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held November 1995); results--NDP 78.4%, NPUG 1.4%, independents 18.7%; seats--(454 total, 444 elected)--including NDP 348, NPUG 6, independents 83; note--most opposition parties boycotted; Advisory Council--last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held June 1995); results--NDP 100%; seats--(258 total, 172 elected) NDP 172

Communists: about 500 party members

Other political or pressure groups: Islamic groups are illegal, but the largest one, the Muslim Brotherhood, is tolerated by the government; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned

Member of: ABEDA, ACC, ACCT (associate), AfDB, AFESD, AG (observer), AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, EBRD, ECA, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OAU, OIC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador El Sayed Abdel Raouf EL REEDY; Chancery at 2310 Decatur Place NW, Washington DC 20008; telephone (202) 232-5400; there are Egyptian Consulates General in Chicago, Houston, New York, and San Francisco; US--Ambassador Frank G. WISNER; Embassy at Lazougi Street, Garden City, Cairo (mailing address is APO New York 09674-0006); telephone [20] (2) 355-7371; there is a US Consulate General in Alexandria

Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria which has two green stars and of Iraq which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band

NOTE: The information regarding Egypt on this page is re-published from the 1991 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Egypt Government 1991 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Egypt Government 1991 should be addressed to the CIA.