Egypt has long been one of the world's most desirable tourist destinations. Around five million visitors are attracted to the country each year, mainly to see the magnificent pyramids, enjoy the year-round sunshine and dive in the Red Sea. Italians are usually the highest number of visitors from any country followed by the Germans, British and French. Several times in recent years, the Egyptian tourism sector has suffered. Numbers fell after the first Gulf War and again in 1997, when Islamic militants opened fire and massacred dozens of tourists in Luxor. And like most prominent tourist destinations Egypt also registered fewer visitors after the 11 September attacks in the USA. Industry analysts predict that 2006 will see Egypt record the highest number of tourists in its history.
Full name: Arab Republic of Egypt
Population: 74.9 million (UN, 2005)
Capital: Cairo
Area: 1 million sq km (386,874 sq miles)
Major language: Arabic
Major religion: Islam
Life expectancy: 67 years (men), 72 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: 1 Egyptian Pound = 100 piastres
Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products and cotton
GNI per capita: US $1,250 (World Bank, 2006)
Internet domain: .eg
International dialling code: +20
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