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Population
67.9
million on 1 January 2002, increasing at about 2% per
annum
Capital
City
Cairo
(population approx: 17 million)
Language
Although
the official language is Arabic, English and French
are widely used in business circles.
Principal
Religions
90%
Muslim and 9% Coptic Christians. The remainder consists
of Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics and Anglicans.
International
dialling code from UK
00
20
Local
currency
The
unit of currency is the Egyptian Pound.
Egyptian Pound (LE) is equivalent to 100 Piastres (PT)
The denomination in circulation is:
Notes: PT 25, PT 50, LE 1, LE 5, LE 10, LE 20, LE 50
and LE 100
Coins: PT 5, PT 10, PT 20 and PT 25
For
the current exchange rates between Egyptian Pounds and
other foreign currencies ask at the reception of your
hotel or consult a bank.
Weights
and measures
The
metric system is generally in use.
However, in a few places, mainly in the rural districts,
the old units of weight and measure are used:
1 feddan = 0.42 hectares
1 ardeb = 198 litres
1 kantar = 44.9 kg
Public
holidays
|
New Year's Day |
1 Jan |
| Coptic
Christmas |
7
Jan |
| Id
El Adha |
24
Feb |
| Id
El Adha |
25
Feb |
| Coptic
Easter |
5
May |
| Sham
El Nessim |
6
May |
| Revolution
Day |
23
Jul |
| Armed
Forces Day |
6
Oct |
| Eve
Id El Fitr |
4
Dec |
| Id
El Fitr |
Dec
|
*When
a public holiday falls on a Friday, the following Saturday
will be taken as a holiday.
Muslim
holiday's are based on the lunar calendar and so vary
by 10-12 days each year. The exact dates of the holiday's
below may vary by one or two days from the date shown,
depending on sightings of the moon. *Islam plays a very
important part in the day-to-day life of Egyptian society,
easpecially in the fasting month of Ramadan, when Muslims
do not eat or drink during daylight hours.
Passports
/ Visas
A
valid passport is required by all except certain Palestinians
and some merchant seamen and must be valid for at least
three months after the planned stay.
All
foreign nationals are required to obtain valid entry
visas to enter Egypt, with certain exceptions for nationals
of countries that do not require visas for Egypt. Most
Europeans, North Americans and other nationals can obtain
tourist visas, valid for up to three months, at the
port of entry. Ownership of assets in Egypt has no impact
on the ease of obtaining a visa. Tourist visas are issued
to foreign nationals visiting Egypt for recreational
purposes, or to foreign nationals whose stay in Egypt
will not exceed three months. It is possible to renew
this visa for similar durations after transferring US$180
for each month of additional time to an Egyptian bank.
Temporary
visas are issued to foreign nationals who are entering
Egypt for reasons other than recreational purposes and
whose stay will exceed three months but not exceed one
year. Ordinary visas are issued for a period of five
years to foreign nationals who are married to Egyptians
or who were born in Egypt or Palestine.
Special
visas are issued to a specific type of foreign national
for political reasons or to individuals who have provided
beneficial services to Egypt. The duration of this visa
is 10 years, and it is renewable for similar durations.
Embassy
of the Arab Republic of Egypt
26 South Street
LONDON
W1Y 6DD
Tel: 020 7499 2401
Fax: 020 7355 3568
Website:www.mfa.gov.eg
Egyptian
Consulate
2 Lowndes Street
London
SW1X 9ET
Tel: 020 7235 9719
(0891) 887777 (visa information)
Fax: 020 7235 5684
Health
advice / risks
Depending
on which countries have been visited immediately prior
to arrival in Egypt, visitors may be required to produce
proof of vaccination against certain diseases, for example,
yellow fever and cholera is necessary if visitors are
travelling from regions where there are outbreaks of
these diseases. Vaccination against typhoid, paratyphoid
and for those travelling into Upper Egypt, hepatitis
B, is advisable before arrival. In all cases, visitors
are recommended to contact a travel agency in order
to get further information on the current vaccination
requirements.
Health
in general
Information on health hazards, and precautions to take
when travelling abroad, can be found in the leaflet
'Health Advice for travellers' available free from main
Post offices.
Visitors
who are not used to the region would be wise to avoid
green salads and the more exotic dishes. Avoid anything
raw, particularly fish and shellfish. Meat is safe as
long as it is thoroughly cooked. Avoid cream and milk
that hasn't been boiled. Milk in sealed cartons is usually
safe to drink. Cuts and abrasions should be treated
immediately. Changes in temperature may occur suddenly
and so adequate clothing should be worn after sunset,
particularly in winter and spring.
Protect
yourself against the sun. It is difficult to ascertain
the speed at which your body is losing fluid in Egypt
because of the dry climate. Headaches, dizziness and
nausea are signs that you have lost too much water and
may be suffering from heat exhaustion. To prevent this,
add a little extra salt with your food, drink plenty
of fluids and wear a hat and sunglasses. Visitors are
advised to take appropriate medicines with them, although
most medicines are usually locally available.
The
guidance below is from 'Health Advice for Travellers'
(July 1998) produced by the Department of Health. For
further information please consult this publication
which is available free from Post Offices.
Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) has now spread across
the world. There is no vaccine or cure for AIDS. AIDS
is caused by a virus known as HIV (Human Immuno-Deficiency
Virus). Infection with HIV is more common than AIDS
itself. People infected with HIV remain infected and
infectious all their lives. There is no vaccine or cure
for HIV infection. It is preferable, where possible,
to seek treatment only after consultation with the British
Consular representative.
In
connection with obtaining residence and work permits,
the Egyptian authorities have introduced a requirement
that a certificate must be produced confirming that
the foreign applicant is free of HIV.
An
Egyptian doctor practising in Egypt must usually issue
this certificate. When applying for a work permit, you
will be issued with a list of three recognised clinics
where tests can be undertaken in Egypt.
Drinking
water
Public hygiene in the major towns and cities is generally
reasonably good. Drinking water in Cairo and Alexandria
is usually safe, although the excessive chlorine can
be upsetting to the stomach. Short stay visitors are
recommended to drink only bottled mineral water and
or boiled water. Even in the better hotels and restaurants
it is advisable to avoid salads and ice in drinks.
Health
insurance
It is essential to take out full medical insurance when
visiting Egypt, as there are no reciprocal healthcare
agreements between Egypt and the UK.
Medical
services
There are hospitals throughout Egypt, but most are not
up to the standard of the UK. Private hospitals are
available and treatment can be undertaken on receipt
of a fax from the UK travel insurance company guaranteeing
payment. In the case of an emergency the British Embassy
can provide a list of doctors and hospitals where English
is spoken.
Travel routes to Egypt
The
vast majority of British business visitors to Egypt
arrive by air. There are direct flights from London
Heathrow to Egypt's international gateways at Cairo
(Heliopolis), Alexandria, Luxor and there are connecting
flights to Hurghada. Two small airports opened in July
1997, at Dakhla and East Oweinat.
There
are frequent direct services operated by British Airways
and EgyptAir between London Heathrow and Cairo International
Airport. Generally, foreign airlines use Terminal 2
at Cairo International airport, whereas the majority
of EgyptAir flights arrive at and depart from Terminal
1 at Cairo International Airport.
Transport
from the airport to the centre of Cairo is provided
by a "Limousine service" at a fixed price
(in 1998 approximately E£45).
London
Heathrow to Egypt
Direct flights to Cairo: British Airways and EgyptAir
each offer direct daily services to Cairo. Please contact
your travel agent for further details.
Connecting flights to Cairo: Most major European Airlines
offer connecting flights.
Direct flights to Alexandria: British Mediterranean
Airways, a subsidiary of British Airways, operates flights
to Alexandria. Please contact your travel agent for
further details.
Connecting flights to Alexandria: Some airlines offer
connecting flights to Alexandria.
Return
flights to the UK
Direct flights from Cairo: British Airways offers direct,
non-stop flights from Cairo to London Heathrow daily.
EgyptAir also offers direct, non-stop flights from Cairo
to London Heathrow daily.
British Airways operates direct flights (one stop) from
Alexandria to London Heathrow.
Connecting flights: Most European Airlines offer connecting
flights.
How
to get to & from the airport
Taxis,
car hire facilities, airlines and bus operators, all
provide a means of travelling to and from Cairo and
Alexandria International Airports.
Travelling
in Egypt
Journeys
from Cairo to the provinces may be made by car, train,
bus or plane. Services are quite comprehensive and the
standard is generally good. Visitors are free to travel
from Cairo to all towns and cities. However travel to
certain border areas of the country still requires permission
from the security authorities. All travellers should
consult the latest Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel
Advice.
Air
EgyptAir operates flights from Cairo to Alexandria,
Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Hurghada and Marsa Matrouth.
Generally it is only possible to fly from one provincial
airport to another via Cairo.
There
are a number of other small, private airlines which
offer internal flights.
Rail
The railways provide one of the country's most important
internal systems with Cairo at the centre. The largest
and the most important towns are connected to the rail
network. The main railway line runs from Alexandria
to Aswan. The journey between Cairo and Alexandria takes
approximately 2½ hours by regular train and almost
2 hours by the turbine engine train or the Spanish one.
Cairo to Luxor takes approximately 10 hours. Seats have
to be reserved in advance.
Road
There is a well developed road network with close to
43,000 km of roads. Bus services (mostly air-conditioning)
operate from Cairo to most large towns; seats have to
be booked in advance. The use of buses beyond the main
road in not recommended. It is easy to hire a car with
driver (limousine service from all major hotels) to
almost all destinations in Egypt (the fare should always
be agreed in advance); however air or rail is recommended
for long journeys. The journey time from Cairo to Alexandria
by bus or car is about 2½ hours, to Suez and
Ismailia is about 1½ hours and Port Said (free
trade zone) about 2½ hours. Cars drive on the
right in Egypt; and there is a speed-limit of 100 km
per hour on all main roads. Road safety is low and it
is not recommended to drive after dark outside the main
cities.
Urban
transport
Cairo and Alexandria have extensive bus, tram and minibus
services. However, foreigners (especially those who
do not speak Arabic) are not recommended to use these
forms of transport as they are generally overcrowded,
and these drivers speak Arabic only. The metro in Cairo
is clean and efficient. Taxis (rarely air conditioned
and usually uncomfortable) are available in all the
main towns. The fares are reasonable, but as the taxi
meters are often not used, visitors are advised to agree
the fare before commencing the journey. Taxis and the
limousine service provided by the hotels can be hired
on an hourly or daily basis. As many taxi drivers cannot
speak English, it is advisable to have the address written
in Arabic, if necessary by the hotel receptionist/porter.
It is a good idea to carry a map to assist the driver.
Hotels
Five
star hotels can be found in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor,
Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh, Nuweiba, Taba and
Dahab.
Tipping
is widespread in Egypt. Everyone from porters to taxi
drivers to bag packers at the supermarket expect baksheesh.
It is advisable to carry some notes of small denominations
with you for this (suggested level of tipping LE1-LE5
max)
Restaurants
All
major hotels have several restaurants offering both
international and local dishes. The standard and service
vary.
Cairo
has many restaurants offering international, local and
oriental dishes. As restaurants quickly come and go,
travellers are recommended to ask for advice on where
to eat once they arrive in Cairo.
Average
price of a meal is about £10 - £15 per person
(suggested level of tipping: 10%).
All major hotels except credit cards.
Electricity
supply
220-240
volts AC, 50 cycles, with mainly two pin round plug
fittings and screw and bayonet-type light sockets used.
The industrial supply is 220-380 volts, single or three-phase.
Many industrial and commercial undertakings have their
own emergency generators as an insurance against occasional
power cuts. Some leading hotels may also supply 110
volts outlets for razors and small appliances.
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