Egypt+Politics

=Politics =
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Government Type:
Republic

**Capital:**

 * **Name:**Cairo
 * **Geographic Coordinates:** 30 03 N, 31 15 E
 * **Time Difference:** UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
 * **Daylight Savings Time: **+1hr, begins last Friday in April; ends first Friday in August

**Administrative Divisions:**

 * **29 governorates:** (muhafazat, singular - muhafazat); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar (Red Sea), Al Buhayrah (El Beheira), Al Fayyum (El Faiyum), Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah (Alexandria), Al Isma'iliyah (Ismailia), Al Jizah (Giza), Al Minufiyah (El Monofia), Al Minya, Al Qahirah (Cairo), Al Qalyubiyah, Al Uqsur (Luxor), Al Wadi al Jadid (New Valley), As Suways (Suez), Ash Sharqiyah, Aswan, Asyut, Bani Suwayf (Beni Suef), Bur Sa'id (Port Said), Dumyat (Damietta), Helwan, Janub Sina' (South Sinai), Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh (Western Desert), Qina (Qena), Shamal Sina' (North Sinai), Sittah Uktubar, Suhaj (Sohag)

**Independence:**
28 February 1922 (from UK protectorate status; the revolution that began on 23 July 1952 led to a republic being declared on 18 June 1953 and all British troops withdrawn on 18 June 1956); note - it was ca. 3200 B.C. that the Two Lands of Upper (southern) and Lower (northern) Egypt were first united politically

**National Holiday:**
Revolution Day, 23 July (1952)

**Constitution:**
11 September 1971; amended 22 May 1980, 25 May 2005, and 26 March 2007; note - constitution dissolved by the military caretaker government on 13 February 2011

**Legal Systems:**
based on Islamic and civil law (particularly Napoleonic codes); judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations

**Executive Branch:**

 * **Cheif of State:**President (vacant); Vice President (vacant); note - following the resignation of President Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK in February 2011, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, headed by Defense Minister Muhammad Hussein TANTAWI, assumed control of the government
 * **Head of Government: **Prime Minister Essam SHARAF (since 4 March 2011); Deputy Prime Minister Yehia EI-GAMAL (since 24 February 2011)
 * <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">**Cabinet:** a new cabinet was sworn in on 7 March 2011
 * <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">**Elections:** president elected by popular vote for a six-year term (no term limits)
 * <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">**Election Results:** Hosni MUBARAK reelected president; percent of vote - Hosni MUBARAK 88.6%, Ayman NOUR 7.6%, Noman GOMAA 2.9%

**Legislative Branch:**
bicameral system consists of the Advisory Council or Majlis al-Shura (Shura Council) that traditionally functions mostly in a consultative role (264 seats; 176 members elected by popular vote, 88 appointed by the president; members serve six-year terms; mid-term elections for half of the elected members) and the People's Assembly or Majlis al-Sha'b (518 seats; 508 members elected by popular vote, 64 seats reserved for women, 10 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms)
 * **Elections:**<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Advisory Council - last held in June 2010 (next to be held in 2013); People's Assembly - last held in November-December 2010 in one round of voting and one run-off election (next to be held in 2015); note - on 13 February 2011 the ruling military council dissolved the parliament
 * **<span class="category_data" style="vertical-align: top;">Election Results: **<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">Advisory Council - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 80, Al-Geel 1, Nasserist 1, NWP 1, Tagammu 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 3; People's Assembly - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NDP 419, NWP 6, Tagammu 5, Democratic Peace Party 1, Social Justice Party 1, Tomorrow Party 1, independents 71, seats undecided 4, seats appointed by president 10

Supreme Constitutional Court
 * Judicial Branch:**

**Political Parties and Leaders:**
Al-Geel; Democratic Peace Party; Nasserist Party [Ahmed HASSAN]; National Democratic Party or NDP (governing party) [Mohamed Hosni MUBARAK]; National Progressive Unionist Grouping or Tagammu [Rifaat EL-SAID]; New Wafd Party or NWP [Sayed EL-BEDAWY]; Social Justice Party [Mohamed Abdel Al HASAN]; Tomorrow Party [Ayman NOUR] //note:// <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">formation of political parties must be approved by the government; only parties with representation in elected bodies are listed

**<span class="category_data" style="vertical-align: top;">Political Pressure Groups and Leaders: **
Muslim Brotherhood (technically illegal) //note:// <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">despite a constitutional ban against religious-based parties and political activity, the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood constitutes Egypt's most potentially significant political opposition; President MUBARAK has alternated between tolerating limited political activity by the Brotherhood and blocking its influence (its members compete as independents in elections but do not currently hold any seats in the legislature); civic society groups are sanctioned, but constrained in practical terms; only trade unions and professional associations affiliated with the government are officially sanctioned; Internet social networking groups and bloggers

**<span class="category_data" style="vertical-align: top;">International Organization Participation: **
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, AU, BSEC (observer), CAEU, CICA, COMESA, D-8, EBRD, FAO, G-15, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, MINURSO, MONUSCO, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OIF, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNOCI, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

**Flag Description:**
three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black; the national emblem (a gold Eagle of Saladin facing the hoist side with a shield superimposed on its chest above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; the band colors derive from the Arab Liberation flag and represent oppression (black), overcome through bloody struggle (red), to be replaced by a bright future (white) //note:// <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">similar to the flag of Syria, which has two green stars in the white band, Iraq, which has an Arabic inscription centered in the white band, and Yemen, which has a plain white band

<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">

Military branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Command

**Military service age and obligation:**
18-30 years of age for male conscript military service; service obligation 12-36 months, followed by a 9-year reserve obligation (2008)

**Manpower available for military service:**

 * Males age 16-49: <span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">21,012,199
 * Females age 16-49:<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">20,145,021 (2010 est.)

**Military expenditures:**
3.4% of GDP (2005 est.)

Student Questions:
1. What is the capitol city of Egypt? a. Alexandria b. Cairo c. Port Said d. None of the above

Answers: 1. b

<span class="category_data" style="font-weight: normal; vertical-align: top;">**References:**
The World Factbook. (n.d.). //Central Intelligence Agency//. Retrieved April 6, 2011, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/eg.html


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