Egypt information

The country is about 1. 085 km from north to south and about 1. 255 km from east to west. It has a total area of 1. 001450 km2.

Location:
Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula

• Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E
• Map references: Africa
• Area: Total: 1,001, 450 sq km
• Land: 995, 450 sq km
• Water: 6, 000 sq km
• Area-comparatives: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
• Land boundaries:
  Total: 2, 665 km Border countries: Gaza Strip 11 km, Palestine 266 km, Libya 1,115 km, Sudan 1, 273 km.
• Coastline: 2, 450 km
• Maritime claims:   
  - Territorial sea: 12 nm
  -Contiguous zone: 24 nm
  -Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
  -Continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
• Elevation extremes:    
  -lowest point : Qattara Depression 436 m
  -highest point: Mount Catherine 2, 629 m
  -Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead and zinc.
• Land use:
  -Arable land: 2.87%
  -Permanent crops: 0.48%   
  -Other: 96.65% (2001)
• Irrigated land: 33, 000 sq km (1998 est.)

Egypt is 50 feet below sea level. Some important cities, towns, and places in Egypt are Cairo (the capital), Giza, Memphis, Thebes, Alexandria, Suez Canal, Abu Simbel, Sinai Peninsula, and Rosetta.

Egypt Health and Safety

Vaccinations:

Hepatitis A - Recommended for all travellers
Typhoid - Recommended for all travellers
Yellow fever- Required for travelers arriving from a yellow-fever-infected area in Africa or the Americas.
Polio- One-time booster recommended for any adult traveler who completed the childhood series but never had polio vaccine as an adult
Hepatitis B- For travelers who may have intimate contact with local residents, especially if visiting for more than 6 months
Rabies- For travelers who may have direct contact with animals and may not have access to medical care
Tetanus-diphtheria- Revaccination recommended every 10 years

Visas

Visa validity - Single entry visas are valid for 3 months from the date of issue. Multiple entry visas are valid for 6 months from the date of issue. Please fill out the application form with the date required if multiple entry is needed.

Visa Processing Time - Visas are usually processed in 4 working days. Service fee for regular processing is $49.00. Rush service fee of $98 will be assessed for any attempts to process the visa in less than regular processing time.

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads: More than 4,800 kilometers of track, 950 kilometers of which double-tracked. Twenty-five-kilometer suburban transit link between Cairo and industrial suburb of Hulwan electrified. Southern part of Cairo Metro opened 1987; northeast line opened 1989. Ferry at Aswan connects Egyptian Railways to Sudanese system.

Roads: More than 49,000 kilometers, of which about 15,000 kilometers paved, 2,500 kilometers gravel, 31,500 kilometers earthen.

Inland Waterways: About 3,500 kilometers, consisting mainly of Nile River and several canals in Delta.

Suez Canal: About 160 kilometers for international shipping between Red and Mediterranean seas.

Ports: Alexandria main port. Port Said and Suez other two large ports. Phosphates shipped from Bur Safajah on the Red Sea.