County Research

Honors Modern World History, 2009-2010
Current Events Simulation: Country Research Questions


Country Name: Egypt

Research and post information (bullet points is fine) to answer the following items. This will be an important reference for you during the sim!


1. form of government and name of your current leader
Republic
President Hosni Mubarak.
2. type of economy, current level of prosperity
Capitalist but with some government control.
GDP=188 billion
Annual Growth rate: 4.7 %
Exports: 25.2 billion. Petroleum, clothing and textiles, cotton, fruits, and vegetables, manufactured goods.
Imports: 50.3 billion: machinery and transport equipment, petroleum products, livestock, food and beverages, paper and wood products, chemicals. Major suppliers-EU, U.S., and China.
Economy had steady GDP growth rates around 7 percent between 2005 and 2008 then dropped below 5% during the global economic crisis.
Agriculture mainly in private hands except for cotton, sugar, and rice products.
Relies heavily on tourism, oil and gas exports, and Suez Canal revenues
US permits products to be imported from Egypt without tariffs if the products have been produced by factories registered in Qualified Industrial Zones and 10.5% of the inputs in the products are from Israel.

3. social values/issues: (class; gender roles; family structures; cultural values, etc.)
Mediterranean and Arab influences appear in the north and some mixing with Nubians of northern Sudan in the south
Literacy rate is 58% of adult population. Education is free through university. 93% of children enter primary school
Take pride in “pharaonic heritage”
Significant restrictions on political process and freedom of expression for non-government organizations including organizations promoting respect for human rights
2005 first time allow competitive multi-candidate elections
Legal Code is derived largely from Napoleonic Code, Marriage and personal status are based on primarily based on the religious law of the individual concerned which for most Egyptians is Islamic Law
Legal ban on torture

4. major religion(s), with %
Muslim: 90%, Coptic Christian 9%, other Christians 1%.

5. major ethnic group(s), with %
Egyptian, Bedouin Arab, Nubain. 99.6% Egyptian and .4% other

6. key events in your 20th c. history that might affect your policy decisions today, and how
Camp David Accords
Fights with Israel
“Summit of the Peacemakers”
Gulf crisis
Madrid Peace Conference
Re admitted to Arab league in 1989
Damascus declaration


7. your key current issues (include detail-you’ll need to refer to these)
Tourism suffering because of terrorist attacks and tourism is a major part of economy
Balancing being friends with the US and Israel but also other Arab countries.
2005 terrorist attack on Egyptian city of Sharm El Skeikh

8. membership in major international or regional organizations (i.e. UN, G-12, NATO, EU, Arab League, etc.)?
Arab League, UN, and Non-Aligned Movement.

9. military strength? do you have nuclear weapons?
Modernized army
Among the largest in the region including army, air defense, air force, and navy
Strong military and strategic partner of the US
No nuclear weapons






Record all sources in Noodletools; your Works Cited is due Mon. May 10 (online).