Country explorer: Egypt
EXPERIMENTAL
2024
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Overview
Egypt is a ancient, lower-middle-income country in the Middle East with a large population. Its economy has grown stably in recent decades, and is based on tourism, agriculture and manufacturing.
Egypt hosts one of the oldest civilizations in the world, with a rich heritage dating back thousands of years.
Economy
Egypt's economy has encountered significant fluctuations in GDP per capita, shifts in poverty distribution across various thresholds, variable unemployment rates, and periods of high inflation, mirroring broader trends in lower-middle-income countries yet distinguished by extreme spikes in inflation and poverty levels indicative of its unique socioeconomic challenges.
Demographics
Egypt has seen a steady increase in population, accompanied by slight fluctuations in net migration, a gradual decrease in fertility rates, and improvements in life expectancy, mirroring broader demographic trends observed across lower-middle-income countries, yet distinguished by its substantial population growth and higher fertility rates compared to its regional peers.
Basic needs
Egypt has significantly improved access to basic needs, achieving nearly universal access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, and making substantial progress in safely managed sanitation facilities, distinguishing itself with steady enhancements in public health and living conditions compared to some of its regional peers.
Human development
Egypt has demonstrated progressive human development, marked by improvements in the Human Development Index, significant reductions in child mortality rates, increasing literacy rates, and advancements in learning-adjusted years of schooling, reflecting widespread societal advancements that echo trends observed in lower-middle-income countries while outpacing regional peers in literacy and education quality metrics.
Environment & energy
Egypt is a very dry country with very little fresh water and very little forest cover. Like peer nations in the region, it relies heavily on gas for electricity generation, rather than coal, with renewables slowly being introduced. The use of gas, plus Egypt's level of economic development, together result in low CO₂ emissions per capita.
Technology & innovation
Egypt has experienced significant growth in digital inclusion, mobile connectivity, and scientific production, mirroring broader trends in lower-middle-income countries, but distinguishing itself with a particularly robust increase in internet usage and mobile subscriptions.
Culture & society
Egypt has seen modest shifts in its demographic composition, slight improvements in gender inequality, moderate life satisfaction with a steady but gentle decline, and a gradual increase in the age dependency ratio, reflecting trends common among lower-middle-income countries but with distinctive resilience in societal satisfaction levels.
Governance
Egypt has experienced significant fluctuations in governance indicators, highlighting a challenging environment in terms of rule of law, corruption perception, political civil liberties, and press freedom, a journey that encapsulates both progress and setbacks in aligning with global governance norms.