Egypt

Situated at the extreme north-eastern corner of the African continent, Egypt is an entry point to the Middle East and Africa. Because it owns the Suez Canal, Egypt administers all access between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, and thus most sea traffic between Europe and the Middle East, East Africa and Asia. 95% of Egypt's population is concentrated in the Nile river valley and delta, as most of the rest of the country is desert.

In 2008, imports of manufactured goods, machinery and transport equipment increased and accounted for around 45% of total imports. Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials accounted for 44% of Egypt's exports in 2008. Top partners for exports in 2008 were Italy, India and the Netherlands. The “cradle of civilization” for centuries, Egypt has a large number of historic monuments and offers many sightseeing attractions. Tourism is therefore an important source of revenue for the country.

Egypt’s weak infrastructure can be an obstacle to trade. But the market has the advantage of being large (76 million inhabitants), homogeneous (more than 99% of the population is of Egyptian origin) and fast-growing. Egypt has high demand for new products and equipment, especially in information technology. But because of the weak purchasing power of the population, only the elite can afford higher-range consumer products.

To learn about doing business with Egypt, visit the Egyptian International Trade Point. The website provides directories, statistics, an online marketplace, a schedule of trade fairs and more. And don't forget the website of the U.S. Commercial Service in Egypt. The site gives extensive information about the markets through news and guides, and programs a lot of conferences, trade missions and training. You’ll also find plenty of good research at the Egypt Mini Portal, a feature of the FITA Web site. The Egypt Mini Portal has an overview of the country, with facts about the language, currency, climate, etc., plus more specific information about the economy, markets, taxes, labor market indicators and tips on doing business in Egypt.