Countries, Compared

Egypt

Egypt is a transcontinental country, with its landmass spanning the northeast corner of Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Asia.

Countries, Compared: country research and comparison

Egypt is a transcontinental country, with its landmass spanning the northeast corner of Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Asia. The United Nations classifies Egypt under the Africa region and the Northern Africa subregion, with ISO alpha-2 code EG and ISO alpha-3 code EGY. Egypt is a UN member state, and the World Bank lists Cairo as its capital.

This research profile gives you a stable framework for comparing Egypt with other nations, and shows you how to find current figures without freezing volatile data. Every statistic below carries a definition, a source, and a reference year; where data are contested or uncertain, that is stated explicitly.

Country basics

Egypt is a United Nations member state, classified by the UN Statistics Division under the Africa region and the Northern Africa subregion, with ISO alpha-2 code EG and ISO alpha-3 code EGY. These codes are stable identifiers used in international data systems; they do not change with political events.

The World Bank’s country API lists Egypt under its standard identifier, with the capital field set to Cairo (World Bank, country API, accessed 2025). The capital city, Cairo, is also the largest city and the main political and administrative centre. Egypt is a transcontinental country, with most of its territory in North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula in Asia, but the UN M49 classification places Egypt in Northern Africa.

Population

Population figures for Egypt change continuously, so a single static number is not reliable. The United Nations Population Division publishes annual estimates; the World Bank publishes its own population series; Egypt’s national statistical office, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), conducts the census and household surveys. These three sources can differ by millions because they use different reference dates, projection models, and definitions of residency.

The most recent UN World Population Prospects release (2024 revision) provides the standard reference for international comparison. The World Bank’s country API returns population estimates with the reference year attached to each data point. Always check the reference year before citing a figure. Egypt’s populace is growing at a rate that makes any static number outdated within months; the national statistical office (CAPMAS) publishes intercensal estimates, while the UN publishes annual projections that may differ by several million from the latest census or survey-based estimate.

Classification facts

The table below shows the stable identifiers assigned to Egypt by the United Nations and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). These are classification facts, not political or territorial claims. The UN M49 code and ISO codes are used in data systems, trade statistics, and international databases; they do not determine sovereignty or borders.

Field Value Source
UN M49 code 818 UN Statistics Division M49 overview
ISO alpha-2 EG ISO 3166-1
ISO alpha-3 EGY ISO 3166-1
UN region Africa UN Statistics Division
UN subregion Northern Africa UN Statistics Division
UN membership Member state UN M49 overview
World Bank capital field Cairo World Bank country API

The classification codes above are stable identifiers, not political statements. The UN M49 overview explains that the regional groupings are for statistical convenience, not political or territorial affiliation.

How to use the classification codes

The UN M49 code 818 appears in international trade databases, development indicators, and UN statistical yearbooks. When you query a dataset that uses M49 coding, filter on 818 to retrieve Egypt-specific records. The ISO alpha-2 code EG is the two-letter country code used for internet top-level domains (.eg), vehicle registration plates, and some shipping documents. The ISO alpha-3 code EGY appears in machine-readable passports, airline ticketing systems, and certain financial transaction standards. None of these codes imply a position on sovereignty or borders; they are administrative tools maintained for data consistency.

How to verify current figures

Statistics change every year. For Egypt, the most reliable primary sources are:

  • Population: United Nations World Population Prospects (population.un.org/wpp/), the UN revises estimates annually and publishes the reference year with each figure.
  • Economy: World Bank country API returns country metadata and indicators; each indicator includes a date field and source.
  • Languages: Ethnologue (SIL International) publishes annual language profiles for Egypt, including speaker estimates and language status.
  • Government and legal system: The Egyptian Constitution (2014, amended 2019) is the primary source; official state portals and the CIA World Factbook provide secondary overviews.
  • Travel requirements: only your own government’s foreign ministry or the IATA Travel Centre can give current, personal visa and entry rules. No third-party page can guarantee visa status.

Verify the capital, Cairo, via the World Bank country API (reference year 2024 in the API metadata). Verify the UN M49 region and subregion identifiers on the UN Statistics Division overview page. For population, use the UN World Population Prospects or the national statistical agency; do not rely on a single source. For currency, use the Central Bank of Egypt’s current statement. For government type, use a named source (e.g., CIA World Factbook, 2024 edition) and note that classifications change.

A verification checklist for any Egypt statistic

Before citing a figure, work through these four checks:

  1. Identify the source. Is the number from CAPMAS, the UN, the World Bank, or another named body? A figure without a named source is unreliable.
  2. Check the reference year. A population estimate from 2020 differs substantially from one published in 2024. If the year is missing, find a source that provides it.
  3. Compare definitions. One source may count usual residents; another may count all persons present on census night. The difference can be significant for a nation with substantial cross-border movement.
  4. Confirm the update cycle. CAPMAS runs a census roughly every ten years and publishes intercensal estimates between censuses. The UN revises its projections every two years. The World Bank updates its indicators annually. Match the update cycle to your need for timeliness.

Avoiding common data traps

Three pitfalls catch researchers who work with Egyptian statistics. First, treating a projection as a census count. The UN World Population Prospects are projections based on past trends and assumptions about fertility, mortality and migration; they are not headcounts. Second, mixing series. The World Bank and the UN use different methodologies, so taking a population figure from one and a GDP figure from the other without noting the mismatch can produce an incoherent snapshot. Third, ignoring the informal economy. Official GDP figures for Egypt may understate economic activity because a substantial share occurs outside formal channels. When precision matters, consult the source documentation for each series.

Source attribution and live data

Do not freeze volatile figures. For any statistic that changes annually (population, GDP, currency rate, visa rules), name the source and the reference year, and link to the live source.

Cite the UN M49 overview for classification facts. Cite the World Bank country API for capital and economic indicators. For population, use UN World Population Prospects (medium variant) and name the year. For health metrics, use WHO Global Health Observatory, name the year. For cultural heritage, use UNESCO World Heritage Centre. For travel advice, direct readers to their own government’s travel advisory service and the IATA Travel Centre. For visa information, direct readers to the nearest Egyptian embassy or consulate. For time zone, cite IANA time zone database (Africa/Cairo).

Where to find the primary sources

  • UN M49 classification overview: https://unstats.un.org/unsd/methodology/m49/overview/
  • World Bank country API: https://api.worldbank.org/v2/country/EG
  • UN World Population Prospects: https://population.un.org/wpp/
  • CAPMAS (Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics): https://www.capmas.gov.eg/
  • Compare Egypt with other nations: /compare/
  • Source literacy guide: /guides/source-literacy/

One fact that sets Egypt apart

Egypt is one of only a handful of UN member states whose territory spans two continents, yet the UN M49 system classifies it entirely within a single region (Northern Africa). This means a researcher working with M49-coded datasets will find all of Egypt’s statistics filed under Africa, even though the Sinai Peninsula is geographically in Asia. No adjustment is made in the standard UN regional aggregates, which is a practical detail to know before running a cross-country comparison that involves continental groupings.