Egypt

0.1% —or about 67,000 hectares—of Egypt is forested.

Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2000, Egypt gained an average of 1,500 hectares of forest per year. The amounts to an average annual reforestation rate of 3.41%. Between 2000 and 2005, the rate of forest change decreased by 20.5% to 2.71% per annum. In total, between 1990 and 2005, Egypt gained 52.3% of its forest cover, or around 23,000 hectares. Measuring the total rate of habitat conversion (defined as change in forest area plus change in woodland area minus net plantation expansion) for the 1990-2005 interval, Egypt gained 0.0% of its forest and woodland habitat.

Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Egypt has some 717 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 2.5% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 4.0% are threatened. Egypt is home to at least 2076 species of vascular plants, of which 3.4% are endemic. 4.6% of Egypt is protected under IUCN categories I-V.

SECTIONS:

Forest Cover | Forest types | Breakdown of forest types | Change in Forest Cover | Primary forest | Forest designation | Disturbances affecting forest land | Protected areas | Biodiversity - Wildlife | Biodiversity - Plants | Value of forests | Production, trade and consumption of forest products | Environment | Land use / Resources | Economy | Population / Demographics | Infrastructure | Health | References | Books

Books

Egypt: Forest Cover, 2005 Total Land Area (ha) 99,545,000 Total Forest Area (ha) 67,000 Percent Forest Cover 0.07% Primary Forest Cover (ha) - Primary Forest, % total forest - Primary Forest, % total land - Other wooded land (ha) 20,000 Egypt : Forest types Tropical (% forest area) 0% Subtropical (% forest area) 100% Temperate (% forest area) 0% Boreal/polar (% forest area) 0% Egypt: Breakdown of forest types, 2005 Primary forest (ha | %) - - Modified natural (ha | %) - - Semi-natural (ha | %) - - Production plantation (ha | %) 1,000 1.5% Production plantation (ha | %) 66,000 98.5% Egypt: Change in Forest Cover TOTAL FOREST COVER Forest 1990 (ha) 44,000 Forest 2000 (ha) 59,000 Forest 2005 (ha) 67,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 1,500 3.41% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 1,600 2.71% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 23,000 52.27% Change in rate (%) -20.45% PRIMARY FOREST COVER Primary 1990 (ha) - Primary 2000 (ha) - Primary 2005 (ha) - Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - - Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - - Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - - Change in rate (%) - OTHER WOODED LAND Other 1990 (ha) 20,000 Other 2000 (ha) 20,000 Other 2005 (ha) 20,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! PLANTATIONS Other 1990 (ha) 44,000 Other 2000 (ha) 59,000 Other 2005 (ha) 67,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) 1,500 3.41% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) 1,600 2.71% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) 23,000 52.27% Change in rate (%) -20.45% TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations Other 1990 (ha) 20,000 Other 2000 (ha) 20,000 Other 2005 (ha) 20,000 Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) - 0.00% Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) - 0.00% Change in rate (%) #DIV/0! Egypt: Primary Primary or "old-growth" vegetation Primary Forest 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) - Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) 0 Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) 0.00% Egypt: Forest designation Ownership of forest land, 2000 Public (%) 50.0% Private (%) 50.0% Other (%) 0.0% Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 Public (%) 100.0% Private (%) 0.0% Other (%) 0.0% Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 Production (%) 1.9% Protection (%) 50.0% Conservation (%) - Social Services (%) - Multiple Services (%) 48.1% None of Unknown (%) - Egypt: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000 Forest Area annually affected by Fire (%) - Insects (ha) 0.00% Diseases (ha) 0.00% Other (ha) - Egypt: Protected areas 2 Protected areas Biosphere reserves, 2005 Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 2 World Heritage sites, 2004 6 Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land 4.6% Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land 0.31% Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 4.22% Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 1.06% Egypt: Biodiversity - Wildlife Amphibians total species 11 endemic species 1 threatened species 0 Birds total species 481 endemic species 4 threatened species 17 Mammals total species 118 endemic species 7 threatened species 6 Reptiles total species 107 endemic species 6 threatened species 6 Wildlife diversity total species 717 endemic species 18 threatened species 29 Egypt: Biodiversity - Plants Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 88.20% Growing stock composition 3 most common species % of total growing stock 95.50% Number of Native tree species Native tree species 60 Number of tree species in IUCN red list Critically Endangered 0 Endangered 0 Vulnerable 0 Vascular Plant Species, 2004 Total 2076 Number endemic 70 Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 Species threatened 2 Egypt: Value of forests Biomass stock in forest, 2005 Above-ground biomass (M t) 11 Below-ground biomass (M t) 3 Dead wood (M t) 2 Total (M t) 16 Carbon stock in forest, 2005 Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) 6 Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) 1 Carbon in dead wood (M t) 1 Carbon in litter (M t) n.s. Soil carbon (M t) 3 Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) 1990-2000 180 2000-2005 192 Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) 1990-2000 n.s. 2000-2005 n.s. Wood removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) 120 Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) 120 Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) 240 Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) 3 Plant products 2005 Food (t) 50,000 Fodder (t) 10,200 Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) - Ornamental plants (t) - Exudates (t) - Other plant products (t) - Animal products 2005 Living animals (units) - Hides, skins and trophies (units) - Wild honey and bee-wax (t) - Bush meat (t) - Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) - Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) - Other edible animal products (t) - Other non-edible animal products (t) - Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 Industrial roundwood (US$) $5,854,000 Wood fuel (US$) $5,190,000 Non-wood forest products (US$) - Total value (US$) $11,044,000 Total value ($USD/ha) $165 Employment in forestry 2000 Total people employed 10,000 Egypt : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002 Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 16,484 Imports 0 Exports 0 Consumption 16,484 Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 268 Imports 116 Exports 0 Consumption 384 Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 4 Imports 1,564 Exports 0 Consumption 1,568 Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 Production 131 Imports 161 Exports 3 Consumption 289 Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 120 Imports 90 Exports - Consumption 210 Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 Production 460 Imports 522 Exports 48 Consumption 934 Egypt: Environment Environment - current issues agricultural land being lost to urbanization and windblown sands; increasing soil salination below Aswan High Dam; desertification; oil pollution threatening coral reefs, beaches, and marine habitats; other water pollution from agricultural pesticides, raw sewage, and industrial effluents; very limited natural fresh water resources away from the Nile which is the only perennial water source; rapid growth in population overstraining the Nile and natural resources Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements Natural hazards periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms Egypt: Land use / Resources Land use (%) arable land: 2.87% permanent crops: 0.48% other: 96.65% (2001) Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganese, limestone, gypsum, talc, asbestos, lead, zinc Egypt: Economy Economy - overview: Lack of substantial progress on economic reform since the mid 1990s has limited foreign direct investment in Egypt and kept annual GDP growth in the range of 2%-3% in 2001-03. However, in 2004 Egypt implemented several measures to boost foreign direct investment. In September 2004, Egypt pushed through custom reforms, proposed income and corporate tax reforms, reduced energy subsidies, and privatized several enterprises. The budget deficit rose to an estimated 8% of GDP in 2004 compared to 6.1% of GDP the previous year, in part as a result of these reforms. Monetary pressures on an overvalued Egyptian pound led the government to float the currency in January 2003, leading to a sharp drop in its value and consequent inflationary pressure. The development of an export market for natural gas is a bright spot for future growth prospects, but improvement in the capital-intensive hydrocarbons sector does little to reduce Egypt's persistent unemployment. GDP - per capita $4,400 (2005 est.) GDP - real growth rate (%) 4.5% (2005 est.) Agriculture - products cotton, rice, corn, wheat, beans, fruits, vegetables; cattle, water buffalo, sheep, goats GDP - composition by sector (%) agriculture: 15%, industry: 36.7%, services: 48.4% (2005 est.) Industries textiles, food processing, tourism, chemicals, hydrocarbons, construction, cement, metals Economic aid - recipient ODA, $1.12 billion (2002) Debt - external $28.95 billion (30 June 2005 est.) Population below poverty line (%) 16.7% (2000 est.) Labor force - by occupation (%) agriculture 32%, industry 17%, services 51% (2001 est.) Egypt: Population / Demographics Population (July 2005) 77,505,756 Population growth rate (%) (2005) 1.78% Population density (people/sq km) (2005) 77.9 Percent rural (2003) 57.9% Median age (years) total: 23.68 years Total fertility rate (children born/woman) 2.88 (2005 est.) Ethnic groups (%) Eastern Hamitic stock (Egyptians, Bedouins, and Berbers) 99%, Greek, Nubian, Armenian, other European (primarily Italian and French) 1% Largest Cities in Egypt Cities and urban areas in Egypt with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002. City Country City Population Urban Area Population Cairo Egypt 7764700 15546100 Alexandria Egypt 3806300 4345800 Giza Egypt 2541000 2541000 Subra al-Haymah Egypt 995800 995800 Port Said Egypt 537000 537000 Suez Egypt 477600 571800 El Mahalla el Kubra Egypt 452200 452200 Tanta Egypt 424300 424300 Mansura Egypt 422700 548900 Luxor Egypt 412300 412300 Asyut Egypt 392800 392800 Zagazig Egypt 305800 305800 Faiyum Egypt 298400 298400 Ismailia Egypt 291000 291000 Aswan Egypt 250500 250500 Damanhur Egypt 242700 242700 El Minya Egypt 230300 230300 Beni Suef Egypt 196700 196700 Qina Egypt 195900 195900 Suhaj Egypt 194600 194600 Shibin el Kom Egypt 182900 182900 Banha Egypt 166700 166700 Kafr el Sheikh Egypt 142700 142700 Mallawi Egypt 136400 136400 Bilbays Egypt 129900 129900 Mit Gamr Egypt 116400 116400 El Arish Egypt 114900 114900 Jirja Egypt 109100 109100 Edfu Egypt 107800 107800 Disuq Egypt 104400 104400 Bilqas Egypt 100900 100900 Idku Egypt 100400 100400  Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005  Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)  Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.  Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.  RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.  World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site  The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species  Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund  With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com