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Most of Egypt is in North Africa; the Sinai Peninsula is in Southwest Asia. The country has shorelines on the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea; it borders Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, and the Gaza Strip and Israel to the east.
Geographic coordinates: 27 00 N, 30 00 E
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
1,001,450 kmē
land:
995,450 kmē
water:
6,000 kmē
Area - comparative: slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico (US)
Land boundaries:
total:
2,689 km
border countries:
Gaza Strip 11 km, Israel 255 km, Libya 1,150 km, Sudan 1,273 km
Coastline: 2,450 km
Maritime claims:
contiguous zone:
24 nm
continental shelf:
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
Climate: desert; hot, dry summers with moderate winters
Terrain: vast desert plateau interrupted by Nile valley and delta
Elevation extremes:
lowest point:
highest point:
Mount Catherine 2,629 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, phosphates, manganesechromium manganese iron Mn Tc Full table General Name, Symbol, Numbermanganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4 , d Density, Hardness 7470 kg/m3, 6. 0 Appearance silvery metallic Atomic properties Atomic weight 54. 93804, limestoneshale overlaid by limestone. Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed of mineral calcite (calcium carbonate). The primary source of this calcite is usually marine organisms. These organisms secrete shells that settle out of t, gypsumGypsum is a very soft mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula CaSO 2HO. Chemical structure Heating gypsum above approximately 150°C (302°F) partially dehydrates the mineral, by driving off exactly 75% of the water containe, talcTalc is a mineral composed of hydrated magnesium silicate with the chemical formula H Mg( SiO) or Mg Si O( OH). It occurs as foliated to fibrous masses, its monoclinic crystals being so rare as to be almost unknown. It has a perfect basal cleavage, the fo, asbestosThis page is about the group of minerals, for the Regional County Municipality in Quebec, see Asbestos Regional County Municipality, Quebec Asbestos (Greek a-, "not"; sbestos, "extinguishable") is a group of fibrous metamorphic minerals. The name is deriv, leadFor the "lead" in news writing, see news style. Lead is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Pb ( L. Plumbum and atomic number 82. A soft, heavy, toxic and malleable poor metal, lead has a dull gray appearance and is bluish white w, zincLand use:
arable land:
2%
permanent crops:
0%
permanent pastures:
0%
forests and woodland:
0%
other:
98% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 32,460 kmē (1993 est.)
Natural hazards: periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods, landslides, volcanic activity; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring; dust storms, sandstorms
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 natural resources
Environment - international agreements:
party to:
signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change- Kyoto Protocol
Geography - note: controls Sinai Peninsula, only land bridge between Africa and remainder of Eastern Hemisphere; controls Suez Canal, shortest sea link between Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea; size, and juxtaposition to Israel, establish its major role in Middle Eastern geopolitics
