Key facts
Egypt is a country located in Northern Africa. There are 4 countries (Israel, Libya, State of Palestine, Sudan) that Egypt shares its borders with. The official language of Egypt is Arabic. Traveling across Egypt if English is your first (and only) language may be difficult due to language barriers.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Egypt was ranked 85th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Egypt is Egyptian pound (EGP). The pound (£ ) is subdivided into 100 piastre (Pt).
Egyptian
Banknotes
Pt5Pt10Pt25Pt50£1£5£10£20£50£100£200
Egyptian
Coins
Pt1Pt5Pt10Pt20Pt25Pt50£1
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Egypt is 63.73 Mbps and mobile is 35.71 Mbs.The global average is 187.01 Mbps and 128.37 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density It may be difficult to locate an ATM in Egypt.27.56 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Egypt, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Egypt. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Egypt will celebrate 6 national public holidays. The next one Labour Day will take place on May 1.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 7, 2024 | Christmasعيد الميلاد المجيد | |
| January 25, 2024 | Revolution Day 2011 National Police Dayعيد الثورة 25 يناير | |
| April 25, 2024 | Sinai Liberation Dayعيد تحرير سيناء | |
| May 1, 2024 | Labour Dayعيد العمال | |
| July 23, 2024 | Revolution Dayعيد ثورة 23 يوليو | |
| October 6, 2024 | Armed Forces Dayعيد القوات المسلحة |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Egypt?
There are Mariott hotels in 2 cities: Cairo and Hurghada.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Egypt.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Egypt.
There are no Best Western hotels in Egypt.
There are Radisson hotels in 4 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Egypt.
What fast food chains are present in Egypt?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Egypt.
The KFC chain operates in Egypt.
The Burger King chain operates in Egypt.
The Subway chain operates in Egypt.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Egypt.
The Starbucks chain operates in Egypt.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Cairo?
Weather data for Cairo (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains operating between some cities.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in Cairo.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Egypt
Sources
- Egypt Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Egypt (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is prohibited in all public areas excluding entertainment and restaurants.
Cananbis legality Both recreational and medicinal use of cannabis is prohibited.
Sources
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)