Population: Estimated at more than 52.5 million in mid1990 , mostly concentrated along banks of Nile River. Annual growth rate estimated at 2.6 percent.

Education and Literacy: Education compulsory for basic nine-year cycle but attendance not enforced approximately 16 percent ออออof school-age children did not attend. Literacy approximately 45 percent in 1990.

Health and Welfare: Ministry of Health provided health care at variety of public medical facilities. Urban-rural distribution of health care generally biased in favor of larger cities. Average nutrition compared favorably with most middle- and low-income countries. Average life expectancy at birth fifty-nine years for men and sixty years for women in 1989.

Language: Arabic.

Ethnic Groups: Egyptians, beduins, Greeks, Nubians, Armenians, and Berbers.

Religion: Almost 90 percent Sunni Muslims, 8.5 percent Coptic Christians, 1.5 percent other Christians.

Data as of December 1990