Egypt

While best known for its pyramids and ancient civilisations, Egypt has played a central role in Middle East politics in modern times.

Its wars with Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, then its eventual peace with its adversary in 1979, have seen Egypt move from being a warring nation to become a key representative in the peace process.

Egypt's ancient past and the fact that it was one of the first Middle Eastern countries to open up to the West following Napoleon's invasion have given it a claim to be the intellectual and cultural leader in the region. The head of Cairo's Al-Azhar Mosque is one of the highest authorities in Sunni Islam.

But the historic step by President Anwar Sadat to make peace with Israel in the 1979 Camp David agreement led to Egypt being expelled from the Arab League until 1989, and in 1981 Mr Sadat was assassinated by Islamic extremists angry at his moves to clamp down on their activities.

Since then, President Hosni Mubarak took a more moderate line, but Islamic groups have continued their campaigns sporadically. They have been responsible for deadly attacks that have often targeted tourists and resort areas, and more recently have begun to target Egypt's Coptic Christian community.

Campaigners for political reform have become more vocal in recent times and have taken to the streets in defiance of an emergency law, in force since 1967, apart from an 18-month interruption in 1981.

Widespread anti-government demonstrations in January 2011 - encouraged by the flight of the long-term leader of Tunisia amid unrest - eventually led President Mubarak to step aside.

The military is now in charge but have promised to effect a quick transition to democracy. Under continuing pressure from pro-democracy protesters, a new interim government was formed. In March 2011, a series of constitutional changes paving the way for early elections were approved.

But a key demand of the revolutionaries - the lifting of Egypt's emergency law - has not been fulfilled. The military has promised to do so before the elections.

Egypt's teeming cities - and almost all agricultural activity - are concentrated along the banks of the Nile, and on the river's delta. Deserts occupy most of the country.

The economy depends heavily on agriculture, tourism and cash remittances from Egyptians working abroad, mainly in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf countries.

However, rapid population growth and the limited amount of arable land is straining the country's resources and economy.

Full name: Arab Republic of Egypt Population: 84.5 million (UN, 2010) Capital: Cairo Area: 1 million sq km (386,874 sq miles) Major language: Arabic Major religions: Islam, Christianity Life expectancy: 69 years (men), 73 years (women) (UN) Monetary unit: 1 Egyptian Pound = 100 piastres Main exports: Petroleum, petroleum products and cotton GNI per capita: US $2,070 (World Bank, 2009) Internet domain: .eg International dialling code: +20

Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces: Field Marshal Mohammed Hussein Tantawi

Mohammed Hussein Tantawi heads the military council which has been exercising power on an interim basis since President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in response to a popular uprising in February 2011.

Mr Tantawi has vowed to return Egypt to civilian rule

The council has set a tight timetable for a return to civilian rule. In March, Egyptians approved a set of constitutional changes aimed at allowing the country to move quickly to new elections.

It is hoped that a parliamentary election can be held as early as September, and a presidential vote soon after. The rapid agenda has been criticised by some in the opposition for allowing too little time for new democratic parties to organise.

Born in 1935, Mr Tantawi has been a career army officer since 1956, experiencing active service in the Suez crisis of 1956, the 1967 Six-Day War with Israel and the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.

Mr Tantawi has held the post of commander-in-chief of the armed forces since 1991. Before the 2011 revolution, he was also defence minister.

He is closely identified with the Mubarak era, but gained some credit with the pro-democracy campaign for refusing to fire on the protesters.

Prime Minister: Essam Sharaf

President: Muhammad Hosni Mubarak (resigned)

Hosni Mubarak, Egypt's longest-serving ruler since Muhammad Ali in the early 19th century and one of the longest-serving leaders in the Arab world, stepped down in February 2011 after 30 years in power.

President Mubarak has pursued economic, but not political reform

He was responding to weeks of street protests, which began in January 2011, only days after the president of Tunisia fled a popular uprising.

His vice-president announced Mr Mubarak's resignation and said he had handed power to the army.

In April 2011, he was arrested along with his two sons, Ala and Gamal, on suspicion of corruption during his rule as president. He reportedly suffered a heart attack during interrogation.

Mr Mubarak is also suspected of involvement in ordering violence against protesters during the uprising that toppled him.

Mr Mubarak gained a fifth consecutive term in presidential elections in September 2005. The poll was the first under a new system which allows multiple candidates to stand, but the main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, was banned from open political activity and could not field a candidate.

Mr Mubarak succeeded Anwar Sadat, who was assassinated in 1981. He pursued friendly relations with the West, breaking the isolation imposed on Egypt by Arab countries opposed to peace with Israel.

Since 1952, when army officers led by Gamal Abdel Nasser overthrew the monarchy, Egyptian leaders have been drawn from the military.

Hosni Mubarak was born in 1928. He and his wife Suzanne, who is part Welsh and part Egyptian.

Egypt is a major regional media player. Its press is one of the most influential and widely-read in the region, and its TV and film industry supplies much of the Arab-speaking world with shows from its Media Production City.

Press laws allow prison sentences for libelling the president, state institutions and foreign heads of state. Nevertheless, journalists openly express their views on political and social issues, including vigorous criticism of government officials and policies.

President Hosni Mubarak's departure precipitated an editorial u-turn among state media outlets that had served for decades as government mouthpieces.

Television is the most popular source for news. There are two state-run national TVs and six regional channels, but many viewers turn to pan-Arab stations for news.

Egypt is a big force in satellite TV. Most leading Arab pay TV networks have a presence at Media Production City in Cairo. Egypt was the first Arab nation to have its own satellite, Nilesat.

State radio's monopoly was broken with the arrival of private music stations in 2003.

Around 17 million Egyptians were online by February 2010 (InternetWorldStats.com). Bloggers have uploaded videos showing human rights violations and activists have embraced Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

Internet access was cut for a time in early 2011 in an effort to curb protests which eventually forced President Mubarak to resign. Social networks were used to organise the demonstrations.

The press

Television

Egypt Radio Television Union (ERTU) - state-run, operates domestic and satellite networks, including Nile TV International and Nile TV thematic channels Dream TV - private satellite network, operates Dream 1 targeting young viewers and Dream 2, an entertainment channel Al-Mihwar - private, via satellite

Radio

News agency

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