<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Egypt<nl>Government</hdr><body>
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<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Arab Republic of Egypt
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Egypt
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Jumhuriyat Misr al-Arabiyah
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> none
<item>• <hi format=ital>former:</hi> United Arab Republic (with Syria)
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<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> EG
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Cairo
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 26 governorates (muhafazat, singular—muhafazah); Ad Daqahliyah, Al Bahr al Ahmar, Al Buhayrah, Al Fayyum, Al Gharbiyah, Al Iskandariyah, Al Isma'iliyah, Al Jizah, Al Minufiyah, Al Minya, Al Qahirah, Al Qalyubiyah, Al Wadi al Jadid, Ash Sharqiyah, As Suways, Aswan, Asyu't, Bani Suwayf, Bur Sa'id, Dumyat, Janub Sina, Kafr ash Shaykh, Matruh, Qina, Shamal Sina, Suhaj
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 28 February 1922 (from UK)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Anniversary of the Revolution, 23 July (1952)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 11 September 1971
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on English common law, Islamic law, and Napoleonic codes; judicial review by Supreme Court and Council of State (oversees validity of administrative decisions); accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state:</hi> President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK (was made acting President on 6 October 1981 upon the assassination of President SADAT and sworn in as president on 14 October 1981); national referendum held 4 October 1993 validated Mubarak's nomination by the People's Assembly to a third 6-year presidential term
<item>• <hi format=ital>head of government:</hi> Prime Minister Atef Mohammed Najib SEDKY (since 12 November 1986)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Cabinet; appointed by the president
<item><hi format=bold>People's Assembly (Majlis al-Cha'b):</hi> elections last held 29 November 1990 (next to be held NA November 1995); results—NDP 86.3%, NPUG 1.3%, independents 12.4%; seats—(454 total, 444 elected, 10 appointed by the president) NDP 383, NPUG 6, independents 55; note—most opposition parties boycotted; NDP figures include NDP members who ran as independents and other NDP-affiliated independents
<item><hi format=bold>Advisory Council (Majlis al-Shura):</hi> functions only in a consultative role; elections last held 8 June 1989 (next to be held NA June 1995); results—NDP 100%; seats—(258 total, 172 elected, 86 appointed by the president) NDP 172
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> National Democratic Party (NDP), President Mohammed Hosni MUBARAK, leader, is the dominant party; legal opposition parties are; New Wafd Party (NWP), Fu'ad SIRAJ AL-DIN; Socialist Labor Party, Ibrahim SHUKRI; National Progressive Unionist Grouping (NPUG), Khalid MUHYI-AL-DIN; Socialist Liberal Party (SLP), Mustafa Kamal MURAD; Democratic Unionist Party, Mohammed 'Abd-al-Mun'im TURK; Umma Party, Ahmad al-SABAHI; Misr al-Fatah Party (Young Egypt Party), Ali al-Din SALIH; Nasserist Arab Democratic Party, Dia' al-din DAWUD; Democratic Peoples' Party, Anwar AFIFI; The Greens Party, Kamal KIRAH
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<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> formation of political parties must be approved by government
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<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> the constitution bans religious-based political parties; nonetheless, the government tolerates limited political activity by the technically illegal Muslim Brotherhood, which constitutes Mubarak's chief political opposition; trade unions and professional associations are officially sanctioned
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with the national emblem (a shield superimposed on a golden eagle facing the hoist side above a scroll bearing the name of the country in Arabic) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band; also similar to the flag of Syria that has two green stars and to the flag of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band