Core sector
Manufacturing & industrial supply
Textiles, food processing, chemicals, packaging and building materials — with licensing and joint-venture appetite.
Country Profile — Arab-America International Expo 2027
Profile content in preparationArab Republic of Egypt
Scale, labor and the Suez advantage.
More than 100 million people, a fast-growing industrial base, and the Suez Canal — the trade artery between Asia, Europe and the Americas.
Country at a glance
- GDP
- ≈ $380 billion (nominal)
- Population
- ≈ 107 million
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP)
- Capital
- Cairo
- Economic growth
- ≈ 2.4% real GDP growth
Statistics year: FY 2023/24 (latest full-year data)
Overview
The Arab world's largest consumer market
Egypt combines the region's biggest domestic market with a competitive manufacturing cost base and trade agreements covering Europe, Africa, the Gulf and Turkey.
The Suez Canal Economic Zone gives manufacturers a production platform on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, with bonded logistics and export incentives.
For American companies, Egypt is both a large end market for machinery, technology, agriculture and healthcare, and a low-cost production base for regional supply.
- Capital
- Cairo (New Administrative Capital under development)
- Population
- ~107 million
- Language
- Arabic (English widely used in business)
- Currency
- Egyptian Pound (EGP)
- Major cities
- Cairo, Alexandria, Giza, Port Said, Suez
- Time zone
- GMT +2
- Trade access
- EU, COMESA, GAFTA, AfCFTA agreements
- Membership
- WTO, Arab League, African Union, BRICS
Economy
Population scale meets industrial capacity
A large, young, urbanizing market with a manufacturing sector built for export.
0M
Population
Largest market in the Arab world
$0B+
GDP (nominal)
Third-largest African economy
0%
Population under 30
A large working-age workforce
0+
Suez Canal transits
Vessels per year
Manufacturing & industryTextiles, food, chemicals, building materials
Agriculture & agri-processingCitrus, produce and processed foods
Logistics & Suez corridorPorts and canal zone
Energy & gasEastern Mediterranean gas and renewables
Construction & real estateNew cities and infrastructure
ICT & outsourcingFast-growing services export
Priority sectors
Where opportunity is concentrated
Sectors where Egyptian industry, government and distributors seek American technology, equipment and partnerships.
Export engine
Agriculture & agri-processing
Irrigation technology, cold chain, seed and post-harvest systems for one of the region's largest producers.
Growing fast
Energy & renewables
Gas processing, solar and wind at scale, plus green-hydrogen projects in the canal zone.
High demand
Healthcare & pharma
A very large patient base driving demand for devices, diagnostics and local pharmaceutical production.
Services
ICT & outsourcing
A rapidly expanding technology-services export sector serving Europe, the Gulf and the United States.
Pipeline
Infrastructure & construction
New cities, transport, water and utilities programs requiring equipment and engineering services.
Egypt Vision 2030
A national development agenda
Egypt's strategy focuses on industrial localization, export growth, energy capacity and infrastructure modernization.
- 2015
Suez Canal expansion
A second channel increases capacity and reduces transit time on the world's key east–west route.
- 2019
Suez Canal Economic Zone scale-up
Industrial and logistics zones open to foreign manufacturers with export incentives.
- 2022
Renewables acceleration
Large solar and wind capacity added, with green-hydrogen agreements signed.
- 2025
New Administrative Capital
Government relocation and a new urban business district east of Cairo.
- 2027
Arab-America International Expo
Egyptian manufacturers and exporters meet American buyers in Washington, D.C..
- 2030
Vision 2030 horizon
Targets for industrial output, exports, renewable share and employment come due.
Major development projects
What is being built
National programs generating procurement demand across equipment, systems and services.
New Administrative Capital
A purpose-built government and business capital east of Cairo with new districts and transport links.
Suez Canal Economic Zone
Integrated industrial and logistics zones along the canal, targeting export manufacturing.
High-speed rail network
A multi-line electrified network connecting the Red Sea, the Mediterranean and the Nile Valley.
Green hydrogen and renewables
Large-scale solar, wind and hydrogen projects concentrated around the canal and Gulf of Suez.
Water and desalination programs
Desalination and treatment capacity expansion along both coastlines.
US – Egypt trade
A long-standing commercial partnership
The United States is one of Egypt's largest trading partners, with strong flows in agriculture, machinery, aviation and technology.
Top exports to the world
Textiles & apparel
Fertilizers & chemicals
Fresh produce & processed food
Petroleum products & gas
Furniture & handicrafts
Top imports
Wheat & agricultural goods
Machinery & equipment
Aircraft & parts
Pharmaceuticals & devices
Electronics & IT
Leading products to the United States
- Apparel and textiles (QIZ program)
- Fertilizers and chemicals
- Citrus, dates and processed foods
- Carpets and home goods
- Petroleum products
Leading products from the United States
- Wheat, corn and soybeans
- Industrial machinery
- Aircraft and parts
- Medical devices and pharmaceuticals
- Automotive and heavy equipment
- Software and IT services
- Qualifying Industrial Zones allow duty-free access to the US market for qualifying goods
- Competitive manufacturing labor costs compared with Europe and Asia
- Free-trade access to the EU, Africa, the Gulf and Turkey from one production base
- Direct sea access on both the Mediterranean and the Red Sea
Bilateral goods trade — 2024
Trade with the United States
Verified full-year bilateral merchandise trade between Egypt and the United States, reported from Egypt's perspective.
Total U.S. goods trade
$8.5B
2024
Exports to the United States
$2.6B
2024
Imports from the United States
$5.9B
2024
Trade balance
$3.3B
Deficit for Egypt
2024
Exports vs. imports — 2024
Egypt exports to the United States$2.6B
Egypt imports from the United States$5.9B
Exports to the US Imports from the US
Egypt is one of the largest markets for American goods in Africa and runs a goods deficit with the United States, led by grain, aviation and machinery imports. Egyptian shipments to the US are dominated by apparel — including QIZ-qualified production — fertilizers and processed foods.
Scope of these figures
These figures represent merchandise trade only and do not include services.
Data source
- U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Division — country trade data (full year 2024)
- Office of the United States Trade Representative — country trade fact sheets
- International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce
Statistical year: 2024
Leading exports to the United States
- Apparel and textiles
- Fertilizers and chemicals
- Refined petroleum products
- Carpets and home textiles
- Fruit, vegetables and processed foods
- Glass and ceramics
Leading imports from the United States
- Cereals, especially wheat and corn
- Aircraft and parts
- Machinery and mechanical appliances
- Vehicles and parts
- Soybeans and agricultural products
- Pharmaceuticals
Culture & tourism
Seven thousand years of destination value
One of the world's original tourism markets, with major new investment in museums, resorts and aviation capacity.
Giza
Giza & the Grand Egyptian Museum
The pyramids and the largest archaeological museum built for a single civilization.
Upper Egypt
Luxor & Karnak
Temples, royal tombs and the Nile cruise corridor between Luxor and Aswan.
Red Sea
Red Sea Riviera
Hurghada, El Gouna and Marsa Alam — diving, resorts and marina development.
South Sinai
Sharm El-Sheikh & Sinai
Reefs, conference resorts and desert mountain landscapes.
Mediterranean coast
Alexandria
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Greco-Roman heritage and the country's second city.
Western Desert
Siwa Oasis
Salt lakes, palm groves and Berber heritage deep in the western desert.
Why invest
The case for Egypt
Market size, production economics and trade agreements that reach three continents.
01
The largest Arab consumer market
Over 100 million people with rising urban demand across food, healthcare and consumer goods.
02
Competitive production costs
A skilled industrial workforce at costs well below Europe and much of Asia.
03
Trade agreements that travel
Duty-free or preferential access to the EU, Africa, the Gulf and Turkey from Egyptian factories.
04
The Suez advantage
Manufacturing beside the shipping lane that carries a large share of global east–west trade.
05
Energy and gas capacity
Domestic gas plus rapidly expanding renewables supporting energy-intensive industry.
06
Young technical talent
A large annual output of engineering and IT graduates supporting technology and outsourcing.
At the Expo
Egypt at AAIX 2027
The Egyptian pavilion will present manufacturers, agri-exporters, technology firms and investment authorities to American buyers.
- A national pavilion led by export councils and industry chambers
- Sourcing meetings for US buyers in textiles, food and industrial supply
- Investment and free-zone briefings for American manufacturers
- Technology and outsourcing partnerships with Egyptian firms
- Tourism and heritage showcase for US travel trade
World heritage
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Egypt
Sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, a core part of the country's cultural and tourism offer.
Memphis and its Necropolis — the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur
The Great Pyramid, Sphinx and Saqqara step pyramid.
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis
Luxor and Karnak temples and the Valley of the Kings.
Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae
Rock temples relocated during the Aswan High Dam construction.
Historic Cairo
One of the world's oldest Islamic cities, with mosques, madrasas and gates.
Abu Mena
An early Christian pilgrimage complex west of Alexandria.
Saint Catherine Area
The monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai.
Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley)
Fossil remains of early whales in the Western Desert.
Business opportunities
Opportunities for Arab and American companies
How companies from different markets can engage with Egypt through the Expo.
For American companies
Manufacture for export under the Suez Canal Economic Zone regime, or supply energy, agriculture and healthcare technology to a 107-million-person market.
For Arab companies
Food security investment, real estate development and industrial joint ventures at scale.
For international investors
Renewables, green hydrogen, logistics and privatisation programmes across state assets.
Represent Egypt at Arab-America International Expo 2027
Present your country's economy, industries, products, investment opportunities, tourism destinations and culture to the American and North American markets.
Reserve space in the Egyptian pavilion, or register as an American buyer to meet Egyptian manufacturers and exporters.
Sources & data
- Egypt Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS)
- Egyptian General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI)
- Suez Canal Authority
- World Bank & IMF country data
- U.S. Census Bureau / USTR trade statistics
Last updated: August 2026