Country Information

Country Code: . Public telephones take cards available from pharmacies, tobacconists and newspaper shops, and are a convenient way to call home. Telephones in hotels can be expensive.

Roaming exists with many international mobile phone companies, although coverage is limited to Cairo, Alexandria and major towns along the north coastline of the Red Sea and the Nile. If you're in Egypt for some time, it is much cheaper to buy a local SIM card, either Vodafone or MobiNil, if your mobile phone is unblocked.

There are internet cafés in the main cities, including Cairo, Alexandria, Dahab and Luxor. Even small, more remote towns including Siwa will have at least one venue, usually in the market area. Connection is usually reliable. Tourists can also access the Internet in hotels, with in-room Wi-Fi available, though often at a hefty price.

The Egyptian press is one of the most influential and widely read in the region, while Egyptian TV and the film industry supplies much of the Arab-speaking world with shows from its Media Production City. Press freedom is encouraged. Press laws which allow prison sentences for libel have encouraged self-censorship on sensitive issues.

Al-Ahram Weekly is the oldest newspaper in the Arab world and is published in English. State-runEgypt Radio Television Union (ERTU) operates domestic networks; it also operates satellite networks such as Nile TV International, which broadcasts some programmes in English and Hebrew. Egypt was the first Arab nation to have its own satellite TV station, Nilesat 101. The country's first private TV stations came on air in 2001, broadcasting via satellite.

The postal system is efficient for international mail. Airmail takes about five days to western Europe, and eight to 10 days to the USA.

Daily 0900-1400 (some until 1500) except Friday; the central post office in Cairo is open 24 hours.