Language and Religion

The official language is Arabic, while English and French is widely understood by the well-educated.

Value System and Relationships

The country scores high on the power distance and uncertainty avoidance index, while lower on the individualism index. Remember the five pillars of Islam: Shahada (profession of faith); Salah (prayers); Zakat (alms for the poor); Ramadan (fasting); and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

Tips When Doing Business

Egypt is one of the most westernized nations in the Middle East.  The workweek runs from Saturday through Wednesday, and it is recommended to avoid business travel to Egypt during Ramadan. The greatest hazard to foreign visitors is the chaotic traffic, especially in the larger cities.

The Pew Global Attitudes Project is an interactive database that allows users to explore public opinion trends in 55 countries on topics ranging from attitudes towards the U.S. to peoples assessments of their own lives to views about globalization, democratization and extremism and other important issues.

Egypt ranks as no. 115 (of 180 countries) on Transparency International’s 2008 Corruption Perceptions Index.