Other mineral deposits include phosphate rock, manganese, salt, titanium, and iron. Despite these assets, Egypt faces many challenges. Widespread poverty and pockets of religious extremism threaten the country's stability. A shortage of arable land, limited supplies of water, and a growing population make matters worse. Although more than half the population lives in rural areas, a shortage of jobs in the countryside has fueled rapid urbanization.
Chronic unemployment affects one out of five workers.
In the early 1950s, the Egyptian economy was based mainly on farming, and the country was self-sufficient in food. Now, it must import nearly half of its food. Experts point to population growth as the cause. Like most of its neighbours, Egypt must cope with a serious ecological crisis that has been sparked by rapid population growth. Its greatest environmental challenges include desertification, the loss of agricultural land to urban development, and the proper management of its limited water resources.