ABSTRACT
At the time of its independence in 1923, Egypt was primarily an agricultural economy, in terms of its shares in national income (GDP), total labour force and exports. In the 1920s, nearly three-quarters of total exports value was raw cotton and the industrial output was mainly cotton spinning and weaving, followed by preserved food, cigarettes, soap, handicrafts and artisanal products. During that decade, out of an average total population of 13 million, the number of people engaged in industry was nearly half a million.1
