Egypt Calling Code: +20

Complete guide to calling Egypt — international dialing code, step-by-step instructions, and FAQ.

How to Call Egypt from Abroad

About Egypt Calling Code

Egypt's international dialing code is +20. This code is assigned by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and must be dialed before the local phone number when calling Egypt from another country. Egypt is located in Africa.

Egypt is known locally as مصر‎ — Cairo is the capital. When saving an international contact, write the number in full international format with +20 so it works from any country.

Country calling codes (also known as ISD codes or dialing codes) are telephone numbering plan prefixes defined by ITU-T standards E.123 and E.164. Each country is assigned one or more unique prefixes to facilitate international direct dialing.

Where the +20 Calling Code Is Used

The country code +20 is assigned to Egypt, located in Northern Africa, with the capital Cairo. This code is part of the international telephony numbering plan and is used for all calls made to Egypt from outside the country.

When you see a phone number written as +20 ..., the +20 prefix tells your telephone network to route the call to Egypt's national telephone network. After the country code, you dial the local area code (dropping any leading 0) and the subscriber number. The same format applies whether you are calling a landline or a mobile phone.

Country codes are allocated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU-T Recommendation E.164) and are grouped by geographic region. Calling codes starting with 2 are generally assigned to the region around Egypt, in Northern Africa. When a phone number is stored internationally, the leading zeros of the domestic area code are omitted after the country code — this is why you will often see numbers written as +20 followed directly by the area code and number.

Egypt Phone Number Formats

Phone numbers in Egypt follow the ITU E.164 international format: country code + area code + subscriber number. Below is the general structure used for both landlines and mobile numbers.

Most countries use a closed or open telephone numbering plan. In an open plan, the length of local numbers varies and the trunk prefix (usually 0) is dropped when dialing internationally. In a closed plan, all national numbers have a fixed length regardless of area. When dialing Egypt from abroad, always replace the leading trunk zero with the country code +20.

Time Zone in Egypt

Egypt is in the Africa/Cairo time zone, which is UTC+02:00 relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). If you are calling from a different time zone, remember to account for the time difference when scheduling your international call.

When planning a call to Egypt, the time difference matters: a good time to reach businesses in Cairo, the capital, during their working hours may be early morning or late evening in your own time zone. Many international callers use the UTC offset as a quick reference to avoid calling in the middle of the night.

Some countries observe daylight saving time (DST), which shifts the local clock by one hour during summer months. If Egypt uses DST, the effective offset changes twice a year — check the current UTC offset before dialing if your call is time-sensitive. For most purposes, however, the standard offset shown above is sufficient.

Emergency Numbers in Egypt

If you need urgent help while in Egypt, dial the local emergency numbers below. Note that these numbers are only for use inside Egypt.

Service	Number
Police	112 or 122
Fire	180
Ambulance	123

Example: Calling Egypt Numbers in Practice

Here is how a typical call to Egypt works, depending on where you are calling from:

If the number you are calling has a domestic trunk prefix (often 0) in front of the area code, omit it when dialing from abroad. The country code +20 replaces the trunk prefix entirely.

Calling Egypt from Major Countries

International exit codes differ by country. Use this reference when dialing Egypt (+20) from abroad:

Calling From	Exit Code	Full International Dialing
United States	011	011 20 [local number]
United Kingdom	00	00 20 [local number]
Australia	0011	0011 20 [local number]
China	00	00 20 [local number]
Japan	010	010 20 [local number]
India	00	00 20 [local number]
Germany	00	00 20 [local number]
France	00	00 20 [local number]

On mobile phones, the + symbol replaces the exit code entirely — just dial +20 followed by the local number.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the calling code for Egypt?

The international calling code for Egypt is +20.

How do I call Egypt from the United States?

Dial 011 (US exit code), then +20, then the local phone number.

How do I call Egypt from the United Kingdom?

Dial 00 (UK exit code), then +20, then the local phone number.

Can I use the + symbol instead of the exit code?

Yes! On mobile phones you can dial +20 directly followed by the local number. The + symbol automatically replaces your country's exit code.

How do I call within Egypt?

If you're already in Egypt, simply dial the local number directly. You do not need to use the country code +20 for domestic calls.

What is the capital of Egypt?

The capital of Egypt is Cairo. When calling the capital from abroad, dial +20 followed by the local area code (without the leading 0) and the number.

What are the emergency numbers in Egypt?

Police: 112 or 122, Fire: 180, Ambulance: 123. These numbers are only valid inside Egypt.

Egypt Mobile Phone Prefixes

Mobile phone numbers in Egypt typically use the following prefixes:

• 10 / 11 / 12 / 15 - mobile prefixes

Egypt City / Area Codes

Major cities in Egypt and their local area codes (dial these after the country code +20 when calling from abroad):

City	Area Code(s)
Cairo	2
Alexandria	3
Giza	2
Sharm El Sheikh	69

Note: Drop any leading "0" when dialing from abroad. Example: Cairo 2 becomes +20 2 + local number.

Other Countries in Africa

Nearby countries and their calling codes:

Calling Egypt from South Africa or South Sudan works the same way: dial your local exit code first, then +20, then the local number. Within Africa, many callers simply use the + symbol on mobile to avoid exit-code differences.