<P> Egypt produced 691,000 bbl / d of oil and 2,141.05 Tcf of natural gas in 2013, making the country the largest non-OPEC producer of oil and the second - largest dry natural gas producer in Africa . In 2013, Egypt was the largest consumer of oil and natural gas in Africa, as more than 20% of total oil consumption and more than 40% of total dry natural gas consumption in Africa . Also, Egypt possesses the largest oil refinery capacity in Africa 726,000 bbl / d (in 2012). </P> <P> Egypt is currently planning to build its first nuclear power plant in El Dabaa, in the northern part of the country, with $25 billion in Russian financing . </P> <P> Transport in Egypt is centred around Cairo and largely follows the pattern of settlement along the Nile . The main line of the nation's 40,800 - kilometre (25,400 mi) railway network runs from Alexandria to Aswan and is operated by Egyptian National Railways . The vehicle road network has expanded rapidly to over 21,000 miles, consisting of 28 line, 796 stations, 1800 train covering the Nile Valley and Nile Delta, the Mediterranean and Red Sea coasts, the Sinai, and the Western oases . </P> <P> The Cairo Metro in Egypt is the first of only two full - fledged metro systems in Africa and the Arab World . It is considered one of the most important recent projects in Egypt which cost around 12 billion Egyptian pounds . The system consists of three operational lines with a fourth line expected in the future . </P>

When did egypt become part of the middle east