Motorists are seen here converging on a gas station in Cairo, Egypt, as shortages spread in the uprising that led to the ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak. More than a year later, fuel shortages continue to plague Egypt. Officials have offered numerous explanations, but most reports agree the country is short on credit to pay for imports to meet domestic demand for highly subsidized fuel. Egypt's fossil-fuel subsidy burden was $20.3 billion in 2010.
Its gasoline prices are among the lowest in the world, and although Egypt is a large oil producer, the country consumes 90 percent domestically, leaving little to export for revenue.
Egypt's Minister of Petroleum recently said he sees no reason to raise prices. The government, however, does plan to attempt to switch its industries from oil to cheaper natural gas, to cut its subsidy bill without raising fuel prices. Egypt also aims to ration subsidized liquid petroleum gas to one or two canisters per family per month, but both plans have not been fully implemented, according to Reuters.
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