Petty crime
While relatively few in number, pickpockets are skilled and concentrate on tourists. Most operate in Cairo, notably in queues and on the crowded buses to the Pyramids. To play safe, keep your valuables in a money belt or a pouch under your shirt (leather or cotton materials are preferable to nylon, which can irritate in the heat). Overall, though, casual theft is more of a problem. Campsites, hostels and cheap hotels often have poor security, making it unwise to leave valuables there. At most places, you can deposit them at the reception (always get a receipt for cash).

If you are driving , it goes without saying you should not leave anything you cannot afford to lose visible or accessible in your car.

Terrorism
The level of terrorism in Egypt has been reduced, following a crackdown on Islamic extremists and a ceasefire signed in March 1999 by the terrorist group responsible for many of the attacks on tourists. Although security forces and government officials are the prime targets for terrorists, tourists have reason to feel threatened, as Islamic radicals have shot at trains and tour buses, and even detonated a bomb inside one of the Pyramids. The worst incidents have been the killing of 17 Greek tourists in Cairo in April 1996, and the Luxor massacre of 1997 in which more than sixty people died. The situation is far from bad enough to warrant staying away altogether, but it's still a good idea to follow the news (as tourist attacks are often in response to Israeli actions), and also heed any travel advisory bulletins issued by your own government.

Aside from the (small) risk of riding through Middle Egypt on the train, it is easy to avoid trouble spots : the latest rundown of areas considered unsafe can be obtained from government advice lines in Britain (tel 0374/500-926) and the US (tel 202/647-5225), or from consulates in Cairo.

With the object of safeguarding tourists, certain travel restrictions have been imposed on foreigners. In Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, railway clerks have been told not to sell tickets for any trains up or down the Nile Valley except on those services designated for tourists, which have plainclothes guards riding shotgun. Tourist buses between Cairo and Israel, and from Aswan to Luxor or Abu Simbel (if operating), must travel in a convoy ( kol) with a police escort. Perversely, there is no formal ban on visiting "risky" areas, but the local police will certainly keep a close eye on you, and may insist on accompanying you to sites like Abydos or Dendara.

Another wise move is to respect local customs (in public, anyway). The less you stand out and cause offence, the smaller the chance of attracting any hostility. By going with the swim of society, you'll gain a measure of protection. There are also armed police everywhere, whose mission includes keeping an eye on your safety, but as their usual response to trouble is to let rip with Kalashnikovs, this is a somewhat mixed blessing. In the event of real trouble , hit the deck or get off the streets immediately.

The police
Egypt has a plethora of police forces whose high profile in Cairo (which has more cops per thousand citizens than any other capital in the world) and at checkpoints on trunk roads strikes first-time visitors as a sign of recent trouble, although it has actually been the rule since the 1960s. Whereas Egyptians fear police brutality, foreign visitors are usually treated with kid gloves and given the benefit of the doubt unless drugs or espionage are suspected.

The Municipal Police handle all crimes, and have a monopoly on law and order in smaller towns. Their uniform (khaki in winter, tan or white in summer) resembles that of the Traffic Police , who wear striped cuffs. Both get involved in accidents and can render assistance in emergencies. However, relatively few officers speak anything but Arabic.

If you've got a problem or need to report a crime, always go to the Tourist Police . The ordinary ranks wear the regular khaki police uniform with a "Tourist Police" armband; officers wear black uniforms in winter and white in summer. Found at tourist sites, museums, airports, stations and ports, they are supposedly trained to help tourists in distress, and speak a foreign language (usually English). In practice, the odds of getting such an officer are fifty-fifty - but it's worth trying them first. The more senior the officer, the better the chance.

The fourth conspicuous force is the Central Security police (dressed all in black and armed with Kalashnikovs), who guard embassies, banks and highways. Though normally genial enough, this largely conscript force will shift rapidly from tear gas to live rounds when ordered to crush demonstrations or civil unrest. If you find yourself getting caught up in anything, clear out quick. Ordinarily, though, they are nothing to worry about.

To guard vital utilities, there are also Electricity, Airport and River Police forces; the last is responsible for overseeing felucca journeys between Aswan and Luxor, though the formalities are usually handled by the captain of the boat rather than the passengers.

All of these forces deploy plainclothes agents who hang around near government buildings and crowded places, dressed as vendors or peasants - hence their nickname, the "Galabiyya Police". Aside from the sport of spotting agents in Cairo (where they dress quite snappily), tourists needn't think about them - though in hotels or bars, you might be disconcerted to find yourself chatting with a guy who suddenly announces that he's a cop. There are lots of them around.

Finally, there is Military Intelligence , which is only relevant to travellers who wish to visit remote parts of the Western Desert or go down beyond Mersa Allam on the Red Sea Coast, for which you need permission. Their offices in Mersa Matrouh and the oases are signposted in English and quite tourist-friendly, whereas in Sinai they have secret agents stationed in Dahab, Nuweiba, Na'ama Bay and Sharm el-Sheikh, whose brief includes watching Israeli tourists, and locals who visit Israel.

Addresses and phone numbers of local police stations appear according to location

Foreign consulates in Egypt
If you do find yourself in trouble - or simply need a visa - there are consulates for most nationalities in Cairo . Britain and several other European countries also maintain consulates in Alexandria and Port Said . Consulates can advise on legal matters and replace missing passports, but are unsympathetic towards drug offenders and will not make loans to penniless travellers (though they will repatriate you as a last resort).