Egypt population hit 100 Million as 60 Percent comprises of youths below 30 years

Egypt Pyramids. PHOTO | AFP

An ancient desert country Egypt’s population has reached 100 million, the statistics agency said Tuesday, highlighting the threat of overpopulation in a poverty-stricken country where many live in congested megacities.


The North African country retains its position as the most populated Arab nation and Africa’s third most populous country behind Ethiopia and Nigeria.

" A counter installed atop the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) ticked over into nine digits for the first time,"  the agency said.


A new baby is born in Egypt roughly every 17.9 seconds, the statistics body calculated.


Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told a cabinet meeting last week that “population growth is the single largest challenge facing the state … and affects national security”.


Most Egyptians live on the eight percent of national territory that is the stretch of arable land near River Nile basement.


The lifeline, which Egypt shares with Sudan and Ethiopia, critically provides around 97 percent of Egypt’s water needs.


Birth rates in Egypt have skyrocketed in the past three decades with around 1.5 million babies born every year but they have recently slowed down as Egypt’s government has encouraged smaller families.


Egyptians numbered around 57 million 30 years ago.
The latest census in 2017 showed nearly 95 million citizens residing in the country.


President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi said at the time that terrorism and overpopulation represented the two most important threats for Egypt.


As with the majority of Arab countries, Egypt has a youthful population with just over 60 percent under the age of 30.