Egyptian minister announces population size target for 2052

CAIRO – 15 August 2021: In just 120 years, the size of the Egyptian population jumped from nine million to over 100 million. Hence the government has set a target for the population not to exceed 143.6 million in 2052.

Currently, the population growth rate is 2.5 percent. In tandem, the government works to reduce poverty rate by one percent per annum.  

Minister of Planning and Economic Development Hala al-Said elaborated that the government aims for the fertility rate to become 2.1 children per woman in 2032 and 1.6 in 2052, down from 3.2 at present. As such, the annual population growth will stand at 400,000. 

That will be achieved through the economic empowerment of women, expanding access to contraceptives free of charge, awareness campaigns, initiatives granting benefits to low-income families having two or less children, and articulating legislations aimed at controlling overpopulation.