Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East, and the third-most populous on the African continent, after Nigeria and Ethiopia. About 95% of the country's 119 million people (May 2025) live along the banks of the Nile and in the Nile Delta, which fans out north of Cairo; and along the Suez Canal. These regions are among the world's most densely populated, containing an average of over 1,540 people per km2, as compared to 96 persons per km2 for the country as a whole.

Small communities spread throughout the desert regions of Egypt are clustered around historic trade and transportation routes. The government has tried with mixed success to encourage migration to newly irrigated land reclaimed from the desert. However, the proportion of the population living in rural areas has continued to decrease as people move to the megacities in search of employment and a higher standard of living.

According to the Peterson Institute for International Economics and other proponents of demographic structural approach (cliodynamics), Egypt's unemployment rate is driven by a demographic youth bulge: with the number of new people entering the job force at about 4% a year, unemployment in Egypt is almost 10 times as high for college graduates as it is for people who have gone through elementary school, particularly educated urban youth, who comprised most of the people that were seen out in the streets during the Egyptian revolution of 2011. An estimated 51.2% of Egyptians are under the age of 25, with just 4.3% over the age of 65, making it one of the most youthful populations in the world.Korotayev A., Zinkina J. Egyptian Revolution: A Demographic Structural Analysis. Entelequia. Revista Interdisciplinar 13 (2011): 139–169.

Population size and distribution

Egypt has a population of 116,538,000 (2024 UN estimate). According to the OECD/World Bank statistics population growth in Egypt from 1990 to 2008 was 23.7 million and 41%.CO2 Emissions from Fuel Combustion Population 1971–2008 (pdf pages 83–85) IEA (OECD/ World Bank) original population ref e.g. in IEA Key World Energy Statistics 2010 p. 57)

History

Age distribution Data taken from Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.

Percentage distribution of population in censuses by age group

Age group2006199619861976 0–4 10.6 11.6 15.3 13.9 5–9 10.5 12.9 13.2 12.8 10–14 10.6 13.3 11.6 13.4 15–19 11.8 11.6 10.6 10.9 20–24 10.8 8.6 8.9 8.4 25–29 8.8 7.4 7.7 7.3 30–34 6.5 6.7 6.4 5.8 35–39 6.4 6.5 6.1 5.6 40–44 5.6 5.3 4.4 5.1 45–49 5.1 4.5 4.0 4.2 50–54 4.2 3.4 3.5 4.0 55–59 3.1 2.5 2.6 2.4 60–64 2.3 2.4 2.4 2.7 65–69 1.6 1.6 1.4 1.4 70–74 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.2 75+ 1.0 0.8 0.8 1.0

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 July 2010):

Age groupMaleFemale%Total 0–4 4,282 4,072 10.6 8,354 5–9 4,265 4,007 10.5 8,272 10–14 4,330 4,023 10.6 8,353 15–19 4,738 4,501 11.7 9,239 20–24 4,358 4,155 10.8 8,513 25–29 3,412 3,498 8.8 6,910 30–34 2,614 2,503 6.5 5,117 35–39 2,498 2,536 6.4 5,034 40–44 2,237 2,186 5.6 4,423 45–49 2,029 1,942 5.0 3,971 50–54 1,668 1,640 4.2 3,308 55–59 1,312 1,136 3.1 2,448 60–64 971 871 2.3 1 842 65–69 693 597 1.6 1 290 70–74 435 419 1.1 854 75+ 408 392 1.0 800 Total 40,250 38,478 100 78,728

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 July 2012):

Age groupMaleFemale%Total 0–4 4,780 4,410 11.17 9,190 5–9 4,534 4,192 10.60 8,726 10–14 3,970 3,706 9.33 7,676 15–19 3,970 3,746 9.37 7,710 20–24 4,236 4,024 10.04 8,260 25–29 4,084 3,924 9.73 8,008 30–34 3,346 3,249 8.01 6,595 35–39 2,589 2,524 6.21 5,113 40–44 2,262 2,206 5.43 4,468 45–49 2,077 2,037 5.00 4,114 50–54 1,821 1,798 4.40 3,619 55–59 1,494 1,480 3.61 2,974 60–64 1,105 1,113 2.69 2,218 65–69 767 785 1.89 1,552 70–74 501 517 1.24 1,018 75+ 522 536 1.29 1,058 Total 42,058 40,247 100 82,305

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 January 2013):

Age groupMaleFemale%Total 0–4 4,861 4,481 11.17 9,342 5–9 4,610 4,259 10.60 8,869 10–14 4,038 3,765 9.33 7,803 15–67 4,038 3,805 9.37 7,843 20–24 4,309 4,089 10.04 8,398 25–29 4,152 3,987 9.73 8,139 30–34 3,403 3,300 8.01 6,703 35–39 2,633 2,564 6.21 5,197 40–44 2,300 2,241 5.43 4,541 45–49 2,113 2,069 5.00 4,182 50–54 1,852 1,827 4.40 3,679 55–59 1,519 1,504 3.61 3,023 60–64 1,124 1,130 2.69 2,254 65–69 781 797 1.89 1,578 70–74 510 525 1.24 1,035 75–79 291 303 0.71 594 80+ 239 242 0.57 481 Total 42,773 40,888 100 83,661

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 July 2013): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% 0–4 4 910 594 4 538 740 9 449 334 11,17 5–9 4 657 900 4 313 848 8 971 748 10,60 10–14 4 079 894 3 812 951 7 892 845 9,33 15–19 4 079 894 3 853 840 7 933 634 9,37 20–24 4 353 289 4 140 279 8 493 568 10,04 25–29 4 195 561 4 037 843 8 233 404 9,73 30–34 3 438 467 3 342 721 6 781 188 8,01 35–39 2 660 343 2 596 487 5 256 830 6,21 40–44 2 323 857 2 269 370 4 593 227 5,43 45–49 2 134 584 2 095 590 4 230 173 5,00 50–54 1 871 704 1 850 252 3 721 956 4,40 55–59 1 535 218 1 523 136 3 058 354 3,61 60–64 1 135 641 1 144 907 2 280 548 2,69 65–69 788 639 807 569 1 596 208 1,89 70–74 515 244 531 564 1 046 809 1,24 75–79 294 425 306 672 601 097 0,71 80+ 241 849 246 108 487 957 0,58 Total 43 217 105 41 411 877 84 628 982 100 Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 13 648 388 12 665 539 26 313 927 31,09 15–64 27 728 560 26 854 425 54 582 985 64,50 65+ 1 840 157 1 891 913 3 732 070 4,41

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 July 2014) in thousands: Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% 0–4 5 102 4 728 9 830 11,3 5–9 4 729 4 398 9 127 10,5 10–14 4 225 3 959 8 184 9,4 15–19 4 312 4 077 8 389 9,7 20–24 4 565 4 365 8 930 10,4 25–29 4 280 4 119 8 399 9,7 30–34 3 413 3 319 6 732 7,8 35–39 2 678 2 604 5 282 6,1 40–44 2 391 2 349 4 740 5,5 45–49 2 194 2 156 4 350 5,0 50–54 1 898 1 877 3 775 4,3 55–59 1 547 1 536 3 083 3,6 60–64 1 130 1 131 2 261 2,6 65–69 789 801 1 590 1,8 70–74 515 535 1 050 1,2 75+ 537 555 1 092 1,3 Total 44 305 42 509 86 814 100 Age groupSex ratioMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 107.4 14 056 13 085 27 141 31,26 15–39 104.1 19 248 18 484 37 732 43,46 40–64 101.2 9 160 9 049 18 209 20,97 65+ 97.4 1 841 1 891 3 732 4,30

Household population by age and sex (DHS 2014).

Total population in thousands: 114 428 (Males 56 926, Females 57 501) Age groupMale (%)Female (%)Total (%) 0–4 14,1 12,6 13,4 5–9 12,1 11,1 11,6 10–14 10,7 9,9 10,3 15–19 9,1 9,0 9,1 20–24 7,8 8,6 8,2 25–29 8,2 9,4 8,8 30–34 7,0 7,7 7,3 35–39 5,9 6,2 6,0 40–44 4,8 5,1 4,9 45–49 4,7 4,7 4,7 50–54 4,2 4,5 4,4 55–59 3,4 3,7 3,5 60–64 3,4 3,3 3,4 65–69 2,0 1,9 1,9 70–74 1,4 1,3 1,3 75–79 0,6 0,5 0,5 80+ 0,5 0,6 0,6 Age groupMale (%)Female (%)Total (%) 0–14 36,9 33,6 35,3 15–64 58,6 62,1 60,4 65+ 4,5 4,3 4,3

Population estimates by sex and age group (1 January 2015): Age groupMaleFemaleTotal% 0–4 5 168 230 4 791 812 9 960 042 11,3 5–9 4 790 338 4 456 493 9 246 831 10,5 10–14 4 279 072 4 013 008 8 292 080 9,4 15–19 4 367 988 4 131 991 8 499 979 9,7 20–24 4 623 621 4 424 043 9 047 664 10,3 25–29 4 334 645 4 175 258 8 509 903 9,7 30–34 3 456 601 3 364 004 6 820 605 7,8 35–39 2 711 932 2 639 282 5 351 214 6,1 40–44 2 422 954 2 379 682 4 802 636 5,5 45–49 2 222 893 2 184 980 4 407 873 5,0 50–54 1 922 803 1 903 745 3 826 548 4,4 55–59 1 567 139 1 557 610 3 124 749 3,6 60–64 1 144 789 1 146 574 2 291 363 2,6 65–69 800 241 811 254 1 611 495 1,8 70–74 522 379 540 837 1 063 216 1,2 75+ 544 608 562 470 1 107 078 1,3 Total 44 880 233 43 083 043 87 963 276 100 Age groupMaleFemaleTotalPercent 0–14 14 237 640 13 261 313 27 498 953 31,26 15–64 28 775 365 27 907 169 56 682 534 64,44 65+ 1 867 228 1 914 561 3 781 789 4,30

Historical and present population distribution:

Age group1 January 20151 July 20131 January 20131 July 20121 July 20102006199619861976 0–14 31.26 (27,498,953) 31.09 (26,313,927) 31.1 (26,014,000) 31.1 (25,592,000) 31.7 (24,979,000) 31.7 37.8 40.1 40 15–64 64.44 (56,682,534) 64.50 (54,582,985) 64.49 (53,959,000) 64.48 (53,085,000) 64.6 (50,805,000) 64.6 58.7 56.6 56.4 65+ 4.30 (3,781,789) 4.41 (3,732,070) 4.41 (3,688,000) 4.42 (3,628,000) 3.7 (2,944,000) 3.7 3.5 3.3 3.6

Urban and rural population

Figures from CAPMAS: YearMidyearpopulationUrban populationRural population in thousands percent in thousands percent199051 91122 51929 392199152 98522 90830 077199254 08223 36630 716199355 20123 80431 397199456 34424 27632 068199557 64224 70932 933199658 83525 05333 782199760 05325 57834 475199861 29626 10435 192199962 56526 55936 006200063 86027 13236 728200165 18228 11837 064200266 62828 55438 074200367 96529 13038 835200469 30429 65339 651200570 65330 18740 466200672 00930 58541 424200773 64431 72041 924200875 19432 24942 945200976 92533 08343 842201078 68533 80444 881201180 53034 48946 041201282 55035 37347 177201384 62936 21348 416201486 81437 09549 719

Population projections The Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) had released high/medium/low population projections for 2011–2031 based on Final Results of 2006 Population Census. The 2020 high variant was 92.6 million, the medium was 91.0 million, and the low was 90.0 million. The 2030 high variant is 104.4 million, the medium is 101.7 million, and the low is 99.8 million. However the information could be misleading as the 2013 population figure of 84.6 million is higher than the projected high of 83 million. In fact, due to an unexpected rise in the fertility rate (from 3.0 to 3.5), the population already surpassed 91 million on 5 June 2016 while reaching 92 million on 30 November, average population age remaining stable despite a rising life expectancy. Furthermore, as of 2022, the population of Egypt reached 111 million, which is a figure even higher than what is projected for 2030.

Vital statistics

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2022.

One birth every 12 seconds One death every 52 seconds One net migrant every 13 minutes Net gain of one person every 17 seconds

Vital statistics: