Egypt Population

Throughout history, Egypt has been one of the world’s most important and influential countries. Today, Egypt has North Africa’s largest population and economy, but is struggling with widespread poverty and political unrest.

Key figures and facts

• Capital: Cairo
• Ethnic groups: Egyptians 99.7%, other 0.3% (2006)
• Language: Arabic (official), English and French
• Religion: Muslims (Sunni) 90%, Christians (most Coptic Christians, but also Armenian Apostles, Catholics, Maronites, Orthodox and Anglicans) 10% (2015)
• Population: 99 375 741 (2018)
• Control Form: Republic
• Area: 1,002,450 km2
• Currency: Egyptian Pound
• GNP per capita: 11 129 PPP $
• National Day: July 23rd

Population of Egypt

Egypt is a predominantly Arab country in North Africa with over 100 million residents, making it the third most populous nation in Africa. Most of them live along the Nile and Nile Delta, but still less than half live in cities. Islam is the dominant religion, with a significant proportion of Coptic Christians.

Population of Egypt by Year (Historical)

Year	Population	Annual Growth Rate	Population Density	Global Rank
2020	102,334,293	1.940%	102.8021	14
2019	100,387,962	2.000%	100.8469	14
2018	98,423,487	2.050%	98.8735	14
2017	96,442,480	2.110%	96.8834	14
2016	94,446,962	2.170%	94.8788	14
2015	92,442,436	2.240%	92.8651	15
2010	82,761,124	1.850%	83.1395	15
2005	75,523,458	1.870%	75.8688	16
2000	68,831,450	2.000%	69.1462	15
1995	62,333,923	2.120%	62.6189	15
1990	56,134,364	2.650%	56.3910	20
1985	49,258,621	2.610%	49.4839	20
1980	43,308,952	2.360%	43.5070	21
1975	38,549,031	2.240%	38.7253	21
1970	34,513,739	2.550%	34.6716	21
1965	30,432,911	2.700%	30.5721	23
1960	26,632,783	2.780%	26.7546	22
1955	23,223,013	2.570%	23.3293	22
1950	20,451,867	0.000%	20.5455	22

Major Cities in Egypt by Population

Rank	City	Population
1	Cairo	7,734,503
2	Alexandria	3,811,405
3	Giza	2,443,092
4	Port Said	538,267
5	Suez	488,014
6	Al Mahallah al Kubra	430,941
7	Luxor	422,296
8	Asyut	420,474
9	Al Mansurah	420,084
10	Tanda	404,790
11	Al Fayyum	306,282
12	Zagazig	284,986
13	Ismailia	284,702
14	Kafr ad Dawwar	267,259
15	Aswan	241,150
16	Qina	235,251
17	Halwan	229,889
18	Damanhur	227,832
19	Al Minya	227,039
20	Idku	210,567
21	Sohag	209,308
22	New Cairo	199,889
23	Bani Suwayf	189,513
24	Shibin al Kawm	186,234
25	Banha	166,918
26	Talkha	157,626
27	Kafr ash Shaykh	143,859
28	Mallawi	142,393
29	Dikirnis	137,431
30	Idfu	132,889
31	Bilbays	129,100
32	Arish	128,744
33	Jirja	128,139
34	Al Hawamidiyah	106,730
35	Bilqas	103,485
36	Disuq	101,926
37	Abu Kabir	100,573
38	Qalyub	100,384
39	Akhmim	99,335
40	Al Matariyah	99,246
41	Hurghada	95,511
42	Zefta	92,556
43	Tahta	90,480
44	Samalut	90,354
45	Bush	86,497
46	Hawsh `Isa	85,241
47	Munuf	83,540
48	Ashmun	82,396
49	Manfalut	78,633
50	Damietta	76,728
51	Kafr az Zayyat	73,614
52	Abu Tij	71,146
53	Isna	69,224
54	Abnub	68,638
55	Al Qusiyah	68,283
56	Al Jammaliyah	68,270
57	Dayrut	67,677
58	Al Kharijah	67,589
59	Toukh	67,488
60	Al Manzalah	67,375
61	Rosetta	64,370
62	Awsim	63,751
63	Al Fashn	63,682
64	Fuwwah	63,199
65	Faqus	62,710
66	Al Khankah	62,323
67	Mersa Matruh	61,931
68	Al Qurayn	61,619
69	Abu Qurqas	61,071
70	Al Manshah	61,023
71	Kousa	60,070
72	Kawm Umbu	59,676
73	Faraskur	58,173
74	Bani Mazar	58,042
75	Minyat an Nasr	56,840
76	Shibin al Qanatir	56,761
77	Al Qanatir al Khayriyah	56,191
78	Basyun	55,412
79	Samannud	54,869
80	Shirbin	54,565
81	Dishna	54,086
82	Farshut	53,740
83	Diyarb Najm	51,730
84	At Tall al Kabir	51,458
85	Tala	51,387
86	Ibshaway	51,062
87	Al Balyana	48,690
88	Ash Shuhada’	47,949
89	Sidi Salim	47,887
90	Juhaynah	47,710
91	Tamiyah	46,755
92	Al Hamul	45,687
93	Mashtul as Suq	45,687
94	Ain Sukhna	45,441
95	Itsa	45,158
96	Matay	45,104
97	Al Badari	44,021
98	Hihya	43,321
99	Al Qanayat	42,801
100	Quwaysina	42,597
101	Madinat Sittah Uktubar	41,819
102	Abu al Matamir	41,191
103	Naja’ Hammadi	41,073
104	Dayr Mawas	40,498
105	Ad Dilinjat	40,275
106	Az Zarqa	39,899
107	As Saff	38,102
108	`Izbat al Burj	37,842
109	Al Wasitah	37,342
110	Sumusta as Sultani	37,149
111	Kawm Hamadah	36,640
112	Al Bajur	36,522
113	Kafr Saqr	34,856
114	Al `Ayyat	34,685
115	Aja	34,581
116	Al Ibrahimiyah	34,527
117	Safaga	32,833
118	Ras Gharib	31,889
119	Al Qusayr	24,542
120	Qutur	23,731
121	Al Bawiti	19,889
122	El Gouna	14,889
123	El-Tor	14,861
124	Sharm el-Sheikh	11,889
125	Marsa Alam	9,889
126	Dahab	7,889
127	Al `Alamayn	7,289
128	Siwa Oasis	6,889

Demography

Egypt’s population passed 100 million residents in 2017, according to the country’s statistical agency. This figure includes about ten million Egyptian citizens living abroad.

Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East, number three in Africa (after Nigeria and Ethiopia) and number 14 in the world. Between 1985 and 2007, the population doubled. Although the average birth rate has dropped, it is estimated that Egypt, with an annual growth of 2.45 percent (2017), will reach 150 million by 2050. In 2017, the average number of births per woman was 3.5.

The average life expectancy for the entire population is 73 years; 74.4 years for women and 71.6 years for men (2017). One third of Egypt’s population is under 15 years of age.

Settlement Pattern

The population (about 95 percent) is concentrated along the Nile Delta, which with its access to water, provides opportunities for agriculture and employment. Egypt’s land area is mostly desert. Thus, it is costly to facilitate settlement in new areas.

Population Groups

The vast majority of Egyptians are considered Arabs. There are some ethnic minorities, as well as foreign immigrants. The population is the result of a mix of Hamitic and Semitic people, and ethnically constitutes a relatively uniform group. Despite numerous immigrations from the Middle East and the Mediterranean, the population, especially in Upper Egypt (the southern region), has maintained physical features with ancient Egyptians.

The largest ethnic minorities are Nubians, Bedouins and Berber- speaking Swais. Most Nubians live in the south of the country. The Bedouins are traditionally settled on the Sinai Peninsula and in the desert areas west and east of the Nile. The Siwas are located in the oasis community of Siwa in the Western Desert. In addition, there is a small group of the bedsja people, descendants of predynastic Egyptians, south of the Eastern Desert, as well as a small group of the Dom people.

Religions

It is estimated that around 90 percent of the population is Muslim. There is also a significant Christian, mainly Coptic, minority. With about nine percent of the population (around ten million people), this is the largest Christian population in the Middle East. In addition, there are smaller religious groups of other Christian faiths (including Anglican, Catholic, Maronite and Orthodox), as well as Baha’is and Jews, as well as Shia Muslims.

Language

Egypt’s official language is Arabic. Most of the residents speak one of several different Arabic dialects. Some Egyptians use Nubian languages, Siwi, Beja and Domari as their mother tongue.

Population Patterns

The settlement pattern is strongly characterized by the geography, with large desert areas. Almost the entire population lives on a small area in the Nile Valley, in the Nile Delta and along the Suez Canal. This is among the most densely populated areas in the world.

An increasing proportion of the population lives in cities; in 2018 around 43 percent. In particular, the cities of the Delta area attract immigrants from the poor, overpopulated agricultural areas of Upper Egypt. The capital Cairo has around 20 million residents (2018). The second largest city is Alexandria with over five million residents. In recent years, new cities have been established in the desert, in order to reduce migration especially to the largest cities, if possible.

About half of the population of the Nile Valley is small farmers or agricultural workers, called fellah. In the Eastern Desert, most people live in cities along the coast. In addition, there are also nomads that live by animal husbandry and trade. In the Western Desert there are habitable areas along the coast and in oasis communities. The most important city in the Western Desert is Marsa Matruh, and the largest oasis communities are Kharga, Dakhla, Farafra, Bahariya and Siwa. On the Sinai Peninsula, the largest cities are al-Arish and Kantarah, but many also live in the tourist towns along the Red Sea coast.

Since the late 1970s, a significant number of Egyptians have emigrated abroad for shorter or longer periods. According to official figures from 2017, around a tenth, about ten million Egyptians, were living outside the country, most of them in other Arab countries as guest workers. Money transfers from these are important for the Egyptian economy.