Egypt Projected to Become World’s 11th Most Populous Country by 2050

Egypt is projected to become the world's 11th most populous country by 2050, up from 13th place today, according to a report released by the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) to mark World Population Day.

The report projects that Egypt will remain the world's 13th most populous country through 2035 before climbing two places over the following 15 years. It also notes that Egypt is currently the most populous country in the Arab world and the third most populous in Africa.

Egypt's population reached 108.6 million at the beginning of 2026, up from 94.8 million in 2017—an increase of 13.8 million over nine years. Cairo remains the country's largest governorate by population with 10.5 million residents, followed by Giza with 9.8 million, while 57.3% of Egyptians live in rural areas. Population density has also risen from 92.4 people per square kilometre in 2017 to 108.1 in 2026.

The report highlights Egypt's youthful population, with 30.6% of residents under the age of 15, while those aged 65 and above account for 6.1%. At the same time, fertility rates have continued to decline, falling from 2.85 children per woman in 2021 to 2.33 in 2025. The birth rate also dropped from 26.8 births per 1,000 people in 2017 to 18.1 in 2025, contributing to a sharp decline in the country's natural population growth.

If fertility falls to the replacement level of 2.1 births per woman by 2032, CAPMAS projects Egypt's population will reach approximately 117.8 million by 2032 and 130.7 million by 2042. The report also highlights the government's Urgent Population and Development Plan, launched in 2025, which tracks 29 demographic and development indicators and prioritises intervention in 73 governorates and districts identified as having the greatest population-related challenges.