Egypt s population will hit 100 million people next week, the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) said on Saturday.
The country s population reached 99.945 million at 10 a.m. (local time) on Saturday, CAPMAS added.
The number excludes Egyptians abroad, which are estimated at over 9 million people.
Cairo is ranked Egypt s most populated governorate with 9.924 million persons, followed by Giza with 9.75 million people then Sharqia with 7.536 million, CAPMAS pointed out.
South Sinai governorate got the last place in terms of Egypt s population with about 108,742 persons, followed by North Sinai with 450,528 people and then Matrouh with 477,172, it noted.
Since 2017, Egyptian officials have described the country s rapid population growth as an "actual catastrophe" that threatens national development plans and demands immediate attention, just like the country s war against terrorism.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi repeatedly said that the current rate of population growth poses a threat to the nation and restricts Egypt s progress.
Last year, Egypt launched a two year initiative dubbed, "Two Is Enough", to encourage people to have fewer children.
It is mainly financed locally, with the Social Solidarity Ministry spending EGP 75 million Egyptian pounds ($4.7 million) and the UN providing EGP 10 million.
