Egypt is the most populated Arab country, and, with a population of 74 million, ranks
with Turkey and Iran, as one of the largest countries in the region. Its population was
10 million in 1897, it increased by almost six times since the beginning of the 20th
century and by almost three times from 1950 to the present. The population grew
slowly at an average rate of 1.3 percent per annum from 1897 to 1947, but
accelerated greatly to reach around 2.5 percent from 1950 to about 1970 when it
decreased to 2.2 percent due, in part, to postponement of marriage, reductions in
fertility (because of the 1973 war), and to some changes in age structure echoing the
effects of World War II. Once these temporary effects passed, the rate of population
growth rebounded to 2.5 percent in 1975-1980 and 2.6 percent from 1980-1985.
Since that period, it has begun to fall as decreases in birth rates have exceeded
continuing decreases in the crude death rate. The current population growth rate of
about 2 percent per annum is one of the lowest rates in the region.