75.6 percent of the population in Egypt is aware of the overpopulation issue, according to a survey by the Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) of the Cabinet.
75.6 percent of the population in Egypt is aware of the overpopulation issue, according to a survey by the Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC) of the Cabinet.
More than 75% of Egyptians are aware of the issue of overpopulation - the Cabinet's information centers' survey
The IDSC reported on Sunday that 11.9 percent of those polled had yet to learn about the overpopulation issue the state is dealing with. The survey, conducted in December, included a large sample of Egyptian families from every governorate.
According to the IDSC, overpopulation is one of Egypt's major problems and the main impediment to development efforts. The IDSC added that it impedes government efforts to provide citizens with the best services and combat other economic issues like unemployment and poverty.
The IDSC found that 91.1 percent of the surveyed families supported family programs, while only 1.9 percent disapproved. According to the IDSC survey, 52.5 percent of respondents think that, given the current situation, each family should only have two children.
In comparison, 29.1 percent believe that each family should have three. Egypt's population is expected to increase by 1.6 million in 2022, from 102.8 million in January to 104.4 million in December.
This is according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). According to earlier estimates from CAPMAS, if current growth rates continue, the nation's population could reach 192 million by 2052.
However, according to the report, this projection could be lowered to 143 million if state efforts to lower fertility rates are stepped up. In addition, according to government officials, the state will need to spend twice as much on infrastructure and development to prepare for the anticipated growth over the next 30 years.
The nation has started several campaigns and programs in recent years to slow the population's uncontrollable growth, spending over EGP 100 million ($5.2 million) annually to offer birth control for free or at a reduced cost.
In its August report, CAPMAS predicted that Egypt's fertility rate would drop from 3.5 births per woman in 2014 to 2.8 births per woman in 2021, a 20% decline. Egyptian officials want to reduce the fertility rate to 1.6 births per woman, according to Hussein Abdel-Aziz, a chairman of CAPMAS's adviser.