Egyptian official: Poverty main cause of overpopulation

Measures of a country's economic development are based on several factors, including population growth compared to other countries with similar characteristics. On Aug. 19, Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) published an untitled report containing troubling economic and population figures for the country.

According to the population clock, there are now 87 million individuals in Egypt and another 6 million Egyptians abroad, for a total of 93 million. These people represent Egypt's human capital, but also a potential burden on a state trying to improve its economy by reversing declines in economic growth.

Economic development is in part calculated by a country’s per capita income, in addition to the amount of goods and services produced. Egypt experienced a sharp decline in these two factors along with an increasing population rate in 2012-13. Per capita income is almost less than 327 Egyptian pounds ($46) a month. Growth in domestic product has fallen, from 2.2% (2012) to 2.1% (2013). CAPMAS reported that Egypt’s economic growth rate in 2013 was less than 2%, and the poverty rate has increased, from 25.2% (2010/11 ) to 26.3% (2012/13).