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Egypt Population Control Policies
Egypt's population is very large in relation to the country's
natural resources. Although it is not a perfect measure of the
impact of high population growth rates, the amount of land
cultivated by the average farmer provides a glimpse at the extent
of the problem. In slightly more than 150 years (1821-1976), the
per capita cultivated area dropped from 0.8
feddan (see Glossary) to 0.27
feddan among the rural population. If
the urban population is included, the per capita cultivated area
in 1976 amounted to only 0.15 feddan. The decline has
meant that the same amount of cultivated land must feed a
continuously increasing population. In 1974 Egypt, which had been
a net exporter of cereals for centuries, became a net importer of
food, especially grains.
As early as 1959, government economists expressed concern
about the negative impact of high population growth rates on the
country's development efforts. In 1966 the government initiated a
nationwide birth control program aimed at reducing the annual
population growth rate to 2.5 percent or less. Since then staterun family planning clinics have distributed birth control
information and contraceptives. These programs were somewhat
successful in reducing the population growth rate, but in 1973
the rate began to increase again. Population control policies
tended to be ineffective because most Egyptians, especially in
rural areas, valued large families.
Data as of December 1990
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