The practice of conducting a periodic census began in Egypt in the second millennium BC, where it was used for tax gathering and to determine fitness for military services.

Ancient censuses

Pharaonic Period, 3050 BC

Egypt is one of the first world countries to conduct a census. This is ensured by papyrus manuscripts, ancient monuments in Pharaonic temples, marking that the first census in Egypt was carried out in 3340 BC and in 3050 BC.

600 AD

A census also took place in the era of Hesham Abdel Malek ben Marwan in the year 600 AD including the number of people, their ages and residences.

Landmark Censuses

1798

• 1798 - Egypt's population was estimated at 3 million when Napoleon invaded the country.

1882

• 1882 — The first census in Egypt had been carried out. The total population was 6.7 million.

1947

• In 1947, a census indicated that Egypt's population was 19 million.

1976

• A census in 1976 revealed that the population had risen to 36.6 million.

1986

• In 1986, a census indicated that the population of Egypt reached a total of 50.4 million, including about 2.3 million Egyptians working in other countries.

1996

• In 1996, the census found a population of 59.3 million.

2006 census

• In 2006, the thirteenth census in the Egyptian census series revealed that the Egypt's population hit 76.5 million inside and outside the country.

2006 census details

Nationwide demographics

Population by sex and residence

Population by governorate