Egypt’s Minister of Health and Population Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar announced on Tuesday significant progress in the state’s population and development indicators during 2025.
He affirmed that the results of the first phase of the Urgent Population and Development Plan (2025-2027) reflected the success of the state’s efforts in addressing population challenges based on scientific principles that rely on data and precise targeting.
The eighth edition of the composite population indicators showed a clear improvement in the population map across the country, he explained.
He added that the number of areas classified as “red zones,” most in need of development interventions, decreased to only 20 by the end of 2025, compared to 43 in the previous edition and 74 in the sixth edition.
This reflects a tangible improvement in several population and development indicators.
Red Zones
Deputy Minister of Health and Population and supervisor of the National Population Council Abla al-Alfy confirmed that this year’s indicators show an expansion in the number of governorates completely free of red zones, rising to 13 compared to only three in the sixth edition.
She added that areas with the best developmental performance saw a significant increase, with the number of yellow zones rising to 223 compared to 194 previously, while the number of green zones increased to 39 compared to only 14 in previous assessments.
Declining Birth Rates
Alfy noted that 2025 witnessed a significant demographic shift, with the number of births falling below two million for the first time in years, according to data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
The figures showed a decrease in the birth rate to 18.1 births per thousand people, compared to 19.4 per thousand in 2023, along with a decline in the total fertility rate to 2.34 children per woman, compared to 2.54 in 2023.
According to the data, the average number of births registered during the year was one every 15.9 seconds, an indicator reflecting the continued decline in population growth rates.
Successful family planning policies
The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population, Hossam Abdel-Ghaffar, confirmed that these results came through implementing a package of policies and procedures in coordination with various executive bodies and governorates.
The policies focused on supporting family planning and reproductive health services and raising community awareness to ensure the health of mothers and their children, he said.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
