Egypt People Profile 2012

Egypt is the most populous country in the Middle East and the third most populous cf the continent, with about 78,866,635 (July 2009 est.). The last 40 years have seen a rapid increase in population due to medical advances and the massive increase in agricultural productivity, presented by the Green Revolution. Egypt's population was estimated at only 3 million when Napoleon invaded the country in 1798.  In 1939, Egypt had a population of 16.5 million .

Almost the entire population is concentrated along the banks of the Nile (notably Cairo and Alexandria), and in the delta near the Suez Canal. About 90% of the population adheres to Islam and most other Christian, especially the Coptic Orthodox denomination . Apart from religious affiliation, Egyptians can be divided demographically into those who live in major urban centers and the fellah or peasants in rural villages.

The Egyptians are by far the largest ethnic group in Egypt to 91% of the total population [58]. Ethnic minorities include Abaza, Turks, Greeks, the Bedouin Arab tribes living in the deserts of the East and the Sinai Peninsula, the Siwis Berber (Amazigh) of the Siwa Oasis and the Nubian communities clustered along the Nile. There are also tribal communities of Beja concentrated in the south-eastern corner of most countries and a number of Dom clans mostly in the Nile Delta and Fayoum which becomes progressively associated with increasing urbanization.

Egypt also hosts an unknown number of refugees and asylum seekers, they are estimated in between 500,000 to 3 million . There are some 70,000 Palestinian refugees,  and about 150,000 Iraqi refugees who arrived recently,  but the number of the largest group, the Sudanese, is contested . The Greek communities in Egypt and Jewish, have almost disappeared, only a small number is remaining in the country, but many Jews visit on religious opportunities and tourism. Several important Jewish archaeological and historical sites are located in Cairo, Alexandria and other cities.