Addressing the opening ceremony of the second national conference on population which broadcasted live by the Nile TV international channel, Mubarak urged the government, the private sector and the civil society to join in a national campaign to promote awareness of overpopulation.

Mass media, writers and intellectuals as well as men of religion are also urged to support the campaign.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt's population reached 78.7 million by May 1, 2008.

Mubarak said Egypt is the No. 16 on the list of countries suffering from overpopulation in the world, with an annual increase in population by 1.3 million which, as experts expect, will exceed 2 million within a few years.

During the conference, more than 1,000 participants will discuss means of controlling population growth rates and probe mechanisms to implement a strategic plan on population, the official MENA news agency reported.

Means to promote relations between the increase of population and the sustainable development of the country as well as family planning are also high on the agenda of the two-day conference.

The conference, with the first one being held in 1984, would also probe the means to improve the living standard in the country.

The National Population Council has worked out a strategic plan envisaging the overall fertility rate to stand at 2.4 children per woman by 2023, The Egyptian Gazette reported on Sunday.