Impacts of Population Growth
Population Growth – Some Facts
• The world’s population increases by 2.5 people per second.
• At current rates of population increase, by 2050, the world’s population will be 9.1
billion and China & India will account for half of that. Keep in mind though, they
will likely still be two of many developing countries that consume 20 to 25% of the
earth’s resources compared to the 75 to 80% that a handful of developed nations
consume!
For example: during the 20th century, the US population tripled in size… but its
consumption of resources increased by 17 times!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJ_KQBFN6yI
-
7 Billion by National Geographic (3 min)
Population Density Comparison by Country (in people per square km)
o Canada
=3
o United States
= 32
o India
= 330
o Bangladesh
= 1089
o Singapore
= 6301
The above map depicts countries by population
-
Population Density Comparison by City (in people per square km)
o Toronto, Canada
= 2, 650
o Los Angeles, USA
= 2, 750
o London, England
= 5, 100
o Mexico City, Mexico
= 8, 400
o Mumbai, India
= 29, 650
Mexico City
Mumbai, India
Factors Contributing to Overpopulation
- Cultural Barriers (male virility associated with large families, lack of choice for
women, etc.)
– High infant mortality rates, so overcompensation with the number of births.
(Parents expecting some of their children to die at an early age would have 8
to 10 children, hoping 5 or 6 would survive, many bodies needed for physical
labour of agriculturally based economies, etc.
- High death rate of older population, so young population increases as a “boom”
– High cost and lack of accessibility to education and methods of birth control
- Most resources used to support large young populations, so not much left over to
invest in education, technology, diversity in economy, etc. so cycle continues
Consequences of Overpopulation
– Famine (long term hunger)
– Urbanization with Sprawl (creation of shanty town, favellas, slums, etc.)
*See Slide Show of Dubai Development
- Increased rates/spread of infectious diseases
– Shortage of jobs
– Poverty
– Shortage of natural resources
– Pollution
– Conflict / war
Solutions to the Contributing Factors of Overpopulation
– Better health care Technology and innovation
– Sex education
• Abstinence
• Rhythm method
• Birth control
– Improved education of women
In both the developing and the developed world, the number one solution to
overpopulation is: the education of women:
*Women not in the labour force have fertility rates more than twice that of
women in the labour force
*High income women have half as many children as low income women
*A woman with a college degree will have half as many children as a woman who
did not graduate from high school
• Reducing the desire to have large families
– This requires social marketing, such as popular TV soap operas that now air in
many countries with educational messages on the virtues of small families.
• Government can play a key role as well:
– Government of Mexico is conveying the message that it is less macho to have 10
children with one pair of shoes amongst them than three children each with
shoes, clothes and schoolbooks.
– The Iranian government announced in 1992 they will deny subsidies and other
benefits for newborn children if parents already have three children
– In China, a couple who pledges 1 child only will receive more land, free
medical and schooling and reduced taxes.
– Chinese couples who have additional children without permission can be fined,
reduced salary, no additional housing, no free medical or schooling
for the child. (Compulsory abortions are seldom done. The abortion rate in
China is 40% less than the U.S. rate.)
– It took 60 years for the average American family size to shrink from 6 to 3.5
children, but it took only 23 years to accomplish the same transition in Indonesia
and only 8 years in Thailand
• Solutions right here at home…
– Government support is needed…For example, US Government only
spends 68¢ per person on family planning,
– Practice abstinence to avoid unplanned pregnancies, etc.
– Contribute to organizations such as Free the Children and Because I am a
Girl that use your contributions to build schools with food programs and
support the empowerment of girls and women through small business and
land ownership programs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmozsmHpUqU
Free the Children (2 minutes)