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Why Might the World Face an
Overpopulation Problem?

* Thomas Malthus claimed the population was growing faster than the food supply
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Malthus wrote An Essay on the Principle of
Population
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Contemporary geographers believe Malthus’ theory is more frightening than first suspected.
* More countries have entered Stage 2 of demographic transition – high birth rates
* There has not been an increase in wealth in these countries making some countries worse off today
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Growing population will put a strain on other resources beyond food.
* What problems could arise from resource scarcity?
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* New technology can offset scarcity of minerals and land by increasing efficiency
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A larger population could stimulate economic growth and therefore production of more food
* Marxists believe that population growth is not the root of poverty, hunger and social welfare problems, economic inequality is
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* Economic development – women who are able to attend school and remain in school longer are more likely to gain economic control over their lives
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Distribution of contraceptives
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* Epidemiological transistion
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Epidemiology – branch of medical science concerned with the incidence, distribution and control of diseases that affect large numbers of people
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Stage 1 – infiectious and parasitic diseases were the principal causes of deaths
* Also called the stage of pestilence and famine
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The Black Plague
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Stage 2 – improved sanitation, nutrition and medicine spread during the Industrial Revolution and reduced the spread of infectious disease
* Also called the stage of receding pandemics
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Cholera
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Stage 3 – characterized by a decrease in deaths from infectious disease, but an increase in chronic disorders
* Known as the stage of degenerative and human created diseases
* Cardiovascular disease and certain forms of cancer
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Stage 4 – characterized by people living longer with degenerative diseases due to medical advancements
* Known as the stage of delayed degenerative diseases
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* Reemergence of infectious and parasitic disease
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This can be attributed to three possible factors
* Evolution of disease microbes
* Malaria
* Poverty
* Tuberculosis
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Improved travel
* Avian flu
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