POPULATION GROWTH

HISTORICAL GROWTH IN WORLD’S POPULATION

Ÿ 1830 the world’s population was One billion.

Ÿ 1930 just 100 years later, the population reached 2 billion.

Ÿ 1960 30 years later world’s population reached 3 billion

Ÿ 15 more years later in 1975, it climbed to 4 billion.

Ÿ 12 years later in 1987, world’s population reached 5 billion.

Ÿ In 1998 11 years later the world’s population reached 6 billion

Ÿ By 2029, the world’s population would be about 10.4 billion

DISTRIBUTION OF WORLD’S POPULATION

1. East Asia: Approximately 1/4 of the world's population lives in East Asia, including Eastern parts of China, Japan, the Korean Peninsula and the island of Taiwan.

2. South Asia: The second largest concentration is in South Asia region where more that 20% of world’s population resides. It comprises India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. India is the world's second most populous country.

3. South East Asia: Nearly 500 million people live in this region comprising series of islands located between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. They include the Philippines and Indonesia (which is made up of 13,677 islands). More than 100 million people live on the island of Java (Indonesia).

4. Europe: The world's third largest population cluster comprises about two dozen countries that make up much of Europe. Approximately 15% of the world's people live in this cluster.

5. North America: The largest concentration of people in the Western Hemisphere is in the Northeastern United States and South Eastern Canada. Approximately 150 million people live in this region.

SPARSELY POPULATED REGIONS:

1. Desert Regions: the largest desert is Sahara. Others are the Arabian, Atacama, and Gobi deserts. The largest desert region in the Southern Hemisphere is found in Australia.

2. Very Hot and Wet Tropical Rain forests such as the Congo forest in Africa and the Amazon forest in Brazil, South America.

3. Very Cold lands such as Northern Canada, Greenland, Siberia and Antarctica.

DISPARITIES IN FERTILITY RATES AMONG NATIONS

Fertility refers to the average number of children every woman in a population can have during her reproductive years (15 - 49 years). Some reasons for the disparity include:

1. The use of children as economic assets by some groups.

2. Lack of financial security during old age may cause couples to have more children who may take care of them in old age

3. Lack of educational opportunities for women.

4. Lack of Employment opportunities.

5. The status of women in society (as domestic workers or part of the general work force).

6. Religious Beliefs (e.g. abstinence and one wife policy by Catholics, and more wives for Muslims).

7. Availability of Family Planning Services

8. Legalized abortions

9. A high infant mortality may compel married couples to have more children so some can live.

POPULATION DYNAMICS:

Changes in the population of a country are caused by:

1. Births (fertility)

2. Deaths (mortality) and…

3. Migration (movement of people among nations).

Natural increase refers to changes that are caused by changes in births and deaths only. The number of persons born per 1,000 individuals in a given year is the Crude Birth Rate. The number of persons per 1000 individuals who die in a particular year is the Crude Death Rate.

POPULATION PYRAMID

Population pyramid is an age structure of a country’s population that shows percentages of the total population in five-year age groups. The pyramid reveals several characteristics about a country’s population. They include population growth, sex structure, working force, number of dependents and a record of historical events that led to high births or great loss of lives.

The shape of a pyramid indicates the relative growth of the population. There are three main shapes:

1. Rapidly growing population: Broad-based because a large percentage of the population is usually less than 14 years old. Many African, Asian and Latin American countries have broad-based pyramids. More than 40% of their populations are under age 15.

2. Stable population: A pyramids with proportional sides – almost equal base, mid-section and top. Countries with stable populations include France, Scandinavian countries and Canada.

3. Declining population: A pyramid with very narrow base. Few children are born. Examples of countries with declining populations are Austria, Germany (East and West), Hungary and Japan.

DECLINING POPULATION - ITALY

RAPIDLY GROWING POPULATION - JAMAICA

DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION THEORY

Demographic transition refers to changes in population that occurs because of industrial growth when a country moves from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates. There are 4 stages involved:

Stage 1 - Pre-Industrial Stage:

A country experiences high birth rates and high death rates. Death rates sometimes fluctuate.

Stage II – Early Industrial Stage:

High birth rates and high death rates are experienced. A small fall in death rates because of improving economic and social conditions.

Stage III – Industrial Stage:

Low death rates and Low birth rates. Education and job opportunities cause a reduction in birth rates while improved medical facilities cause a decline in death rate.

Stage IV – Post Industrial Stage:

There is a zero population growth. Low death rates and fluctuating birth rates are experienced.

Why Cant Developing Countries today take advantage of the Demographic Transition

1. Lack of trained personnel for industrial development.

2. Lack of an essential energy base

3. Rapid population growth and poverty

4. Lack of financial resources.

ADDRESSING THE POPULATION PROBLEM

Indirect Methods:

a. Increasing food production

b. Food Aid.

c. Economic Development.

d. Mass Education of children

Direct Methods:

a. Planned Parenthood and Family Planning Services

b. Abortion

c. Abstinence