Overpopulation Overpopulation is an undesirable condition where the number of existing human population exceeds the carrying capacity of Earth. Overpopulation is caused by number of factors. Reduced mortality rate, better medical facilities, depletion of precious resources are few of the causes which results in overpopulation. It is possible for a sparsely populated area to become densely populated if it is not able to sustain life. Growing advances in technology with each coming year has affected humanity in many ways.
One of these has been the ability to save lives and create better medical treatment for all. A direct result of this has been increased lifespan and the growth of the population. In the past fifty or so years, the growth of population has boomed and has turned into overpopulation. In the history of our species, the birth and death rate have always been able to balance each and maintain a population growth rate that is sustainable. Since the time of the Bubonic Plague in the 1400? s, the growth of population has been on a constant increase.
Between the time of the plague and the 21st century, there was been hundreds and thousands of wars, natural calamities and man-made hazards. However, none of these have made a dent on the population. Developing nations face the problem of overpopulation more than developed countries, but it affects most of the Earth as of now. When we are talking about overpopulation, we should first understand the causes of it. Causes of Overpopulation Decline in the Death Rate: At the root of overpopulation is the difference between the overall birth rate and death rate in populations.
If the number of children born each year equals the number of adults that die, then the population will stabilize. Talking about overpopulation shows that while there are many factors that can increase the death rate for short periods of time, the ones that increase the birth rate do so over a long period of time. The discovery of agriculture by our ancestors was one factor that provided them with the ability to sustain their nutrition without hunting. This created the first imbalance between the two rates. Better Medical Facilities: Following this came the industrial revolution.
Technological advancement was perhaps the biggest reason why the balance has been permanently disturbed. Science was able to produce better means of producing food, which allowed families to feed more mouths. Medical science made many discoveries thanks to which they were able to defeat a whole range of diseases. Illnesses that had claimed thousands of lives till now were cured because of the invention of vaccines. Combining the increase in food supply with fewer means of mortality tipped the balance and became the starting point of overpopulation.
More Hands to Overcome Poverty: However, when talking about overpopulation we should understand that there is a psychological component as well. For thousands of years, a very small part of the population had enough money to live in comfort. The rest faced poverty and would give birth to large families to make up for the high infant mortality rate. Families that have been through poverty, natural disasters or are simply in need of more hands to work are a major factor for overpopulation. As compared to earlier times, most of these extra children survive and consume resources that are not sufficient in nature.
Technological Advancement in Fertility Treatment: With latest technological advancement and more discoveries in medical science, it has become possible for couple who are unable to conceive to undergo fertility treatment methods and have their own babies. Today there are effective medicines which can increases the chance of conception and lead to rise in birth rate. Moreover, due to modern techniques pregnancies today are far more safer. Immigration: Many people prefer to move to developed countries like US, UK, Canada and Australia where best facilities are available in terms of medical, education, security and employment.
The end result is that those people settle over there and those places become overcrowded. Difference between the number of people who are leaving the country and the number of people who enter narrows down which leads to more demand for food, clothes, energy and homes. This gives rise to shortage of resources. Though the overall population remains the same, it just affects the density of population making that place simply overcrowded. Lack of Family Planning: Most developing nations have large number of people who are illiterate, live below the poverty line and have little or no knowledge about family planning.
Getting their children married at an early age increase the chances of producing more kids. Those people are unable to understand the harmful effects of overpopulation and lack of ignorance prompts them to avoid family planning measures. Effects of Overpopulation Depletion of Natural Resources: The effects of overpopulation are quite severe. The first of these is the depletion of resources. The Earth can only produce a limited amount of water and food, which is falling short of the current needs.
Most of the environmental damage being seen in the last fifty odd years is because of the growing number of people on the planet. They are cutting down forests, hunting wildlife in a reckless manner, causing pollution and creating a host of problems. Those engaged in talking about overpopulation have noticed that acts of violence and aggression outside of a war zone have increased tremendously while competing for resources. Degradation of Environment: With the overuse of coal, oil and natural gas, it has started producing some serious effects on our environment.
Rise in the number of vehicles and industries have badly affected the quality of air. Rise in amount of CO2 emissions leads to global warming. Melting of polar ice caps, changing climate patterns, rise in sea level are few of the consequences that we might we have to face due to environment pollution. Conflicts and Wars: Overpopulation in developing countries puts a major strain on the resources it should be utilizing for development. Conflicts over water are becoming a source of tension between countries, which could result in wars.
It causes more diseases to spread and makes them harder to control. Starvation is a huge issue facing the world and the mortality rate for children is being fuelled by it. Poverty is the biggest hallmark we see when talking about overpopulation. All of this will only become worse if solutions are not sought out for the factors affecting our population. We can no longer prevent it, but there are ways to control it. Rise in Unemployment: When a country becomes overpopulated, it gives rise to unemployment as there fewer jobs to support large number of people.
Rise in unemployment gives rise to crime as people will steal various items to feed their family and provide them basic amenities of life. High Cost of Living: As difference between demand and supply continues to expand due to overpopulation, it raises the prices of various commodities including food, shelter and healthcare. This means that people have to pay more to survive and feed their families. Solutions to Overpopulation Better Education: One of the first measures is to implement policies reflecting social change. Educating the masses helps them understand the need to have one or two children at the most.
Families that are facing a hard life and choose to have four or five children should be discouraged. Family planning and efficient birth control can help in women making their own reproductive choices. Open dialogue on abortion and voluntary sterilization should be seen when talking about overpopulation. Making People Aware of Family Planning: As population of this world is growing at a rapid pace, raising awareness among people regarding family planning and letting them know about serious after effects of overpopulation can help curb population growth.
One of the best way is to let them know about various safe sex techniques and contraceptives methods available to avoid any unwanted pregnancy. Tax Benefits or Concessions: Government of various countries might have to come with various policies related to tax exemptions to curb overpopulation. One of them might be to waive of certain part of income tax or lowering rates of income tax for those married couples who have single or two children. As we humans are more inclined towards money, this may produce some positive results.
Knowledge of Sex Education: Imparting sex education to young kids at elementary level should be must. Most parents feel shy in discussing such things with their kids which result in their children going out and look out for such information on internet or discuss it with their peers. Mostly, the information is incomplete which results in sexually active teenagers unaware of contraceptives and embarrassed to seek information about same. It is therefore important for parents and teachers to shed their old inhibitions and make their kids or students aware of solid sex education.
Image credit: environmentblog , 80559735@N04 RELATED POSTS – – See more at: http://www. conserve-energy-future. com/causes-effects-solutions-of-overpopulation. php#sthash. kBtOZQvY. dpuf http://geojoedr. tripod. com/id3. html What impact does overpopulation have on the economy? Overpopulation has a definite effect on a country’s economy. First of all, when countries are overpopulated, the hardly have enough food to support themselves, never mind the hope of having a surplus to sell. This can contribute to a low GDP per Capita which is effect overpopulation has on the economy.
In an attempt to save the people from the starvation, the government will most likely have to rely on foreign debt. This puts the country in debt at stretches the government’s already meagre resources. Furthermore, when a country is overpopulated, there is a high rate of unemployment because there just aren’t enough jobs to support the population. This results in a high level of crime because the people will need to steal things in order to survive. What impact does Overpopulation have on the environment? Overpopulation does not just affect the standard of living, but also the environment.
Every person on the planet takes up space, but space is needed for farmland, and forests. People excrete wastes and pollution that flow into water systems, and animal habitats, polluting water, and killing wildlife. Many people cannot bathe or brush their teeth because of the status of the water in their land. Forests are being torn down as more wood and land is needed to support our ever-growing population. The loss of these forests leads to extinction of plants and animals. These plants could contain cures for diseases that will never be found.
Urban areas are expanding, polluting the air and water systems. These areas deplete the Earth’s resources, and over 2 billion hectares of arable land have already been lost, with 16 million more hectares being removed each year. In Nigeria alone, 351 000 ha of land are being removed every year. 51% of the fossil fuels on Earth are being used byUSA and China alone, leaving less than half for the remaining countries, including those inAfrica. In fact, most of those remaining fossil fuels go to other developed countries, leaving a dismal amount for Africans.
What impact does overpopulation have on politics? Governing an overpopulated country presents problems. The economy is stretched beyond belief, and civil wars break our left, right, and centre. These civil wars are fought over farmland, and the people spend so much time fighting, that the farmland is not even put to use. Important fossil fuels need to be traded away for pitiful amounts of cash used to no avail. The government of an overpopulated country falls into constantly increasing debt, and cannot climb back up out of the hole they have dug.
1) it leads to shortage of food, electricity, clothing,& housing. 2) it gives rise to water & air pollution. 3) it leads to illiteracy,. starvation,hunger & poverty. 4) it puts more pressure on natural resources. 5) it retards the progress & development of the country. Shortage of natural Resources,reduction of green cover due to overcrowding,Climate change and global warming due to more & more pollution,Increasing Natural Calamities,People getting poorer due slowdown of economy,Increasing no.
of people under the poverty line,Less Agricultural production due to climate change,deteriorating health and hygiene of the people,more and more crimes, increasing warfare and crimes against women,degenerating social life and society are some of the effects of overpopulation. Moreover it increases poaching and killing of animals,making them extinct and causes a disbalance of the ecosystem. NOW that overpopulation has occurred, and we are deep, down, in the midst of problems of overpopulation, what one should do is to look at the numerous women and children around with no basic necessities of food, clothing, and shelter.
Terrorism is a primary off-shoot of overpopulation and poverty. A victim of terrorism will not be able to realize this while he decomposes underground, so it is important that the citizens take action now. NOW, that the problems abound, the duty of each citizen and the government is to confiscate abused land with haphazard buildings, give a half to professional architects and builders, to provide shelters for these nomads who abuse the scanty lands in the cities.
Next, the other remaining lands should be used for parks and greenery to return the much-needed nature in the cities. There are some good answers listed here. It’s the affect that over population has that overloads the ecology and thereby creates a negative overall drain on the earth and it’s pollution from production of all the material the people buy and waste and need that ruins the balance of ecology,causing bad water air.
It is sickening causes disease health problems even brain damage from all the lead chemicals we need to use because if things were done naturally the profit wouldn’t be enough to support the over population that started it all. Condoms are cheaper than pampers etc. Energy, food, clean water and air, housing, sanitation, medical and other health related supplies, transportation, clothing, good education, job shortages; competitive economic, religious, social and political clashes are only a few of the things that would be the points of contention.
