Chapter 8. Human Population Issues
Outline
World Population Characteristics
Factors Influence Population Growth
Standard of Living
Population and Poverty
Environmental Degradation
Conclusion
References
1. World Population Characteristics
The world can be divided into two based on economic development of the countries.
The developed countries have a per capita income that exceeds $US 10,000; the population 1.2 billion people.
The less developed countries have a per capita income of less than $US5000; the population 5.2 billion people, nearly 3 billion of whom live on less than $US2 per day.
More developed countries have stable populations and are expected to grow by about 4 percent by 2050. However, the less developed regions have high population growth rates and are expected to grow by about 55 percent by 2050.
Current population growth has led to:
Famine in areas where food production cannot keep pace with increasing numbers of people;
Political unrest in areas with great disparities in availability of resources;
Environmental degradation by poor agriculture practices;
Water pollution by human and industrial waste.
2. Factors Influence Population Growth
Humans influence by biological, social, and political factors.
Biological Factors: Demographers can predict future growth of a population by looking at several biological indicators. Currently, in almost all countries of the world, the birthrate exceeds the death rate. Therefore, the size of the population must increase.
Social Factors: It is clear that populations in economically developed countries of the world have low fertility rates and low rates of population growth.
Several factors influence the number of children a couple would like have (religious, traditional, social, and economic).
Political Factors:
Two other factors that influence the population growth rate of a country are government policies on population growth and immigration.
Many countries in Europe have official policies to encourage people to have children. In contrast, most countries in the developing world their population growth rates are too high.
China has family-planning policy began in 1971 with:
later marriages and
few children.
These policies resulted in reduction of birthrate by nearly 50 percent between 1970 and 1979.
In addition, one child campaign was begun in 1978-79. The program offered:
free medical care,
cash bonuses for their work,
special housing treatment and
extra old age benefits.
The immigration policies of a country also have a significant impact on the rate at which the population grows. The developed countries are under tremendous pressure to accept immigrant.
In the United States, approximately one-third of the population increase experienced each year is the result of immigration.
3. Standard of living
The standard of living is an abstract concept that attempts to quantify the quality of life of people. Several factors can be included in an analysis of standard of living:
Economic well-being;
Health conditions; and
The ability to changes one’s status in the society.
4. Population and Poverty
The human population is growing most rapidly are those that have the lowest standard of living.
Poverty,
High birthrate,
Poor health, and
Lack of education.
Poor people cannot afford birth control and they are often poorly educated. Therefore, they have more children than they may wish to have.
Poor people need to obtain income in many ways. This includes taking children out of school, so they are able to work on other jobs, but they are less paid.
Poor people have little access to health care.
Women in poor countries are usually poorly educated and not have disposable income. So, they are dependent on their husbands or family unit for their livelihood.
High infant mortality rates result from poor health, but children are desired by parents, because the sons will provide for parents when the parents are old.
At the United Nations International Conference on population and Development held in Cairo, Egypt, in 1994. Several important conclusions raised that:
There was recognition that economic well-being is tied to solving the population problem.
Improving the educational status of women was promoted.
Access to birth control and health care would reduce infant and maternal deaths.
5. Environmental Degradation
At the human population increases, the demand for food rises. People must either grow food themselves or purchase it.
Most people in the developed world purchase what they need and have more than enough food to eat.
Most people in the less-developed world must grow their own food and have very little money to purchase additional food.
When human need food, they convert natural ecosystems to artificially maintained agricultural ecosystems. If these agriculture ecosystems are mismanaged, the region’s total productivity may fall below that of the original ecosystem.
The current situation with respect to world food production and hunger is very complicated, it involves:
land, labor and machines;
appropriate crop selection; and
economic incentive,
political activities often determine food availability.
War, payment of foreign debt,
corruption, and
poor management often contribute to hunger and malnutrition.
Methods to increased food production:
Improved plant varieties,
Irrigation, and
Improve agriculture methods.
6. Conclusions
The world can be divided into two segments based on the state of economic development of the countries.
Humans influence by biological, social, and political factors.
Population growth cause environmental degradation.
7. References
Enger, E. D, & Smith, B. F, (10th Edition): Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationship. Published by McGraw Hill Higher education (2006).
Botkin, D. B, & Keller, E. A : Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. Published by Higher, W. (2004).
QUESTIONS (A)
What is demography?
What is demographic transition? What is it based on?
What is a baby boom?
What does the age distribution of population mean?
List 10 differences between your standard of living and that of someone in a less-developed country.
Why do people who live in overpopulated countries use plants as their main source of food?
Although predicting the future is difficult, describe what you think your life will be like in 10 years. Why?
List five changes you might anticipate if world population were to double in the next 50 years.
QUESTIONS (B)
Which three areas of the world have the highest population growth rate? Which three areas of the world have the lowest standard of living?
How many children per woman would lead to a stable U.S. population?
What role does the status of women play in determining population growth rates?
Describe three reasons why women in the less-developed world might desire more than two children.
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