Overpopulation is an unwanted situation in a country wherein the human population exceeds the carrying capacity of that region. In the last fifty years, the population around the globe has more than doubled from 2.5 billion in 1950 to 6.5 billion in 2005. Currently, it is escalating at the rate of 1.2 % annually. By the time we reach 2050, it is expected to exceed 9 billion, which is a great concern (Dimick, 2014). This paper intends to throw light upon the causes and effects of overpopulation and also propose a solution that the government can employ to combat the problem.
The major causes of overpopulation are immigration to developed countries, lower mortality rates due to improvements in medical facilities, and the psychological thinking of having more hands to combat poverty. With the advancements made in the field of medicine, the fertility rates of developed countries is going down. Further, the fertility rates in developing countries is high because people give birth to more children with the expectation that they will care for them in old age and also to have more hands to help them in the labor work (Nargund, 2009). Additionally, the lack of awareness of the use of contraceptives and decent education levels among the female population also contributes to overpopulation.
A major impact of overpopulation in a country could be the depletion of its natural resources. The food, water, and energy resources are limited on Earth. With the rising population, a nation could experience a shortfall in the food, water, and energy at its disposal. With the present population of 7 billion in the world, around one in every eight people does not have enough to eat. The large amount of deforestation, hunting, and the climate change issue is evidence of the exploitation of the Earth’s environment and ecosystem. If the population keeps rising at the current rate, the living conditions around the world will further deteriorate. Additionally, no amount of overproduction or exports could resolve this issue.
Another crucial issue regarding the fast-increasing population is the quality of education imparted to the people. The increasing pressure of the population has a serious impact on the limited facility to impart a quality education. This is especially relevant in developing or under-developed countries. As per the Education Ministry of Uganda, the 3.5 percent annual rate of population growth puts pressure on the country’s limited resources and facilities. As per the data, the student-classroom ratio fell from 51:1 in the period 2013 - 14 to 59:1 during the period 2014-15 (AHIMBISIBWE and TAJUBA, 2015).
The increase in population has also resulted in a rise in the number of people who are living below the poverty line. Moreover, the existing inequity between the demand and supply of labor has given rise to unemployment as well as underemployment. As a country becomes overpopulated, unemployment rises since there are fewer jobs available in comparison to the ever-rising population. Hence it results in low savings and investments leading to dismal economic growth as well as a poor standard of living. The gap between demand and supply widening due to overpopulation leads to an increase in the prices of various commodities which include food, shelter, and healthcare. This implies that the people will then have to pay more in order to survive as well as take care of their families’ basic needs. Thus, it further raises the poverty levels of a country.
The administration of a country can take some vital steps toward lowering the rate of population increase. The government needs to take an active part in educating the people of their country about the negative impacts of having more children and also about the conception of family planning. Contraceptive use should be encouraged and promoted by dismissing any myth surrounding the same through socioeconomic programs, and religious organizations. On the other hand, it would help tackle the issues of undesired pregnancies.
Women empowerment across the globe, more so in developing and under-developed countries would go a long way in reducing the population growth. (Komu and Ethelberg, 2015) Encouragement of women and girls to get educated and work would change the traditional social outlook and help in population control. A large number of women across several developing countries have been married much before they turned 18. Such bad practices should be eliminated and the minimum marriage age should be 21 years.
To conclude, overpopulation is a major concern as it brings with it issues of poverty, unemployment, and depleting resources. Presently, the population is rising at an alarming rate. The prime factors responsible for overpopulation are immigration especially to developed countries, a fall in mortality rates owing to improved medical facilities, and the presumption that having more hands will help tackle poverty. The government should tackle the issue of over-population through awareness and education spreading the grave consequences of having a big family. Developing nations should encourage their women and girls to pursue education as well as earn their living. This would not only provide them with a plethora of opportunities but would also help change the existing rigid social outlook. On the other hand, encouragement of the use of contraceptives as well as lowering the fertility rate by encouraging adoption would greatly help eliminate the issue of over-population.
References
AHIMBISIBWE, P. and TAJUBA, P. (2015). Rapid population growth affects the quality of education, says the ministry. [online] Daily Monitor. Available at: http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/Education/Rapid-population-growth-affects-quality-of-education--ministry/688336-2846188-134nor9z/index.html [Accessed 7 Jun. 2017].
Dimick, D. (2014). As the World’s Population Booms, Will Its Resources Be Enough for Us? [online] National Geographic. Available at: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140920-population-11billion-demographics-anthropocene/ [Accessed 7 Jun. 2017].
Komu, E. and Ethelberg, S. (2015). Family planning and population control in developing countries: Ethical and sociocultural dilemmas. Online Journal of Health Ethics, 11.
Nargund, G. (2009). Declining birth rate in Developed Countries: A radical policy re-think is required. Facts, Views & Vision in ObGyn, 1(3), pp.191–193.
