Why overpopulation is a problem in developing countries

The issue is compounded by the difficulty in providing solutions for this problem and the misunderstanding of the causes and effects of overpopulation. Here we will cover both causes and effects of overpopulation in order for you to have a more informed view of the risks that come with it.

Causes of Overpopulation are different for many countries but are mostly associated with poverty, reduced mortality rates, poor medical access, poor contraceptive use, as well as immigration.

With overpopulation comes a decrease in resources and an increase in symptoms of illness and disease. There are a number of factors that contribute to overpopulation. These are the leading causes:. Poverty is believed to be the leading cause of overpopulation. A lack of educational resources, coupled with high death rates leading to higher birth rates, result in impoverished areas seeing large booms in population.

The effect is so extensive that the UN has predicted that the forty-eight poorest countries in the world are also likely to be the biggest contributors to population growth. Their estimates state that the combined population of these countries is likely to balloon to 1. This issue is exacerbated in underdeveloped areas. As distressing as it may be to hear, child labor is still used extensively in many parts of the world.

UNICEF estimates that approximately million children are currently working, primarily in countries that have few child labor laws. This can result in children being seen as a source of income by impoverished families. Furthermore, children who begin work too young also lose the educational opportunities they should be granted, particularly when it comes to birth control. Improvement in medical technology has led to lower mortality rates for many serious diseases.

Particularly dangerous viruses and ailments such as polio, smallpox and measles have been practically eradicated by such advances. Don't already have an Oxford Academic account? Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide.

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Volume Population problems in developing countries. Williams Cicely D. Oxford Academic. Google Scholar. Cite Cite Cicely D. Select Format Select format. Many of the recent novel pathogens that have devastated humans around the world, including COVID, Zika virus, Ebola, and West Nile virus, originated in animals or insects before passing to humans.

As we carry out our work at Population Media Center PMC , we see first-hand that spreading awareness about family planning methods and the ecological and economic benefits of having smaller families can change reproductive behavior. Look Again! Discover how PMC is taking action against overpopulation today!

All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. The Causes of Overpopulation Today the Earth is home to more than 7. Falling Mortality Rate The primary and perhaps most obvious cause of population growth is an imbalance between births and deaths. Underutilized Contraception The global fertility rate has fallen steadily over the years, down from an average of 5 children per woman in to 2.

Lack of Female Education Although female access to education has increased over the years, the gender gap remains. Ecological Degradation An increase in population will inevitably create pressures leading to more deforestation, decreased biodiversity, and spikes in pollution and emissions, which will exacerbate climate change. Increased Conflicts The scarcity brought about by environmental disruption and overpopulation has the potential to trigger an increase in violence and political unrest.

Higher Risk of Disasters and Pandemics Many of the recent novel pathogens that have devastated humans around the world, including COVID, Zika virus, Ebola, and West Nile virus, originated in animals or insects before passing to humans. What Can Be Done? Every year 3. Overpopulation will only create a more polluted water supply. Overpopulation affects farming in a way that when people living in a country are more, they need more primary and secondary goods.

People will need more food and this demand will lead to more farming. The farmers will be in a situation to grow more crops with respect to their demand and will be in pressure to grow more food. Food supplies are hampered when the population grows. The more the amount of population, the more is the requirement of food supplies.

This will give space to people living in areas that already have limited exposure to such water. When more people are living in a country, they need more space and area for living. Hence overpopulation decreases the raw area and transforms it into a living area which further leads to environmental problems like pollution.

Deforestation is cutting down trees. And hence overpopulation causes deforestation. The different policies for different plans are as follows:. India is the first country in the world to launch a population control program in It also emphasized the use of natural tools for family planning.

Work was done towards education and research and a clinical approach was encouraged. In , sterilization techniques for both men and women were adopted under the scheme. The technique of copper-T was also adopted. An independent department called the Family Planning Department was established. All types of birth control methods traditional and modern were encouraged. The National Population Policy was announced on 16 April under this scheme. In this policy, the minimum age of marriage as prescribed by the Sharda Act, was increased.

It raised the age of boys from 18 to 21 years and that of girls from 14 to 18 years. Under this plan, forced sterilization was allowed, which was later abandoned. Attempts were made to control the population by determining long-term demographic objectives. In , the government set up under the chairmanship of.

Swaminathan to formulate a National Population Policy. Although the group drafted the new population policy in , it was reviewed in by the Department of Family Welfare and passed in by the Parliament. There are several proposed solutions:. Lack of sex education or poorly implemented education has given rise to backward issues in many countries.

Better education will help people understand more about the possible consequences of having sex as they relate to childbirth. It will also dispel many myths that surround sexual activity and scientifically introduce birth control methods. Many nations offer rewards, whether in the form of financial incentives or to those who produce more children. This may cause some couples to have more children than they would otherwise if they needed to worry about financial consequences.

Birth control should go hand in hand with better sex education. The World Health Organization WHO states that million women living in developing countries would prefer to postpone birth but are not using any form of contraception.