Consequences of Population Growth

In the year 1810, the world population reached one billion people. One hundred and twenty years later, in 1930, the world population doubled to two billion people, and doubled again 45 years after that. It is estimated that the world population will reach 10 billion people by 2025, due in part to higher birth rates and decreased death rates. If population growth isn't controlled, it could mean serious consequences for the world.

Public Health

• A large amount of people in an area can result in limited resources being spread over that area. Malnutrition is affecting people across the world, especially children, and especially in African countries. In Kenya alone, over 20 percent of children under the age of 5 suffer from acute malnutrition. The World Food Programme and similar programs are trying to provide the people of these struggling countries with food and other necessities, but are unable to do so because they lack funds. If food does reach certain populations, it is very little. Many people would prefer to go with dirty and contaminated food and water than go without.

  Too many people in an area can also lead to the spread of disease. The outbreak of H1N1 in 2009 can be attributed in part to the high concentration of people in the United States. Near-continual contact with other people in the country helped the H1N1 virus spread, until it became an epidemic. Many diseases that are airborne in nature can easily be spread in this manner, and many of these diseases can become deadly.

The Environment

• Many forests are in danger because of overpopulation

  Deforestation is a major problem associated with population growth. In 2009, Science Daily reported that forests in Russia and Canada are now under threat of being eliminated. Deforestation can result in exposed topsoil being blown around and destroying crops. The rapid decline in livable forest area means there is less habitat for animals, resulting in thousands of species becoming extinct every year. New Scientist reports that Kenya's lion population is under such an extreme threat that they could be entirely gone within the next ten years.

  Increases in population and urbanization also account for increase in pollution. Increases in carbon dioxide emissions account for much of the global warming that we see today. The increase in global warming may also contribute to the elimination of many species, as the temperature and climate becomes too unbearable for those animals to live.

Economic Impact

• Overpopulation may result in a high poverty rate

  In his book "Plan B 4.0," the environmentalist Lester R. Brown notes that in many cases, a severe increase in population results in a severe increase in people living in poverty. When the amount of people in a country is greater than the amount of available jobs, many people are unable to adequately support themselves or their families.

  Brown notes that the countries that have limitations on the number of children couples can have have greatly reduced the amount of people living in poverty. China alone, from 1990 to 2007, reduced the percentage of people living in poverty from 60 percent to 16 percent. In the early 1990s, Brazil began a program called Bolsa Familia program, which pays poor mothers $35 a month if they keep their kids vaccinated and in school. Because of the program, the total percentage of the population in poverty was reduced from 15 percent to 5 percent. Though circumstantial, these sorts of statistics seem to prove that population growth directly contributes to poverty.