Chapter 9Chapter 9Addressing Population IssuesAddressing Population Issues

Overview of Chapter 9Overview of Chapter 9

Population and Quality of LifePopulation and Quality of Life Population and Chronic HungerPopulation and Chronic Hunger Economic Effects of Population GrowthEconomic Effects of Population Growth

Reducing the Total Fertility RateReducing the Total Fertility Rate Culture and FertilityCulture and Fertility Social and Economic Status of WomenSocial and Economic Status of Women Family Planning ServicesFamily Planning Services

Government Policies and FertilityGovernment Policies and Fertility China, India, Mexico, Nigeria, EuropeChina, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Europe

Achieving Population StabilizationAchieving Population Stabilization

Population and Quality of Population and Quality of LifeLife

Difficult to meet basic needs in Difficult to meet basic needs in developing countriesdeveloping countries

Problems associated with Problems associated with overpopulation:overpopulation: Environmental Environmental degradationdegradation HungerHunger Persistent povertyPersistent poverty Economic stagnationEconomic stagnation Urban deteriorationUrban deterioration Health issuesHealth issues

Carrying CapacityCarrying Capacity

Carrying Capacity (K)Carrying Capacity (K) The maximum number of individuals of a The maximum number of individuals of a

given species that a particular environment given species that a particular environment can support for an indefinite period, can support for an indefinite period, assuming no changes in the environmentassuming no changes in the environment

Overuse of land can cause a decrease in Overuse of land can cause a decrease in carrying capacitycarrying capacity

Uncertain what the carrying capacity of Uncertain what the carrying capacity of the earth is for humansthe earth is for humans

Population and Chronic Population and Chronic HungerHunger

Food securityFood security Condition in which people live with chronic Condition in which people live with chronic

hunger and malnutritionhunger and malnutrition Effects of Chronic HungerEffects of Chronic Hunger

Weakened immune Weakened immune systemsystem

Illness and diseaseIllness and disease MalariaMalaria MeaslesMeasles DiarrheaDiarrhea Acute respiratory Acute respiratory

illnessillness

Population and Chronic Population and Chronic HungerHunger Food insecurityFood insecurity

Conditions under which people live with Conditions under which people live with continuous threat of starvationcontinuous threat of starvation

Solving the Food ProblemSolving the Food Problem Control population growthControl population growth Promote economic development of Promote economic development of

developing countries without adequate food developing countries without adequate food suppliessupplies

Provide assess to food and land resources to Provide assess to food and land resources to those who live in areas without themthose who live in areas without them

Food insecurityFood insecurity In shaded countries, more than 20% In shaded countries, more than 20%

of population is undernourishedof population is undernourished

Economic Effects of Population Economic Effects of Population GrowthGrowth Two viewpoints from economists:Two viewpoints from economists:

Population growth stimulates economic Population growth stimulates economic development and technological innovationdevelopment and technological innovation

Rapid population expansion hampers Rapid population expansion hampers developmental effortsdevelopmental efforts

Most observations support the second Most observations support the second viewpointviewpoint

In order for country to increase its In order for country to increase its standard of living, its economic growth standard of living, its economic growth must exceed its population growthmust exceed its population growth

Reducing the Total Fertility Reducing the Total Fertility RateRateThree major influences on total fertility Three major influences on total fertility

raterate

1.1. Cultural traditionsCultural traditions

2.2. Social & economic status of womenSocial & economic status of women

3.3. Family planningFamily planning

Culture influences Culture influences and controls and controls individuals’ behaviorsindividuals’ behaviors Marriage ageMarriage age Due to high infant and Due to high infant and

child mortality rates, child mortality rates, couple is expected to couple is expected to have large number of have large number of childrenchildren

Children often work in Children often work in family businessfamily business

Religious valuesReligious values

Cultural TraditionsCultural Traditions

Gender inequality is common worldwideGender inequality is common worldwide DisparitiesDisparities

Political participationPolitical participation Social statusSocial status Economic statusEconomic status Health statusHealth status Legal rightsLegal rights EducationEducation Employment andEmployment and

earningsearnings

Single most important factor affecting high total fertility rates is low status Single most important factor affecting high total fertility rates is low status of womenof women

Illiteracy in 2002Illiteracy in 2002

Social & Economic Status of Social & Economic Status of WomenWomen

Educational Opportunities and Educational Opportunities and FertilityFertility Women with Women with

more more educationeducation Marry laterMarry later Have fewer Have fewer

childrenchildren

Family Planning ServicesFamily Planning Services

Family planning services offer Family planning services offer information to both men and women information to both men and women on sexuality, contraception, STDs, on sexuality, contraception, STDs, and parentingand parenting

Contraceptive Use Among Contraceptive Use Among Married Women of Married Women of Reproductive AgeReproductive Age

Government Policies and Government Policies and Fertility - ChinaFertility - China

Largest population in the world Largest population in the world Controversial Family Planning PolicyControversial Family Planning Policy

1971 - Chinese Government actively 1971 - Chinese Government actively pursued birth controlpursued birth control

1979 - Incentives to promote later 1979 - Incentives to promote later marriages and one-child familiesmarriages and one-child families Medical care, schooling for child, preferential Medical care, schooling for child, preferential

housing, retirement fundshousing, retirement funds Brought about rapid and drastic Brought about rapid and drastic

decrease in fertilitydecrease in fertility

Law – controversial and unpopularLaw – controversial and unpopular Social pressure to abort a second childSocial pressure to abort a second child Pressure to abort/kill female first childPressure to abort/kill female first child

More boys More boys than girls in than girls in ChinaChina

Law more Law more relaxed in relaxed in rural Chinarural China

2008 2008 TFR=1.6TFR=1.6

Government Policies and Government Policies and Fertility - ChinaFertility - China

Government Policy and Government Policy and Fertility- IndiaFertility- India

Severe population pressureSevere population pressure 1950 - first country with government-1950 - first country with government-

sponsored family planningsponsored family planning Did not work due to language/cultural barriersDid not work due to language/cultural barriers

1976 - introduced incentives and 1976 - introduced incentives and compulsory sterilizationcompulsory sterilization Unpopular and failureUnpopular and failure

Recently- government focused on educationRecently- government focused on education Effective, TFR dropped from 5.3 (1980) to 2.8 Effective, TFR dropped from 5.3 (1980) to 2.8

(2008)(2008)

Government Policy and Government Policy and Fertility- MexicoFertility- Mexico

Young age structureYoung age structure Huge potential for population growth: 32% Huge potential for population growth: 32%

of population is under age 15of population is under age 15 High Population Growth MomentumHigh Population Growth Momentum

1974 - government imparted 1974 - government imparted educational reform, family planning, educational reform, family planning, health carehealth care Very successfulVery successful TFR dropped from 6.7 (1970) to 2.3 (2008)TFR dropped from 6.7 (1970) to 2.3 (2008)

Government Policy and Government Policy and Fertility- NigeriaFertility- Nigeria

Population challengePopulation challenge Largest population of any African countryLargest population of any African country

Very high reproductive potential: 43% Very high reproductive potential: 43% of population is less than age 15of population is less than age 15 TFR has barely decreased: 6.0 (1980) to TFR has barely decreased: 6.0 (1980) to

5.9 (2008)5.9 (2008) Current National Population PolicyCurrent National Population Policy

Improving health careImproving health care Population educationPopulation education

Government Policy and Government Policy and Fertility- EuropeFertility- Europe

Population concernPopulation concern Proportion elderly Proportion elderly

people in population people in population is increasingis increasing

Due to low TFRDue to low TFR Decrease in Decrease in

population could population could cause decrease cause decrease economic growtheconomic growth

Achieving Population Achieving Population StabilizationStabilization How can developing country How can developing country

governments help?governments help? Increase $$ allotted to pubic health and Increase $$ allotted to pubic health and

family planning servicesfamily planning services Education on methods of birth controlEducation on methods of birth control Increase average level of educationIncrease average level of education

How can developed country How can developed country governments help?governments help? Provide financial supportProvide financial support Supporting research and development Supporting research and development

of new birth control methodsof new birth control methods