The Human Population and Its Impact
The Human Population and Its Impact
Measured as number of
infant deaths per 1000
births
World average is 46
practically no country
today
Stage 2
high birth rates,
declining death rates,
rising growth rates
improvements in
sanitation (water) and
medicine
“developing countries”
“moderately developed
countries”
economic change:
urbanization (incentive
to have fewer children)
Mexico today
Population Pyramid and Demographic
Transition
Stage 2: wide base
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Solutions for slowing population
growth
economic development
reduction of poverty
Education
family planning
reproductive health care
empowering women
economic solutions—get people
out of poverty.
“failing states”- rapid population growth, extreme
poverty and environmental degradation leads to the
government no longer ensuring the personal security
of their people and they can’t provide basic services.
Leads to people perpetually trapped in poverty.
civil war and terrorism are common
low income, less developed
lack of skilled workers, financial capital
stuck in stage 2 of transition
women account for 66% of all hours worked but only 10% of
income earned (worldwide)
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family planning
helps couples choose how many children to have and when to
have them
educating men and women
birth spacing, birth control, health care for women and infants
the older a women is when she has her first child will decrease the
total number of children
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Problems with a growing
population
“graying of a population” (Japan)
Characteristic of highly developed countries
Women choosing not to have children..pursue career instead
who will care for the elders?
income to provide for social services
economic impacts (smaller workforce)
some countries providing incentives to have more
children (Europe)