Overpopulation

Overpopulation

1. Overpopulation

   • Occurs when the number of people livingin a region is greater than the capacity of the natural resources - over carrying capacity - Netherlands population density of 501 per km2 but not overpopulated while Mali population density of 14.5 but it is overpopulated - Ireland was overpopulated during famine
   • Underpopulation occurs when a region does not have enough people to fully exploit its resources. It relies on inward migration. This was Ireland during the Celtic Tiger Era

2. The Sahel Region

   • Area of Savannah just south of the Sahara Desert - population of 100 million - Under threat from desertification - 5-10km per year - carrying capacity of 30 but pop density of 48
   • Cause 1: Climate Change
     • Arid/Semi-arid region, low annual rainfall. Between 1930 - 1960 it experienced more rainfall, which couraged migration. However wet season has shortened by 29% over the last 30 years - triggered famines
       • 1998: Sudan, famine - 70,000 dead AND 2012: Famine - 18 million dead. In 2016: 14.28 million without food security
         • It is short torrential rain which damages soil structure, causing erosion and gullying. Gullying makes remaining topsoil more susceptible to wind erosion as its structure is damaged. Intense heat means water can't percolate - water table is not replenished. Eventually the soil becomes hard and baked into an impermeable laterite soil. The topsoil is removed by wind
   • Cause 2: Rapid Population Growth
     • Most countries in stage 2 of DTM. Population of over 100,000,000. E.G: Niger has birth rate of 52 but death rate of 14.
       • Economic Poverty - thus economic need to have children to give best change of security in old age. Traditional customs and status of women. Few girls stay in school and often have kids in their teens. Many countries have a fertility rate of over 5 per woman.
         • Increasing number of refugees entering the region to escape war and famine - 1 million fled from Ethiopia to Sudan
           • Vaccines such as Measles have decreased death rates - lower child mortality rates - additional 15,000,000 population by 2030 if current trends continue
   • Cause 3: Overuse and depletion of Natural Resources
     • Overgrazing
       • Poor agricultural practices cause soil degradation. Increased cattle has caused the land to become overgrazed. As animals are fenced in, soil is not given a chance to recover its nutrients and this damages the structure.
         • Overcropping
           • Led to monoculture: Growing the same foods over and over again. This causes soil minerals to become depleted. The soil becomes less and less fertile until it is barren.
             • Deforestation
               • Firewood is used for cooking and heat. It is the only fuel resource. Led to increase in deforestation. This remove of the forest cover exposes soil to intense heat, floods and winds

3. Effects of Overpopulation

   • Environmental Degradation
     • Desertification is increasing as the Sahara Desert advances 5-10km per year - In Mauritania 100 million tonnes of topsoil is removed each year due to strong winds. Water supply is also effected as less rainfall means a decreasing water table. Forced to drink contaminated water or walk miles for clean water. E.G: Lake Chad, which is 5% of its original size in 40 years. 50% of this was due to humans and 50% was due to climate change
   • Migration and conflict
     • Outward migration from Sahel's rural areas increased - led to rapid growth of cities - Bamako increased from 160,000 in 1960 to 1.3 million in 2016. Led to shanty towns. Females left behind - low marriage rates and low work force. Can lead to conflict. E,G: in 2003 a civil war broke out in Darfur. Over 300,000 people killed and 3 million displaced.

4. Influence of society and culture on Overpopulation

   • Role of men and woman
     • Women second class citizens. Unaware of opportunites outside home. In India population of 1.3 billion. Population density of 446 per km. Not even distributed - urban areas with over 25,000 per km. 60% of females are illiterate. By age 11, over 50% of girls in India have dropped out. UNICEF estimates 47% of marriages are to girls under 18. Have more children in hopes of getting a male to get dowries from bridal families
   • Religion
     • Strong religious influence - high birth rates. Vast majority oppose contraception and abortion, while promoting views of traditional family and mothers. E.G: Italy has a fertility rate of 1.3 per woman while Pakistan has a fertility rate of 3.2