Population Change - Factors, Implications, Measures

Population Change

Population change refers to a change in the number of people during a specific time. The world population is not stable. It has increased manifold due to changes in the number of births and deaths. Until the 1800s, the world’s population grew steadily but slowly. Large numbers of babies were born, but they died early too. Causes: no proper health facilities- no sufficient food available for all the people-farmers not able to produce enough to meet the food requirements of all the people. This resulted in a low increase in population. In 1804, the world population hit 1 bn, and later about 155 years later, in 1959, the population reached 3 billion-is, also known as the population explosion. Also, later in 1999, about 40 years later, the population doubled, reaching 6 billion. The main reason for this growth: better food supplies and medicine, deaths were reduced, while the number of births still remained fairly high.

Births are usually measured using the birth rate i.e. the number of live births per 1,000 people. Deaths are usually measured using the death rate, i.e. the number of deaths per 1,000 people. Migrations are the movement of people in and out of an area. Births and deaths are the natural causes of population change. The difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a country is called the natural growth rate. The population increase in the world is mainly due to a rapid increase in the natural growth rate.

Another cause for population size change- Migration. People may move within a country or between countries. Emigrants are people who leave a country; Immigrants are those who arrive in a country. Countries like the United States of America and Australia have gained in numbers by in-migration or immigration. Sudan is an example of a country that has experienced a loss in population numbers due to out-migration or emigration.

The general trend of international migrations is from the less developed nations to the more developed nations in search of better employment opportunities. Within countries, a large number of people may move from rural to urban areas in search of employment, education and health facilities.

Population Change – Causes

Some of the reasons behind population change are given below

1. Higher fertility rates
2. Growing older population
3. Migration

The population increase in the world is mainly due to the rapid increase in natural growth rate. The difference between the birth rate and the death rate of a country is called the natural growth rate.

How are Births and Deaths measured?

1. Births are usually measured using the birth rate i.e. the number of live births per 1,000 people.
2. Deaths are usually measured using the death rate i.e. the number of deaths per 1,000 people.

Migration – Difference between Immigration & Emigration

1. Migration is one of the causes behind the change in the population of a country.
2. Migration is the phenomenon where people move in (immigration) or people move out (emigration) of a country; place or locality.
3. Countries like the United States of America and Australia have gained in-numbers by in-migration or immigration.
4. The general trend of international migrations is from the less developed nations to the more developed nations in search of better employment opportunities.
5. Within countries, a large number of people may move from the rural to urban areas in search of employment, education and health facilities.

Population Change – 4 Factors

There are 4 major factors affecting Population change.

1. Birth rate
2. Death Rate
3. Immigration
4. Emigration

Population Change – Formula

The population change is calculated by the formula given below.

Population change = (Births + Immigration) – (Deaths + Emigration)

Population Growth – Implications

1. Lack of sufficiently available resources to meet the needs of a growing population.
2. Eradicating poverty and hunger becomes more difficult
3. Providing better health and education facilities becomes more difficult.
4. The rise in unemployment and underemployment.
5. Excess strain on infrastructure – Due to rapid population rise, it is very difficult to provide adequate housing and transportation facilities.
6. Increasing pollution, rise in traffic congestion leads to a reduction in productivity.
7. Overexploitation of water and other natural resources resulting in no scope of replenishment which is a recipe for a natural disaster.
8. Increasing air and water pollution, leading to an increase in diseases, which ultimately leads to a rise in expenditure on healthcare.

What is Total Fertility Rate (TFR)?

It is an indicator of the total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime. As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) varies across various sections of society.

1. The poorest section of society has a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 3.2 children per woman.
2. The second poorest section of society has a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 2.5 children per woman.
3. The wealthiest section has a Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 1.5 children per woman.

The results imply that population growth is concentrated in economically weaker sections of society.

Population Change – Measures to control the Population Explosion

Control measures can be broadly classified into social and economic measures.

Social Measures

1. Strictly follow the minimum age criteria of marriage.
2. Raise the status of women, by providing them education, financial independence and equal job opportunities.
3. Increase the social security schemes for people in old age, so that people will have a sense of security that they won’t have to depend on others at old age, hence the compulsion to have many children.
4. Focus on family planning measures.

Economic Measures

1. Increase employment opportunities, and help in raising the standard of living. This will act as a deterrent for having a huge family. As per studies, it has been concluded that people at lower economic strata have larger families than people at higher economic strata.