THE CAUSES OF OVERPOPULATION

Today the Earth is home to more than 7.8 billion people. By 2100 the population is on track to hit 10.8 billion, according to the United Nations — and that’s assuming steady fertility declines in many countries. Interestingly, if extra progress is made in women’s reproductive self-determination, and fertility falls more than the United Nations assumes is likely, the population in 2100 might be a relatively smaller 7.3 billion. 

For now, the world’s population is still increasing in huge annual increments (about 80 million per year), and our supply of vital non-renewable resources are being exhausted.

THE DECLINE IN THE DEATH RATE

At the root of overpopulation is the difference between the overall birth rate and death rate in populations. If the number of children born each year equals the number of adults that die, then the population will stabilize.At the same time, lifespans are increasing around the world. Those of us who are alive today will likely live much longer than most of our ancestors.

Falling mortality rates are certainly nothing to complain about either, but widespread longevity does contribute to the mathematics of increasing population numbers.

MORE HANDS TO OVERCOME POVERTY

However, when talking about overpopulation, we should understand that there is a psychological component as well. Poverty is considered as the leading cause of overpopulation. In the absence of educational resources, coupled with high death rates, which resulted in higher birth rates, that is why impoverished areas are seeing large booms in population. 

For thousands of years, a very small part of the population had enough money to live in comfort. The rest faced poverty and would give birth to large families to make up for the high infant mortality rate. 

POOR CONTRACEPTIVES USE 

Poor family planning on the part of partners can lead to unexpected pregnancies though contraceptives are easily available in developed countries. 

As per statistics, 76% of women aged between 16 and 49 in Great Britain used at least one form of contraceptive, leaving a quarter open to unexpected pregnancies. Whereas a study by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that this figure drops to 43% in underdeveloped countries, which leads to higher birth rates. 

LACK OF FEMALE EDUCATION 

Although female access to education has increased over the years, the gender gap remains. Roughly 130 million girls worldwide are out of school currently, and an estimated 15 million girls of primary school age will never learn to read and write, compared with 10 million boys.

Increasing and encouraging education among women and girls can have a number of positive ripple effects, including delayed childbearing, healthier children, and an increase in workforce participation. Plenty of evidence suggests a negative correlation between female education and fertility rates.

If increased female education can delay or decrease fertility and provide girls with opportunities beyond an early marriage, it could also help to mitigate current population trends. 

IMMIGRATION

Many people prefer to move to developed countries like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, where the best facilities are available in terms of medical, education, security, and employment. The result is that those people settle over there, eventually making those places overcrowded.

If the number of people who are leaving the country is less than the number of people who enter, it usually leads to more demand for food, clothes, energy, and homes. 

This gives rise to a shortage of resources. Though the overall population remains the same, it just affects the density of the population, making that place simply overcrowded.

                                                                                                                           - Aditya Vashist