Overpopulation is a situation whereby natural and artificial resources in a particular geographic area are overstretched because the number of humans living in the area is too large for them to cope. Studies on human population are relevant to educated people because the number of resources is getting more limited, and there is a need to determine the best strategies that can be used regulate the level of population growth.
There are various causes of overpopulation. As a result of improvements in technology levels, better healthcare practices have been adopted. These have led to a general decline in the death rate levels (Bavel 284). The relationship between technology and health sector is revealed through the adoption of more advance healthcare practices. Technology as a field of study interrelates the two areas through its incorporation in the manufacture of better quality foods, advanced medical equipment and more options to reduce the number of deaths in health facilities.
The other factor that leads to overpopulation is the demographic factor of immigration. There are people that prefer moving and settling in first world countries such as United States and other regions of the world for purposes of employment and investments. The destination areas get overpopulated in the long-run. There are other social impacts that come as a result of population pressure in the destination countries. There emerges high employment rate which in return increases the levels of crime. As a result of overcrowding of these regions, the levels of poverty also increase due to overdependence on limited resources by large populations. Other causes of overpopulation include lack of family planning, technological advancement in fertility treatment, and more efficient ways to deal with effects of population pressure.
Overpopulation has its effects that are felt all over the world. One of the most severe effects of overpopulation is depletion of natural resources (Stubbs 4). The earth is only capable of producing a specific amount of water, food, fuel and other resources to sustain life within it. When this human/resources ratio is exceeded, there emerges a crisis.
Environmental degradation also comes as a result of overpopulation (Okebukola & Ben, 115). A study on demographics and environmental sciences has indicated constant destruction of the environment due to human activities. Clearing of forests to set up additional settlements and to extract raw materials for paper and pulp industries has led to a reduction of the ground under the cover of vegetation.
The effect of overpopulation is also seen through increased warfare and insecurity all over the world. Immigration leads to the creation of conflicts in the destination areas, and the effects are felt all over the world. The constant rise in human population leads to competition for existence using the available resources. As a result, countries may often get involved in wars in order to gain control of sensitive resources such as fuels and mineral deposits.
Imbalance between the number of people and the employment opportunities leads to high unemployment levels. The result is poverty due to inability to meet the financial requirements by most families in the developing countries. Overpopulation also leads to increased pollution which leads to the global impact of the greenhouse effect. This comes due to emission of carbon and nitrogen oxides from the increased industrial works.
The challenge of overpopulation can be controlled scientifically through enactment of environmental protection practices. For instance, education can be carried out to create more awareness on the need to protect the natural environment. In addition, the field of medicine can come up with ways to control birth rates. Family planning needs to be emphasized to inform society of the merits of birth control.
- Bavel, Van J. The World population explosion: causes, backgrounds and projections for the future. Belgium: Centre for Research/ Family & Population Studies. May 2013. Web. 4 December. 2014, https://perswww.kuleuven.be
- Okebukola, Peter, and Ben Akpan. Strategies for Teaching Overpopulation. Ibadan, Nigeria: Science Teachers Association of Nigeria, 2012. Print.
- Stubbs, Chris. Effects of Overpopulation. 13 May. 2011. Web. 4 December 2014, http://www.ecosys.com
