World Population Essay, Research Paper

Since the beginning of modern civilization human population has been growing at a steady rate. The advancements that humans have made have increased life expectancy greatly. Now humans can live longer because of improved health, higher resistance and immunity to diseases and new medical techniques. There is an estimated 135 people in the world over 100 years of age and that number is expect to increase 16 times by 2050. Although this shows our achievements it also shows a negative side. We are straining our planet s resources, polluting our planet and also are now running out of space. We are becoming over populated. What used to be a small issue is now one of our greatest problems.

Our resources are becoming less and less as the world population grows. As we grow we build more and more and continue to use our resources. We cut down our rainforests and continue to use up our fuels.

This need for energy also contributes to world pollution. We release harmful gases into our atmosphere as we burn fossil fuels. The rainforest keep our air breathable and with out them we could not live. But these habits are hard to stop when we are trying to supply the needs of so many people.

As our population grows and it is harder to support everyone we start to see too much starvation and poverty. It is hard to find a way to give so many people the things they need. Countries struggle to try and control their population growth with little success.

If nothing is done to control this problem things will continue to get worse. Our population right now is an estimated 5.9 billion people is growing at 1.33 percent per year. In 1804 the population reached one billion and it took 123 years to reach two billion 1927. Then it took 33 years to reach three billion in 1960. The trend continues to show it took 14 years to reach four billion, another 13 to reach five, and is expected to reach six billion, 12 years later, this year. This trend shows how the rate of growth is increasing.

This rapid growth will only make things worse for the future. The world population is expected to be around 9 billion in 2050. This will put an even greater strain on our resources.

An increase in population could mean many things for us. Our crime rates could increase due to increased poverty. There will much more people suffering and dying. It will be even harder to feed all the world s people.

At that time we may have run out of resources or over polluted the world, but we may have also developed new technologies to help us.

Our advances in technology continue and will make life expectancy even longer. More people will be living as more people are being born. The only way to control this problem is to control the birth rate.

The only way to prevent this problem is to do it now. We need to educate the world in order to decrease our birth rates. As soon as this world problem became obvious there have been many good signs. Many counties have created programs to try and control their birth rates. They have created schools, educated and given more freedom to women, and created laws.

Many countries have gone through many programs to control their birth rate with birth control pills and other contraceptives. These birth control methods have been successful but have not been fully effective. Many people cannot afford to get birth control and many others don t use it because of their cultural and religious beliefs.

Another alternative is to empower women. In many parts of the world women have limited rights and are expected to do what they are told. Since women give birth they should be able to make these decision about themselves. This should help reduce the birth rate when women have control over themselves.

Although world population is still a major problem it has improved ever since it has been identified. The global average fertility level is now at 2.7 births per woman, which compared to the early l950s, when the average number was 5 births per woman, is much better. Fertility is now declining in all regions of the world. For example, during the last 25 years, the number of children per couple has fallen from 6.6 to 5.l in Africa, from 5.1 to 2.6 in Asia, and from 5.0 to 2.7 in Latin America and the Caribbean.