What are the problems associated with overpopulation. Briefly describe any three

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A wide range of problems is associated with overpopulation. These include too little food, too little water, economic problems, international terrorism, crowding, immigration issues, too little energy, and shortages of other nonrenewable resources.

Too little food: An estimated three-quarters of a billion people today are undernourished-that is, slowly starving. Malnourishment during childhood years can have devastating effects. It delays physical maturity, impairs brain development, reduces intelligence, and may produce dwarfism. An undernourished adult is listless, apathetic, and unable to work as vigorously as a well-fed adult. A number of diseases are caused directly by dietary deficiency, including beriberi, rickets, and marasmus. Malnutrition also lowers resistance to disease, so the malnourished are likely to have a number of other health problems. The danger of epidemics is always high in overpopulated areas where people are malnourished. In addition, the damage of malnutrition is passed from one generation to the next, as babies born to malnourished mothers are weaker and in poorer health than the babies of well-fed mothers.
Too little water: Somewhat surprisingly, fresh water is also in short supply in the world. Of the world's water, 97% is salt water; only 3% is fresh water. Developed nations use substantially more water per person than developing nations. More than 1 billion people lack access to clean, fresh water.
Economic problems: In industrialized countries, rapid population growth reduces the standard of living and the quality of life by reducing the average per capita income. Because birthrates are consistently higher among the lower-income groups, there are additional social and economic strains. Some authorities openly express alarm that high birthrates among poorer classes may lead to a reduction in average educational achievement and provide a threat to the values espoused by the middle and upper classes. Rapid population growth also leads to other problems: massive unemployment, air and water pollution, traffic jams, inadequate and insufficient housing, and so on. Economic problems are even more serious in developing nations. For poor countries to industrialize requires that the inhabitants invest (through either public or private funds) in capital items such as factories, tractors, and industrial equipment. Many developing nations do not even have the funds to provide adequate food for their people. Inability to invest in capital items practically guarantees that they will be unable to improve their people's standard of living. Lack of funds also creates educational and political problems. Developing countries have a high proportion of school-age children but do not have the resources to provide enough schools. In addition, people who are poorly housed, hungry, and miserably clothed are likely to view the government as the protector of the rich and the oppressor of the poor. Such conditions often lead to political unrest, revolutions, and civil wars.?