EFFECTS AND CAUSES OF OVERPOPULATION IN NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
This research work was designed to find out the causes and effect of overpopulation in Nigerian. In carrying out this research, the researcher visited some Areas in Edo State, and questionnaires were used to elicit information for the general public, and these information’s were analyzed in form of tables. It was observed that polygamy; illiteracy, poverty and early marriage are some of the reasons responsible for the rapid increase in population. Also the effects have raised concerns that the planned economy may not be able to sustain present or large number of inhabitants. Hence, having few number of children, monogamy and improvement in the standard of living are the solutions to the resultant effects of population explosion in Nigeria. The following recommendations were made. The government should improve the appalling health sector of this country; there is need for the elimination of harmful practices such as sexual trafficking and violence against women. Government should endeavour to provide programmes that will stress on the continuo’s use of family planning services, women should be educated and empowered. Finally, if the government can provide incentives for smaller families, exponential population growth can be checked.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background to the study
Statement of the problem
Purpose of the study
Significance of the study
Research questions
Scope of the study
Limitations of the study
Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
Review of related literature
The causes of overpopulation in Nigeria
The effects overpopulation in Nigeria
Solutions to the problems of overpopulation
CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY
Research design
Population of the study
Sample of the study
Sampling techniques adopted
Instrumentation
Validation of instrument
Method of data collection
Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Data presentation, analysis and interpretation
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary, conclusion and recommendations
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendation
REFERENCES
APPENDIX
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE ST UDY
Population in biology is referred to as the total number of organisms of the same species in a give habitat at a given time. In respect of human population, population can be defined as the total number of people in a given country (Obueh, 2006). The size and structure of human population have been completely changed by a number of factors including higher incomes, improved nutrition, safe and sufficient water and sanitation, wide availability of immunization, high effective drugs against infectious diseases, increased education and technological development. It is therefore correct to state that the economic growth of a nation is significantly dependent on the growth of its population.
Nigeria is one of the fastest growing countries in the world with an estimated population of one hundred and forty million (140,000,000) and an annual population growth rate of 2.9% (Npc, 2006).
Nigeria is the most populous nation in sub Saharan Africa and the tenth most populous in the world. However, the composition of this population is mainly in the youthful category with 49% being youths below the age of twenty-one (21) and a dependency ratio estimated at 89%. A large proportion of this population favours and is living in the rapidly expanding urban area, presently estimated at over 45.2% and will likely hit 55.4% mark by the year 2015 (UNDP, 2007)
With this statistics however, the population dynamics shows profound inequities and disproportions when analyzed with the development indicators, such as, twenty-one doctors per one hundred thousand people, infant mortality rate of 122 per 1000 live births, maternal of mortality over 980 per 100,000 live births, life expectancy at birth projected at 50. 1 years (population growth and economic development in Nigeria, 2008)
Umeh (1996) suggested that the population of a place must be such that the available food can sustain it for a very long time. The question of population and population growth and the related food and growth in food population are serious concern to nations and their leaders. This is because increased population has direct consequence on food consumption in the most developing countries; population growth rate is close to crisis situation.
World population statistics tell a powerful story about how people and nations around the world are changing. The world’s population is growing substantially every year, but the pace of growth varies dramatically from one region to another some countries have aging population and as a result, face future population decline while others still have young and rapidly growing populations. Each situation is associated with its own set of social, economic, environmental and political challenges (Obueh, 2008).
However, the world population by mid 2010 reached 6. 892 billion according to the population reference Burea 2010 world population data sheet. Most future population growth will be in countries that have relatively large number of young people where large families are still the norm. Sub-Saharan Africa and Western Asia are the fastest growing regions of the world. In contrast, much of the industrialized world is experiencing much slower growth or even population decline. The United States in an exception in the industrialized world, mainly because of immigration and somewhat higher birth rates.
TABLE 1: The world population by mid 2010 (Obueh, 2008)
Population
World
6,892,319,000
More developed countries
1,236,646,000
Less developed countries
5,655,673,000
Births
Per
Year
Day
Minute
14,184,169
384,066
207
14,215,211
38,946
27
125,968,959
345,120
240
Deaths
Per
Year
Day
Minute
56,907,606
155,911
108
12,125,055
33,219
23
44,782,552
122,692
85
Natural
Increase
(births, death)
Per
Year
Day
Minute
83,276,563
228,155
158
2,090,156
5,762
4
81.186,407
222,429
154
Infant
Deaths
Per
Year
Day
Minute
6,383,531
17,489
12
80,133
220
0.2
6,303.398
17,270
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