How is Earth's Population Changing?

The UN predicts we will hit almost 10 billion people by 2050. Which statistic below stands out to you?

The Industrial Revolution

Eventually, fewer people needed to work on farms to provide food for the community. People began to move away from rural areas to find different work in urban centres. In the late 18th C, there were several inventions that improved technology and the quality of life, including the steam engine, medicine, and improved sanitation. The world's population started to gain quickly.

Look at the graph below. What was the population of Earth when your grandparents were born? Your Parents? You? What will Earth look like if our population continues to grow at this rate?

Around the world, the rate of population growth is not equal. Europe has 0.2% growth, while Africa is growing by nearly 3% every year.

Use the information provided below to complete the Factors Influencing Growth Rate worksheet.

• Birth Rate: the number of live births per thousand people every year.
• Death Rate: the number of deaths per thousand people every year.
• Migration: the movement of people from one place to another.
• Population demographics: The proportions of younger and older people in a population affect how fast it grows. Countries with a high percentage of people aged 15 to 45, like Mexico, will grow much faster than countries with a high percentage of elderly people.
• Social attitudes: Different cultures have different norms for family size. Where large families are common, the population growth rate may be higher.
• Economy: Economic stability reduces the need for a large family. Living in an area with a strong economy can provide more opportunities for jobs and education. A population with a high proportion of employed females may have a lower growth rate.
• Education: As education levels increase, particularly for women, the average marriage age increases. Women who marry later tend to have fewer children, which lowers the birth rate.
• Healthcare: Where people have access to hospitals, doctors, and health services, more children are likely to survive to adulthood. Better healthcare can increase the growth rate.

Over the past few decades, the worldwide growth rate has actually declined from over 2% to 1%. Since the world currently has 7.6 billion people, 1% growth will add about 73 million people annually. These new people need food, clothing, shelter, and water. How long can our resources last?

Carrying capacity measures the maximum population that can survive without using up resources. For example, if a region has limited farmland, it can only produce a certain amount of food for its people. If the population increases, demanding more food than can be produced, the carrying capacity is reduced.

The graphic below describes some of the challenges some countries face with overpopulation.