Overpopulation in Africa

Overpopulation in Africa

No one likes to be stuck in a traffic jam. In the unfortunate case that drivers do get caught in heavy congestion, however, they may question where all of other drivers are travelling to, or where they are coming from. Some drivers may even suggest that there are too many people on the roads. On a much grander scale, some experts are suggesting that there are too many people in the world, and they are concerned that the population is growing too rapidly. Less than one hundred years ago the world’s population was just 2 billion people. Today, the world’s population has soared to over 7 billion people, and the population is projected to reach 8 billion people in just 8 years. According to National Geographic, the world’s fastest growing population is in Africa. Today Africa’s population is just over 1 billion people. The population will continue to grow because of the extremely high birthrate in sub-Saharan Africa. Women who reside here give birth to over 5 children in their lifetime. Because of this, the African population is expected to more than double in the next 40 years to over 2 billion people. The birth of new life is fantastic, but in many cases in Africa the children are born into impoverished families that have difficulty supporting the children. According to the Daily Sundial, nearly three fifths of the people in these developing countries lack basic sanitation, a third have no access to clean water, a quarter lack adequate housing, and a fifth lack any access to modern health services. To make things worth, experts are suggesting that the massive population growth in Africa is resulting in destroyed resources. As populations increase, the amount of resources is decreasing. One man in Uganda commented that the environment is being destroyed so badly by the growing population that he fears his there will be no firewood soon, and he will be unable to feed his family. Despite the growing concern about overpopulation, there are a few things that Africa can do to help keep the population down and protect the countries resources. First of all, African could invest in the education of young women. This education could potentially result in them marrying later, and ultimately having few children. In addition, improving healthcare in Africa would also decrease the population. Improved healthcare could help prevent African women from having additional children because of their fear of losing children to disease. In conclusion, although Africa’s population is growing at a rapid rate there is something that the continent can do before it becomes an even larger issue. The nations in Africa could educate their women on population concerns, and continue to improve healthcare standards. If African nations follow these steps they will continue to grow at a more moderate rate, and have plenty of resources for many years to come.