Introduction

What is the population of your country?
Is your country underpopulated or over-populated? Is there any problem affecting your country as a result of the number of people living in it?.
Would you like to know what population means? If yes, this article is for you.

MEANING OF POPULATION

Population can be defined as the total number of people living in any geographical area, e.g., village, local government, state, or country. The population of a place includes children, women, men, (old and young). Population changes all the time and very rapidly, particularly in places where it is not controlled. As a result of this rapid increase, natural resources can not meet the needs of the people.

The population of Nigeria in particular, and Africa in general, is based in the rural areas. However, a large percentage of the rural population is moving into the urban areas in search of food and shelter.

Rapid population growth is an obstacle to social and economic development. Some scholars have argued that population growth is advantageous because it provides manpower for development, as well as a market for goods and services. However, it is important to note that population growth depends on birth and death rates.

BASIC UNITS OF POPULATION

The population of a place can be ascertained through these basic units of classification:

1. Dependants ratio of the population, e.g., infants and the aged.
2. Working class, the workforce of the population.
3. Sex - male and female.

The active human resources of the population are its working force on which the infants and the aged depend for their livelihood. There is a greater need for human resources development to enhance better services and development.

FACTORS AFFECTING POPULATION GROWTH

The factors affecting the growth population, after careful study of an observation, include:

1. Increase in birth rate.
2. Decrease in death rate.
3. Sustainable medical care.
   4 End of inter-tribal or communal wars, i.e., relative peaceful co-existence.
4. End of slave trade.
5. Immigration.
6. Political stability.
7. Arable land for farming.
8. Early marriage.
9. Polygamy.

Source Polygamy causes over-population

PROBLEMS OF OVER POPULATION

Over-population can be described as a situation in which the total population of people in a particular locality is competing with the available resources in such an area. In most cases of over-population, the number of people is more than can be supported by available resources. In this regard, the population will not be able to produce the manpower to process the available materials into readily useable products to satisfy the needs of the teeming population.

Over-population is associated with the underlisted problems:

1. Unemployment: Many people
   are unemployed when the population is higher than both the existing resources and jobs.

Source Unemployment as a result of over-population

1. Poverty: Over-population always leads to poor living conditions of the people due to inadequate job opportunities and the resultant inflation.

2. Inadequate Social Infra-structure: There is a tendency for unhealthy competition by the teeming population over the existing infrastructure. In most cases, the infrastructure is over- strained and over-utilized as a result of over-population.

3. Increased Social Crimes: e.g., armed robbery, gambling, prostitution, drug addiction, human trafficking and other vices.

4. Pollution: The environment can be made unsafe for human habitation (living) as a result of over-crowding.

5. Migration: People always leave their homes to look for greener pasture and better conditions of life.

6. Child abuse, e.g., children are used as hawkers, and house helps.

7. Malnutrition: Poor feeding, i.e., eating unbalanced diets, is a feature of over-population.

8. Diseases are spread.

POPULATION CONTROL

The need to improve the living conditions of the people and promote modemization, through the use of resources (human and material), has continued to pose problems in different ways. It is important to note that all developments are reflected and also depend on the quality of the population.

To control the rapid upsurge or increase in population, the suggestions below are of tremendous importance:

1. Population and family life
   education should be taught in
   schools.
2. The public should be enlightened
   on the dangers of over-population.
3. Polygamous marriage practices should be discouraged.
4. Pre-marital sexual relationship
   should be curbed.
5. Emigration should be encouraged.

Conclusion

Immigrants can cause over-population in one's country and thereby make the residence of the country face the consequences of over-population such as poverty, unemployment, pollution, malnutrition, and so on.