-PRACHI CHHABRA

- GARIMA VERMA
•India with 1,220,200,000 (1.22 billion) people is the second most
populous country in the world, while China is on the top with over
1,350,044,605 (1.35 billion) people.

•The figures show that India represents almost 17.31% of the

world's population, which means one out of six people on this
planet live in India.

•Although, the crown of the world's most populous country is on

China's head for decades, India is all set to take the numero uno
position by 2030. With the population growth rate at 1.58%,

• India is predicted to have more than 1.53 billion people by the end
of 2030.

•India crossed the one billion mark in the year 2000, one year after
the world's population crossed the six billion threshold.
 NATIONAL SUMMARY DATA OF CENSUS OF 2011

SDDS Data Unit of  Period of Latest Previous  Percentage

Category and Description latest data Data Data change from
Component * # previous to last
period

Population In Millions Census 2011 1210.2 1028.7 17.64%

Note: 

'*' - Provisional population as released in March 2011. '@' - The

provisional population includes estimated population of Paomata, Mao
Maram, and Purul subdivisions of Senapati district of Manipur for
Census 2011.     
 '#' - Population under the column 'Previous Data' refers to the Census
2001 data and includes estimated population of Paomata, Mao Maram,
and Purul subdivisions of Senapati district of Manipur.
•Throughout the twentieth century, India has been in the midst of 
a demographic transition. At the beginning of the century,
endemic disease, periodic epidemics, and famines kept the death
rate high enough to balance out the high birth rate.

•Between 1911 and 1920, the birth and death rates were virtually
equal--about forty-eight births and forty-eight deaths per 1,000
population. The increasing impact of curative and preventive
medicine (especially mass inoculations) brought a steady decline
in the death rate.

•By themid-1990s, the estimated birth rate had fallen to twenty
•eight per 1,000, and the estimated death rate had fallen to ten per
1,000.

•Clearly, the future configuration of India's population (indeed the

future of India itself) depends on what happens to the birth rate. 
Censuses of India, 1901-2011

Source: Registrar General of India, Census 2011, Provisional Population Totals.

Change in
Population Between Percent Change Annual Growth Rate
Census Years Population Censuses Between Censuses (percent)
1901 238,396,327 — — —

1911 252,093,390 13,697,063 5.8 0.6

1921 251,321,213 -772,177 -0.03 0

1931 278,977,238 27,656,025 11.0 1.0

1941 318,660,580 39,683,342 14.2 1.3

1951 361,088,090 42,427,510 13.3 1.3

1961 439,234,771 78,146,681 21.6 2.0

1971 548,159,652 108,924,881 24.8 2.2

1981 683,329,097 135,169,445 24.7 2.2

1991 846,421,039 163,091,942 23.9 2.2

2001 1,028,737,436 182,316,397 21.5 2.0

2011 1,210,193,422 181,455,986 17.6 1.6

State wise distribution :

•India has 28 states & 7 Union Territories with varying population size.

•They are classified into 2 broad categories -

I. Major states with population of more than 20 million
II. Smaller states and Union Territories with less than 20 million.

•Total population of 17 major states counts for 982.32million i.e. 95 % 

•6 U.T shares 2.7 million only 0.26 %

List of states and union territories of India by population - Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia.htm

Population of India, number of males and females.

•Every sixth person on the globe today is an Indian and by the turn of this
century every fifth living person will be an India.

•India adds about 10 lakh persons to its population every fortnight.

•In 1997 there were almost as many babies born in india(about 25 million) as
in all of sub saharan africa and morethan china(21 million).

•India is adding one australia to its population every year and one japan in
every census.

•India became the first country in the world to launch a family planning
•programme to check the population growth.
MOST POPULOUS COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

Population Decadal change

Country Reference date
Sl. No (In millions) (in %)

1 China 01.11.2010 1,341.0 5.43

2 India 01.03 2011 1,210.2 17.64
3 U.S.A 01.04.2010 308.7 7.26
4 Indonesia 31.05.2010 237.6 15.05
5 Brazil 01.08.2010 190.7 9.39
6 Pakistan 01.07.2010 184.8 24.78
7 Bangladesh 01.07.2010 164.4 16.76
8 Nigeria 01.07.2010 158.3 26.84
9 Russian Fed. 01.07.2010 140.4 -4.29
10 Japan 01.10.2010 128.1 1.1
  Other Countries 01.07.2010 2,844.7 15.43
  World 01.07.2010 6,908.7 12.97
•The gap between India and China has narrowed from 238 million in 2001 to
nearly 131 million in 2011. On the other hand, the gap between India and the
United States of America, which has the third largest population, has now
widened to about 902 million from 741 million in 2001.

• In 1950, China with 22 percent share of the world population was the world’s
most populous country, followed by India, which had a share of 14.2 percent.
The population of India is almost equal to the combined population of U.S.A.,
Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Japan put together- the
population of these six countries totals 1214.3 million!

•A point that is striking is that while India accounts for a meagre 2.4 percent of
the world surface area of 135.79 million square kms, it supports and sustains a
whopping 17.5 percent of the world population.

•In contrast, the USA accounts for 7.2 percent of the surface area with only 4.5
percent of the world population. As such, among the ten most populous
countries of the world, only Bangladesh has a higher population density
compared to India.
World’s 20 largest population in 2050

Right at the top the 2050 picture

is in a sense still familiar, with
two true giants. But they did
switch places, and with a
considerable margin too.
According to the UN’s
calculations in 2050 India will
have 1,692 million inhabitants,
almost 400 million more than
China, which will have a
gradually declining population
from 2030 onwards, whereas in
2050 India would still be on the
growth track.
INDIAN POPULATION PYRAMID
INDIA’S POPULATION PYRAMID FOR 2050

CHINA’S POPULATION PYRAMID FOR 2050

BASIC TERMS RELATED WITH
POPULATION :

•Population growth
•Birth rate
•Death rate
•Infant mortality rate
•Total fertility rate
 POPULATION
GROWTH IN INDIA
DEFINITION OF POPULATION GROWTH :
The average annual percent change in the population, resulting from a
surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants
entering and leaving a country. The rate may be positive or negative.
The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be
imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for
infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g.,
food, water, electricity), and jobs. Rapid population growth can be seen
as threatening by neighboring countries.
The population of India, at the turn of the twentieth century, was only around 238.4
million. This has increased by more than four times in a period of one hundred and
ten years to reach 1210 million in 2011. Interestingly, the population of India grew by
one and half times in the first half of the twentieth century, while in the later half it
recorded a phenomenal three-fold increase.
POPULATION GROWTH RATE 2000-2010
 BIRTH RATE IN INDIA
DEFINITION OF BIRTH RATE :
This entry gives the average annual number of births during a year per
1,000 persons in the population at midyear; also known as crude birth
rate. The birth rate is usually the dominant factor in determining the rate
of population growth. It depends on both the level of fertility and the age
structure of the population.

Birth rate in india has gradually decreased in the past decade.

Count
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
ry
India 24.79 24.28 23.79 23.28 22.8 22.32 22.01 22.69 22.22 21.76 21.34 20.97
 DEATH RATE IN INDIA

DEFINITION OF DEATH RATE :

This entry gives the average annual number of deaths during a year
per 1,000 population at midyear; also known as crude death rate. The
death rate, while only a rough indicator of the mortality situation in a
country, accurately indicates the current mortality impact on population
growth. This indicator is significantly affected by age distribution, and
most countries will eventually show a rise in the overall death rate, in
spite of continued decline in mortality at all ages, as declining fertility
results in an aging population.
 REASONS FOR DECREASE IN BIRTH RATE
AND DEATH RATE IN INDIA
•Knowledge is being spread around about the benefits of family planning.

•Children are less of an economic asset, their parents invest in their

education.

•Changes in the economy particularly in hard times influences peoples

decisions so they postpone or limit the amount of children they want to
have.

•Urbanization where there is a reduction in the subsistence of agriculture.

•Medical facilities in the country have developed rapidly. In the course of

five year plans, about Rs. 2000 crore have been spent on medical facilities.

•Efforts are being made to reduce the epidemics like plague, malaria
etc.
Count
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
ry
India 8.88 8.74 8.62 8.49 8.38 8.28 8.18 6.58 6.4 6.23 7.53 7.48
 INFANT MORTALITY
RATE

DEFINITION OF INFANT MORTALITY RATE :

This entry gives the number of deaths of infants under one year
old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included
is the total death rate, and deaths by sex, male and female. This
rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a
country.
 Reduction of infant and child mortality has been an important
tenet of the health policy of the Government of India and it has
tried to address the issue right from the early stages of planned
development. The National Population Policy (NPP) 2000, the
National Health Policy 2002 and National Rural Health Mission
(NRHM - 2005 – 2012) have laid down the goal
 INFANT MORTALITY RATE IN INDIA
DROPS
•The IMR in urban areas came down from 53 in 2008 to 50 in 2009, while
in rural areas the figure dropped from 58 in 2008 to 55 in 2009,
according to the sample registration system (SRS) estimates. 

•According to the data, Goa has reported the lowest IMR of 11 followed
by Kerala with 12. 

•While there has been a drop of three points in the national average for
IMR, states like Bihar, Karnataka, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,
Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands have reported a
dip of four points in the rate. 

•The IMR dropped from 56 to 52 in Bihar, 45 to 41 in Karnataka, 69 to 65

in Orissa and 63 to 59 in Rajasthan.
IMR TREND OVER THE YEARS
WHAT LED TO DROP IN IMR?
 TOTAL FERTILITY RATE IN INDIA
DEFINITION :

This entry gives a figure for the average number of children that would be
born per woman if all women lived to the end of their childbearing years and
bore children according to a given fertility rate at each age. The total fertility
rate (TFR) is a more direct measure of the level of fertility than the crude
birth rate, since it refers to births per woman.

This indicator shows the potential for population change in the country. A
rate of two children per woman is considered the replacement rate for a
population, resulting in relative stability in terms of total numbers. Rates
above two children indicate populations growing in size and whose median
age is declining.

RANK COUNTRY TFR

1 NIGER 7.52
51 PAKISTAN 3.07
70 INDIA 2.58
131 CHINA 1.55
TREND IN TOTAL FERTILITY RATES OVER THE
YEARS :
 FIRST FIVE YEAR PLAN (1951-
1956)
•The Draft Outline of the First Plan, published in July 1951, contained a
section on "Population Pressure: Its Bearing on Development," which
recognized that India had a population problem and considered family
planning as a step towards improvement in health of mothers and children.

•"The increasing pressure of population on natural resources (which must

inevitably be limited) retards economic progress and limits seriously the rate
of extension of social services, so essential to civilized existence.

•A population policy is therefore, essential to planning." The final version of

the First Plan reiterated: "The pressure of population in India is already so
high that a reduction in the rat£ of growth must be regarded as a major
desideratum."
 SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1956-1961)
•The Second Five-Year Plan pointed out that the rate of population increase
was one of the key factors in development and underscored the fact that "a
high rate of population growth is bound to affect adversely the rate of
economic advance and living standards per capita.

•Given the overall shortage of land and or capital equipment relative to

population as in India, the conclusion is inescapable that an effective curb on
population growth is an important condition for rapid improvements in income
and in levels of living.“

•It is important to note that the Planning Commission has never considered a
population control program as an alternative to socio-economic development.
•While recognizing that with improved public health programs and lower death
rates, the population pressure was likely to increase, it accepted the need for
curbing the birth rates.

•"This highlights the need for a large and active programmed aimed at
restraining population growth, even as it reinforces the case for a massive
developmental effort."
 THIRD FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1961-1966)

•The Third Five-Year Plan (1961-1966), while considering population control

in the context of long-term development, stated: "The objective of stabilising
the growth of population over a reasonable period must therefore be at the
very centre of planned development.“

•It reiterated: "The policy envisages a series of fundamental measures,

including rising the age of marriage, female education, spread of
population values and the small family norm, strengthening of research
in reproductive biology and contraception, incentives for individuals,
groups and communities and permitting State Legislatures to enact
legislation for compulsory sterilisation."
 FOURTH FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1966-1974)

•The Fourth Five-Year Plan viewed population not only from the point of
view of economic development, but also from that of social change.

•"Under Indian conditions, the quest for equality and dignity of man
requires as its basis both a high rate of economic growth and a low rate of
population increase.

•Even far- reaching changes in social and economic fields will not lead to a
better life unless population growth is controlled. The limitation of family is
an essential and inescapable ingredient of development." 

•In 1966, a separate Department of Family Planning was carved out in the
Ministry of Health in order to strengthen the population control program.
 FIFTH FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1974-1979)

The Draft Fifth Five-Year Plan included family planning in the context of the
National Minimum Needs Programme. It accorded d a high priority to
population control, and based the demographic projections for the Plan
period on certain assumptions regarding a reduced growth rate, a birth rate
declining much faster than the death rate and an effective family planning
programme.

It concluded
"if family planning is less of a success than assumed above, the total
increase in population would be even larger. It is of the utmost importance
that family planning must achieve at least that much success as has been
assumed for the above projections. Given the needed effort, it is an
attainable target.“
The final version of the Fifth Plan was published only in 1976, and it
incorporated the National Population Policy announced in April 1976.

The Fifth Plan also laid down targets:

•A target for a birth rate of 25 per thousand
•Population growth rate of 14 per cent by the end of the Sixth Plan period is
accepted
•These targets are expected to be reached.

The Government that was voted into power in March 1977 made it explicitly
clear that it was firmly committed to the programme of population in the
programme did not arise. Some of the measures announced in the National
Population Policy in 1976, especially those relating to compulsion, were
dropped, while some others were retained.
 SIXTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1980-
1985)
The Sixth Five-Year Plan earmarked Rs. 10,100 million for the family planning
program. It involves reducing the net reproduction rate (NRR) to one by 1996
for the country as a whole and by 2001 in the states. The implications of this
long-term demographic goal are as follows:

• The average size of the family would be reduced from 4.2 children to 2.3
children.

• The birth rate per thousand populations would be reduced from the level of
33 in 1978 to 21.

• The death rate per thousand populations would be reduced from about 14 in
1978 to 9 and the infant mortality rate would be reduced from 129 to 60 or
less.

• As against 22 per cent of the eligible couples protected with family

planning, 60 per cent would be protected. The population of India will be
around 900 million by the turn of the century
 SEVENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1985-1990)
In the Seventh Five-Year Plan (1985-90), the outlay for the family welfare
program was Rs. 3,256 crores. It was pointed out that in view of the progress
made in the Sixth Plan, the goal of reaching a NRR of unity could be reached
only by 2006-2011, instead of reaching it by the year 2000 A.D. as envisaged in
the Sixth Five-Year Plan.

The following goals for the year 1990 were set:

• Effective couple protection rate: 42 per cent
• Crude birth rate: 29.1
• Crude death rate: 10.4
• Infant mortality rate: 90.0

In order to reach an effective couple protection rate of 42 per cent, 31 million

sterilisations, 21.25 million IUD insertions would have had to be performed by
1990 and during the terminal year of the Seventh Plan 14.5 million users of
conventional contraceptives/ oral contraceptives would have had to be
enlisted.
 EIGHTH FIVE YEAR PLAN (1992-
1997)
In the Eighth Plan, the total outlay for the Family Welfare Program was Rs.
6500 crores. Keeping in view the level of achievement, the long-term
demographic goals for the country have been revised.

It was stated in the Eighth Five Year Document that the NRR of one would now
be achievable only in the period 2011-16 A.D. and not by the year 2000 A.D., as
envisaged in the National Health Policy declared in 1983.

Accordingly, the goals of the crude birth rate, crude death rate and natural
population growth rate to be achieved by the end of the Eighth Plan Period
(i.e., 1997) were also revised. The revised goals to be achieved by 1997 and
2000 A.D. respectively were as follows:
•crude birth rate: 26 and 21;
•crude death rate: 9 and 9;
 NINTH FIVE YEAR PLAN
(1997-2002)
The objective of the ninth five year was to achieve rapid reduction in
population growth rate by:
•Meeting all the felt needs for contraception.
•Reducing the infant and maternal morbidity and mortality so that there is
reduction in the desired level of fertility.

The strategies for achieving these objectives were:

•To access the needs for reproductive and child health at PHC level and
undertake area specific micro planning.
•To provide the need based, demand driven high quality integrated
reproductive and child health care.
 TENTH FIVE YEAR PLAN
(2002-2007)

During the Tenth Plan, the major focus of the Family Welfare programme
will be on ensuring that families have improved access to health-care
facilities providing appropriate high quality of health care to enable them
to achieve their reproductive goals. This in turn will enable the country to
achieve the goals set in the National Population Policy 2000.

The National Population Commission will play a catalytic role in improving

centre-state and inter-sectoral coordination, and in involving private
sector, voluntary institutions and civil society at large for generating a
vigorous people’s movement to support the national efforts to achieve the
goals set in the National Population Policy 2000.

Irrespective of their socioeconomic status, majority of the population

access public sector facilities for ante-natal care (60%), immunisation
(90%) and sterilisation (86%).
The objectives of the tenth five year plan were:
•The alarming rate at which the Indian population is growing must be
checked and fixed to 16.2%, between a time frame of 2001 and 2011.

•The mortality rate of children must be reduced to 45 per 1000 livings

births and 28 per 1000 livings births by 2007 and 2012 respectively.

•There should be a decrease in the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR) to 2 per

1000 live births by 2007. The Plan also intended to bring down the Maternal
Mortality Ratio to 1 per 1000 live birth by the year 2012.

•During the Tenth Plan there will be continued commitment to provide

essential primary health care, emergency and life-saving services in the
public domain.

•Services under national disease control and family welfare programmes

will be provided free of cost to all based on their need.
 ELEVENTH FIVE YEAR
PLAN (2007-2011)
1. Address the unmet needs for basic reproductive and child health services,
supplies and infrastructure.

2. Make school education up to age 14 free and compulsory, and reduce

dropouts at primary and secondary school levels to below 20 percent for both
boys and girls.

3. Reduce infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births.

4. Reduce maternal mortality ratio to below 100 per 100,000 live births.

5. Achieve universal immunization of children against all vaccine preventable

diseases.

6. Promote delayed marriage for girls, not earlier than age 18 and preferably
after 20 years of age.
7. Achieve 80 percent institutional deliveries and 100 percent deliveries by
trained persons.

8. Achieve universal access to information/counseling, and services for fertility

regulation and contraception with a wide basket of choices.

9. Achieve 100 percent registration of births, deaths, marriage and pregnancy.

10. Contain the spread of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and
promote greater integration between the management of reproductive tract
infections (RTIs) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and the National
AIDS Control Organization.

11. Integrate Indian Systems of Medicine (ISM) in the provision of

reproductive and child health services, and in reaching out to households.

12. Promote vigorously the small family norm to achieve replacement levels of
TFR.

13. Bring about convergence in implementation of related social sector

programes so that family welfare becomes a people-centered programme.
 TWELFTH FIVE YEAR
PLAN (2012-2017)
The projected population for 2011 was 1.178 billion, whereas the actual
population recorded was 1.22 billion.

IMR fell by 5 per cent per year over the 2006–11 period, an improvement
over the 3 per cent decline per year in the preceding five years, but short
of the target of 28. The decline in IMR has accelerated, but is short of the
required
pace. While seven states have achieved the target, IMR is still high in MP,
Odisha, UP, Assam, and Rajasthan.

Reduction of Total Fertility Rate (TFR) to 2.1: India is on track for the
achievement of a TFR target of 2.1 by 2017, which is necessary to
achieve net replacement level of unity, and realise the long cherished goal
of the National Health Policy, 1983 and National Population Policy of 2000.
 PROGRAMS AND POLICIES FOR CONTROLLING
POPULATION

•FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM

•NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY 2000

 Cherish the first, delay the second, prevent the third!
•The family planning programme was started in 1952. Our First and Second
Five-Year Plans emphasized that a high rate of Illation growth was bound to
affect adversely the rate of eco advancement and the standard of living of the
people.

•The objective of the programme was to give through the lilting government
hospitals and some new clinics, advice on family planning to those who came
to seek it and to conduct research different aspects of family planning.

•Under the Second Plan the program received greater attention and about 5000
rural clinics were opened.

•The Third Five-Year Plan saw a major breakthrough in the area of family
planning. It was recognized that the objective of estabilizing the growth of
population over a reasonable period must be at the very centre of the planned
development. With this end in view a massive campaign was launched and
family planning services were expanded vastly to reach the door-steps of the
people. The figures of 1961 census showed a higher rate of growth of
population than anticipated.
•During the Fourth Five-Year Plan and the three years preceding it, which
were not covered by any of the Five-Year Plans, Family Planning
Programme was given great importance and urgency. The programme was
reconsolidated, expanded and made goal-oriented. Time-bound plans were
formulated.

•The Fifth Five-Year Plan can be regarded as a landmark in the growth of

the family planning programme. It provided for greater integration of the
family planning programme with general health, nutrition and maternity
and child welfare schemes.

• A sum of Rs. 516 crores was earmarked for this programme in the Draft
Fifth Five-Year Plan as against Rs. 14 Lakhs in the First Plan, Rs. 215
crores in the Second Plan, Rs. 244 crores in the Third Plan and Rs. 280
crores in the Fourth Plan

•The family planning programme has acquired the importance of a great

national effort. It is so closely related to our national welfare that any
indifference, neglect or slackening of effort may prove vitally grievous to
our national developmental efforts. Announcement of the National
Population Policy in April 1976 was a great leap forward.
•Some of the reasons for India's rapidly growing population are poverty,
illiteracy, high fertility rate, rapid decline in death rates or mortality rates and
immigration from Bangladesh and Nepal.

• Alarmed by its swelling population, India started taking measures to stem

the growth rate quite early. In fact India by launching the National Family
Planning programme in 1952 became the first country in the world to have a
population policy.

•The family planning programme yielded some noticeable results, bringing

down significantly the country's fertility rate. In 1965-2009, the contraceptive
usage more than tripled and the fertility rate more than halved.

•The efforts did produce positive results, however, failed to achieve the
ultimate goal and the population of India since getting independence from
Britain in 1947 increased almost three times.

•Whereas India has missed almost all its targets to bring the rate of
population growth under control, China's 'One Child Policy' in 1978, has
brought tremendous results for the latter. The policy claims to have
prevented between 250 and 300 million births from 1978 to 2000 and 400
million births from 1979 to 2010.
 NATIONAL POPULATION POLICY 2000
The new national population policy of 2000 was announced by the Govt, on
First February. Its main features were under stated.

•Redress the unmet needs for basic reproductive and child health services,
supplies and infrastructure.
•Make school education up to age 14 free and compulsory, and reduce drop
outs at primary and secondary school levels to below 20 percent for both
boys and girls.
•Reduce infant mortality rate to below 30 per 1000 live births.
•Reduce maternal mortality ratio to below 100 per 100,000 live births.
•Achieve universal immunization of children against all vaccine preventable
diseases.
•Promote delayed marriage for girls, not earlier than age 18 and preferably
after 20 years of age.
•Achieve 80 per cent institutional deliveries and 100 percent deliveries by
trained persons.
•Achieve universal access to information/counseling, and services for fertility
regularization and contraception with a wide basket of choices.
•Prevent and control communicable diseases.
•Promote vigorously the small family norms to achieve replacement levels of
TFR.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND POPULATION GROWTH IN INDIA

•India's greatest problem is population growth. So runs the argument in

most text books on the Indian economy. Had it not been for population
growth, India's per capita in come would have been higher than the
present figure of 450 US dollars.

•Ceteris Paribus, or every thing else remaining constant, a lower

population in the denominator and population in the denominator
boosts per capita income. Let's assume that in the next twenty years,
real national income in India grows at 7.5%. If the population rate of
growth is 1.5%, that translates into a per capita income growth of 6%.
But if the population rate of growth 2%, that translates into a per capita
income growth of only 5.5%.

•That may seem like a small difference, but compounded over a period
of time, the difference this makes to per capita income is considerable.

•If the population growth rate slows down, the per capita income will
increase faster. The percentage below the poverty line will decline
faster.
•Economists are torn between two theories; one that states population
increase and growth help a nation’s economy by stimulating economic
growth and development and another that bases its theory on Robert
Malthus’ findings.

•Malthus states that population increase is detrimental to a nation’s

economy due to a variety of problems caused by the growth. For example,
overpopulation and population growth places a tremendous amount of
pressure on natural resources, which result in a chain reaction of problems
as the nation grows.

• On the macroeconomic level, it is more believable to argue that population

does undermine a nation’s economy because an increase in the number of
people leads to an increase of the number of mouths to feed. The increase in
demand for food leads to a decrease in natural resources, which are needed
for a nation to survive.

•Other negative effects of population growth and, specifically,

overpopulation include poverty caused by low income per capita, famine,
and disease.