Population case studies

Question 1

Nigeria: Overall population size

Answer 1

The 6th largest in the world - 170 million

Question 2

Nigeria: Population in 1950?

Answer 2

40 million

Question 3

Nigeria: Fertility rate

Answer 3

5.5

Question 4

Nigeria: What percentage of the country lives on under $1 per day

Answer 4

60%

Question 5

Nigeria: Social problems

Answer 5

50% youth unemployment in urban areas pushing people into Boko Haram, strained infrastructure means lack of access to sanitation and water

Question 6

Nigeria: Environmental problems

Answer 6

10th most polluted city in Africa for air quality

Question 7

Nigeria: The government made contraception free, but why did this solution not work?

Answer 7

Nigeria is a highly religious country, just over 53% Muslim and 46% Christian, and the use of contraception is heavily frowned upon

Question 8

Nigeria: Government campaigns to encourage people to have smaller families - another failure??

Answer 8

These failed as they are at odds with Nigerian cultural values

Question 9

Thailand: How much did the population increase by between 1960 and 2021?

Answer 9

From 27 million to 71 millon, a growth of 161% across the 61 year period.

Question 10

Thailand: Which year had the highest rate of population increase?

Answer 10

1964 with 3.05%

Question 11

Thailand: What was the original reason why the condom policy began? When?

Answer 11

To tackle AIDS in 1968

Question 12

Thailand: Between 1968 and 1970, what program was launched?

Answer 12

Thailand: The “family health project” trained thousands of auxilliary midwives and nurses who were then also allowed to prescribe pills - this helped to increase access to contraception even in rural areas

Question 13

Thailand: What was the slogan of the National Family Planning Program?

Answer 13

“The more children, the poorer”

Question 14

Thailand: What were some of Michai Viravaidya’s initiatives?

Answer 14

Condom blowing competitions in schools, free male vasectomy festivals on the king’s birthday, a restaurant and resort chiain called “cabbages and condoms”

Question 15

Thailand: What has been the change in fertility rate between the late 60’s and today?

Answer 15

From more than 6 children on average to below 2, and an annual population growth of 1.2%

Question 16

Thailand: What is one significant falure of the National Family Planning Program

Answer 16

It is a victim of its own success - the population has been reduced so heavily that ageing persons account for 20% of the population, and the old age dependency ratio is forecast to triple before 2050. This puts it in a similar position as Japan, and brings a host of new issues.