The Causes Of Over Population

Question 1

What is overpopulation?

Answer 1

Overpopulation occurs when there is not enough basic resources in an area to support the population

Basic resources include food,shelter, clean water, fuel and farmland

Question 2

High birth rates

Answer 2

Overpopulation has occurred in Sudan due to high birth rates

The birth rate in Sudan is 33 per 1000 and the death rate is 10 per 100 leading to a natural increase

Sudan is in stage 2 of the population cycle/ demographic transition

In Sudan women have low social status and do not have easy access to education

Due to lack of education women have low literacy levels and this combined with poor health services has led to high fertility rates of more than 5 children per minute

The rapid pace of population growth is putting a strain on existing resources such as water, soil , fuels and farm land leading to overpopulation

The farmland is then overgrazed/ overcropped by the growing population of farmers leading to food shortages

The Sudanese population is poor and has a low life expectancy

Question 3

Depletion of resources

Answer 3

E.g Aral sea

The sea has been shrinking steadily since the 1960s when the communist government controlling the area decided to divert water for use as irrigation in cotton plantations

The diversion of water from the Aral sea has caused overpopulation

The water level in the Aral sea has dropped and once striving fishing towns are now over 40 km from the sea

Unemployment and poverty have risen as people lost their source of food and income

Drinking water supplies have been severely reduced and the water that is left is contaminated with pesticides and agricultural waste

The town of muynak once located at edge of sea, was a tourist seaside town with a thriving harbour and fishing industry that employed around 30000 people

Today it is a desert town with few jobs

The Aral sea is now 10% it’s original size and one of world’s worst environmental disasters

Coastal communities it once supported are now overpopulated as the resources that it once provided water, food and employment has been depleted