POPULATION

POPULATION

The term “Population” refers to a total number of people or animal etc. within a specific area. Thus, we often talk of the population of a region, a country, province, state, local government, a town or even a village. It is used mostly to ascertain the number of people. Countries employ the conduct of census to enable them get the proper or exact number of people living within the country within a specific year. Since it is not possible to conduct such census every year, most countries use specific intervals for the conduct of such census. For example, Nigeria uses an interval of 10 years i.e. after every 10 years, the country tries to conduct a census. She uses an estimate to project increases and decreases in the population within the period the census is not conducted. This projection is based on the birth rates and the death rates.

Population Dynamics

          This refers to the changes that occur in the population. The population of any place is never static and since it is not static, it means the population is changing all the time. Indices of population dynamics (changes) are:

(i)          Birth rate: - This is the number of live births for every 1000 persons per year in a given country. It does not include children that die at birth. The birth rate is a reflection of the fertility age range (which is assumed to be 15 – 45 years).

The fertility rate however, is influenced by social, economic and medical factors. For example, the desire of women to acquire good education, to enjoy gainful employment, better living standard, child spacing through birth control etc.

(ii)       Death rate: - This is another factor of population dynamism (changes). This refers to the number of deaths within a given population and which is measured by the number of deaths per every 1000 persons. Deaths within a population could be as a result of infant mortality or deaths due to diseases, accidents or old age. Disease outbreak and infant mortality are influenced by social and medical factors within the population.

Birth and death rates that cause changes within a given population are often described as “natural increase” and “natural decreases” of the population.

(iii)     Migration: - Migration can be defined as the movement of people into a population while Emigration is movement of people out of a population. This brings changes in the population. Migration of people is either as individuals or as groups. The movement could be temporal or permanent. The movement is classified as follows:

a.     Rural – Urban

b.     Rural – Rural

c.      Urban – Rural

d.     Urban – Urban

a.     Rural – Urban: Simply concerns the migration of people from the rural areas to the urban areas. This pattern of migration is carried out by the youths who are attracted into the urban areas where they hope to acquire their fortunes. For example, the population of the urban centers is known to be high because government, private and commercial activities are concentrated in these urban centers which engage the attention of the youths.

b.    Rural – Rural:  This is the type of migration where people spread from one rural area to the other i.e. a movement which involves the farming and the pastoral population. They move in search of fertile and adequate farmlands and better grazing land. The main aim of this pattern of migration is to produce adequate with the intention to get surplus for distribution (sales). Rural – rural migration involves largely that segment of the population that is self – employed.

c.      Urban – Rural: - This is a small scale migration pattern because fewer number of people are involved when the individual capacity is considered. But groups such as detachment of the arm forces can be involved. Individuals or companies wishing to embark on agriculture or related engagements prefer to migrate from urban to rural environment.

d.    Urban – Urban: - This pattern of migration is carried out by people wishing to change or expand business from one urban center to the other. Individuals may as well embark on this pattern of migration for some personal reasons like seeking for more fortunes.

On a general note, migration has both advantages and disadvantages. As people move to new areas, particularly to urban centers, workforce increases in such urban centres. Similarly, the consumption capacity increases thereby providing positive changes for investors and producers to expand their initiatives for more and qualitative production. 

On the other hand, the new arrivals create problems for the new area. Resources become inadequate due to the unprecedented increase in the population. Crime-waves increase due to the inadequacy and efforts of the new arrivals to fit into their new environment. In view of these problems we try to specify them as follows:

Population Problems

1.     The inadequacy created by a high population feature in different areas. Amenities and infrastructures fall-short no matter government and private efforts. Roads are congested, there is shortage of food supply. Clean and portable water not within the reach of everybody. Cost of consumable items become very high. Securing accommodation becomes very difficult and this lead to the development of shanties around urban centers. Crimes of different magnitudes and degrees become rampant.

2.     Environmentally, high population has brought about a fourfold increase in resources consumption per person and necessitates the adoption of a wide array of technologies that have damaged the environment. The natural ecosystem which are the basic apparatus that support the human enterprise have undergone an unprecedented damage as a result of over depletion.

3.     Areas of high population have assumed large scale land degradation which claims over 40% of the earth’s surface. This causes a loss of over 10% of the earth’s potentials to supply food, fibre, fodder, timber, biomass energy and other important resources.

4.      There has been an unprecedented loss of biological diversity which are working parts of the human life-support systems. These continue to suffer high rate extinction and this phenomenon is on a continuous basis following increase in population.

5.     Population explosion (increase) is responsible for the rapid climate change which threatens human existence and effort particularly in the agricultural sector, thereby limiting human enterprise.

6.     Deforestation has and continue to reach alarming level following the removal of more trees, one – third of the original forest cover in order to create spaces for settlement, transportation passages, farmlands, animals rearing, and large scale burning in order to meet the demand of the growing population.

7.     The earths vital ozone shield which provides natural protection to man is being depleted. This allows the ultraviolet rays to descend heavily on the earth’s surface and its resources thereby causing great problem.

8.     High population globally causes ecosystem toxification (poisonous) following outpouring of thousands of synthetic chemicals into the environment which interfere with the state of the ecosystems functioning and human development processes.

In spite the problems of population enumerated above, human population is the leading component of human existence because it is the resources base.

Importance of the Population

The population in itself is a resource. It has the ability to mobilize, scrutinize, analyse and synthesis all other types of resources and then fashion them out to produce all whatever is needed. Man, using his naturally endowed talent places him above all other forms of resources. He is able to raise and convert other resources which he uses as food for himself and for the desired living things around him. Others he fashion out to produce working tools, provide both soft and hardware and to preserve for future use.

The most relevant elements of the population are its size, rate of growth, spatial distribution, its demographic structure (changing number of births, deaths, diseases etc in a community for a period of time) and its quality in terms of the educational level, health and social welfare. These determine the functions of the population.

The population is the indicator of the potential level of development that is attainable in any society. This explains itself by the living standard of the people. It is the measure of the actual performance of the development effort set by a society.

The population provides the workforce (both skilled and unskilled) needed to carry all projects set for development within any community.

All products of a society require a consumable market which serve as a motivating factor for further research for more production. This can only be obtained and guaranteed by the population.

All over the world, the spatial pattern of development is determined by the existing population and its pattern of distribution.

The population factor guides government policies in areas of revenue allocation, distribution of infrastructural facilities and the creation of administrative units within a country.

People that constitute the population of any area are instrumental to the development and progress of their area. This explains itself in their effort to attract growth-promoting institutions such as schools, health facilities, industries of different types and capacities, road networks, financial institutions as well as commercial enterprises. As we can observe, all these developments differ from place to place based on the social, economic and the political status of the people that form the population. In other words, to positively develop an environment depends on the quality of the population that occupies that environment. This quality can only be obtained through better education, better political awareness and better exposure to external ideas.

At this juncture, we need to understand the different levels of population and the implication of each. The question before us is “What are they?”

i)             Over Population: By definition, over population is that types of population that exceeds the resources of its environment. The problems that this populations faces are that all available resources become inadequate and are over used. This creates problem of development.

ii)          Under Population: This is defined as a population that is not up to the standard to develop the resources of its environment adequately. Problems of this type of population are that resources are wasted, no significant manpower to development the resources of its environment.

iii)        Threshold Population: Some writers refer to this as the population carrying capacity. It defines a situation where the population matches with the available resources. This is the ideal population level every society (country) should try to maintain. The advantages of the threshold population is that it creates room for meaningful development. The available resources are not over stressed and are not under utilized. Rather, they are just adequate and this encourages all aspects of development. Man power is developed because the available resources can support that. The developed man-power therefore put these resources to reasonable uses to acquire the desired results which the population requires. 

STUDY QUESTIONS

1.     In what ways can you convince any audience that the population of an area is both assets and liability?

2.     Outline and explain any 10 areas to justify why an estate manager should study population.

3.     Why do countries of the world conduct census? Give 5 reasons to support your answers.