What are the problems caused by rapid population growth?

Answer 1

The main problem for countries is the fact they start to run out resources (become overpopulated), for example a rapidly expanding LEDC country may cut down a forest quicker than it can grow back (leading to soil degregation, lack of fuel in future and so on).

But, this is also able to be applied to the whole world which is using up resources (fossil fuels being the most obvious example) as the population rapidly expands. There are two approaches to the global population explosion that is currently happening. The first is optimistic: Ester Boserup said that through technological advancements we can make resources grow at the same rate as population (i.e. genetically engineered high yielding crops, fertilisers and green technology). But, the pessimistic view was put forward by Thomas Malthus that whilst population can grow geometrically (1,2,4,8...) resources can only grow arithmetically (1,2,3,4...) so resources will not be able to keep pace with population growth (backed up by arguements over water in Africa).

But also, if population expansion in a single country is only temporary it can lead to a massive problem when the generation is in school and when they reach retirement (if the population growth is not sustained) for example, in the UK today the 'baby boomers' after World War 2 are currently retiring causing a massive burden to the current tax payer.