Population Explosion

Population Explosion
The enormous increase in population, due to low death rate (mortality) and high birth rate (natality), is termed as population explosion. Human population is not increasing at a uniform rate throughout the world.
Population increase can be better understood in terms of doubling time. Doubling time is the number of years needed for a population to double. It varies from about 25 years in developing countries to 100 years in developed nations.

Reasons for population explosion:

1. Introduction of modern facilities reduces mortality rate and increases natality rate leading to population explosion.
2. Increase of life expectancy also a major reason contributing to population explosion 

Effect of population explosion or Environmental and Social impacts of growing population

1. Poverty: Infant mortality is an indicator of poverty. In 34 developing countries, more than one in ten children die before they reach the age of five. In developing countries, people opt for smaller families in the face of high mortality rate. 
2. Population explosion leads to environmental degradation.
3. Population explosion causes over-exploitation of natural resources leading to shortage of resources for the future generations.
4. Many of the renewable resources like forests and grass lands are also under threat.
5. Increase in population also increases disease, economic inequity and communal wars.

In order to combat the problem of population explosion, the Government of India introduced the Family Welfare Programme as an integral part of the overall national policy.

Objectives of Family welfare programme:

1. Slowing down population explosion by reducing fertility and
2. Reducing the pressure on the environment due to over-exploitation of natural resources.