overpopulated cities essay

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• Overpopulation Essay

IELTS Overpopulation Essay

This model essay is about  overpopulation in cities . You specifically have to talk about the  problems  of overpopulation, and suggest some  solutions  to this problem.

Note that this question specifically asks you what governments and individuals can do.

Here is the question:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems.

Identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems.

Organising a Problems & Solutions Essay

Note that this overpopulation essay question specifically asks you what governments and individuals can do.

You MUST, therefore, write about what both of these can do in order to fully answer the question.

Note as well that you must talk about  serious  problems.

The easiest way to organize a problems and solutions essay is as follows:

Body 1: Problems

Body 2: Solutions

In this essay, a separate paragraph has been written about government and individual solutions, so it is organized as follows:

Body 2: Solutions - Government

Body 3: Solutions - Individuals

Model Essay

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Overpopulation Essay - Sample Answer

Many countries of the world are currently experiencing problems caused by rapidly growing populations in urban areas, and both governments and individuals have a duty to find ways to overcome these problems.

Overpopulation can lead to overcrowding and poor quality housing in many large cities. Poorly heated or damp housing could cause significant health problems, resulting in illness, such as bronchitis or pneumonia. Another serious consequence of overcrowding is a rising crime rate as poor living conditions may lead young people in particular to take desperate measures and turn to crime or drugs.

In terms of solutions, I believe the government should be largely responsible. Firstly, it is vital that the state provides essential housing and healthcare for all its citizens. Secondly, setting up community projects to help foster more community spirit and help keep young people off the street is a good idea. For example, youth clubs or evening classes for teenagers would keep them occupied. Finally, more effective policing of inner city areas would also be beneficial.

Naturally, individuals should also try to address these problems. One way is to put pressure on the government to ensure they tackle the problems by, for instance, forming action groups to lobby the government and request intervention and adequate funding. They could also form Neighbourhood Watch areas to try and help reduce the high levels of crime.

Therefore, it is clear that the problems caused by overpopulation in urban areas are very serious. Yet if governments and individuals share a collective responsibility, then it may well become possible to offer some solutions.

(260 words)

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Cities are becoming overcrowded. What are the causes of this situation, and what can be done to improve this situation?

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In many countries around the world, rural people are moving to cities, so the population in the countryside is decresing. Do you think this is a positive/negative development?

Using translation is good or bad. both view and your opinion, some people think that the internet has brought people together while others think that people have become more isolated now.” discuss both sides and give your opinion., a lot of places in the world rely on tourism as a main source of income. unfortunately, tourism can also be a source of problems if it is not managed correctly. describe the advantages and disadvantages of tourism in the modern world. do you think that the benefits of tourism outweigh its drawbacks, in some countries owning a home rather than renting one is considered more important. why might this be the case is this a positive or negative development.

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IELTS essay sample | Consequences of overpopulation in urban areas

by Manjusha Nambiar · January 1, 2017

More and more people are moving to urban areas? What are the consequences of this?

Sample response

Over the last decade, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people living in urban areas. This has caused various issues that need to be tackled by both governments and individuals.

Overpopulation in cities and towns causes two major problems. The most important one is traffic congestion which is a direct consequence of the rise in urban population. In my country, drivers spend approximately one hour to travel ten kilometers in peak hours. This is really alarming as countless hours are being lost every week in traffic jams. Another major issue is pollution. In fact, pollution can have disastrous effects on people’s health and can lead to life-threatening diseases.

Fortunately, solutions are available to tackle this problem. Governments should provide job opportunities in the countryside in order to discourage job seekers from moving to big cities. This had shown to be effective in Nordic countries where overpopulation related problems were reduced by applying this solution. Governments should also improve the public transport network by making it more reliable with the objective of encouraging more people to take it. Individuals should contribute their bit too. They should make a conscious effort to switch to eco-friendly transport solutions like hybrid cars and use them only when necessary. If we can reduce the number of vehicles on the roads, there will be a remarkable improvement in air quality.

To conclude, although overpopulation in big cities has far reaching consequences, both governments and individuals can combat them effectively by making a concerted effort. Since pollution can grow in the coming years, they need to ensure that appropriate actions are taken to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Overpopulation — The Causes, Effects, and Consequences of Overpopulation

The Causes, Effects, and Consequences of Overpopulation

• Categories: Overpopulation Population Growth

About this sample

Words: 683 |

Published: Jan 29, 2024

Words: 683 | Pages: 2 | 4 min read

Table of contents

Causes of overpopulation, effects of overpopulation, consequences of overpopulation, potential solutions, references:.

• Cohen, J. E. (1995). How many people can the earth support?. Norton & Company.
• Daniels, R. J. (2008). The effects of overpopulation on environment and society. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 105(2), 212-218.
• Ehrlich, P. R. (1968). The population bomb. Sierra Club/Ballantine Books.
• Mazur, L. A. (1998). A concise guide to the world population. ABC-CLIO.
• World Population Prospects 2019: Highlights. (2019). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.

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Overpopulation Essay

500 words essay on overpopulation.

Overpopulation refers to an undesirable condition in which the number of existing human being exceeds the actual carrying capacity of the earth. It has many causes which range from a decline in the death rate to early marriages and more. The overpopulation essay will throw light on this issue.

Ill-Effects of Overpopulation

The ill-effects of overpopulation are quite severe. The first one is that natural resources deplete at a faster level. Our planet can produce only a limited amount of water and food . Thus, overpopulation causes environmental damage including deforestation, pollution, etc.

Similarly, there is the degradation of the environment which happens because of the overuse of resources like coal, oil, natural gases and more. As a result, the quality of air also gets affected in this manner.

In developing countries, overpopulation puts a strain on resources. Thus, it gives rise to conflicts and tension. It also causes more diseases that become harder to control. Next up, we have the issue of unemployment.

Moreover, it rises due to overpopulation. There is more number of people than job opportunities. As a result, unemployment gives rise to crimes like theft and more. We also have pandemics and epidemics which happen due to overpopulation.

It is because overcrowded and unhygienic living gives rise to infectious diseases . Another ill-effect is malnutrition and starvation. When there are scarce resources, these diseases will likely to be on the rise.

Most importantly, we have a shortage of water which makes it tougher for people to get access to clean water. Similarly, lower life expectancy also happens because of the boom in population, especially in less-developed nations.

We also witness faster climate change as nations continue to develop their industrial capacities. Thus, they emit industrial waste which gives rise to global temperatures . It will keep getting worse if things are not checked immediately.

Solutions of Overpopulation

There are many solutions which we may take up to prevent overpopulation. The best measure is family planning to keep the overpopulation check. In order to do that, one can ensure proper spacing between the births of the children.

Further, limiting the number of children as per income and resources must also be important. Similarly, it is essential to increase resources. The government must make the horrors of overpopulation reach the public through the use of media.

Moreover, better education can help implement social change which can curb overpopulation. Next up, knowledge of sex education must be made mandatory in schools so students learn young about everything they need to know.

Most importantly, it is essential to empower women so they can break out of poverty. This way, they can learn about reproductive health and make better decisions. Another solution can be government incentives.

Many governments of countries already have various policies which relate to tax exemptions for curbing overpopulation. For instance, some waive a certain part of income tax for married couples with one or two children.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Conclusion of Overpopulation Essay

All in all, overpopulation is no less than a curse that poses a permanent threat to the development of any country. It is essential to stop the flood of population. In order to do that, one must indulge in proper family planning and creating balance in society for a better world.

FAQ of Overpopulation Essay

Question 1: What is the main cause of overpopulation?

Answer 1: It is believed that the main cause of overpopulation is poverty. When there is a lack of education resource which coupled with high death rates, it results in impoverished areas witnessing large booms in population.

Question 2: How is overpopulation affecting the world?

Answer 2: Overpopulation is affecting the world as it is outpacing the ability of the planet earth to support it. It also has environmental and economic outcomes which range from the impacts of over-farming on global warming.

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Introduction: Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot

The following essay was written by William Ryerson, President of Population Media Center, as the Introduction to Overdevelopment, Overpopulation, Overshoot. 

MOST CONVERSATIONS ABOUT POPULATION begin with statistics—demographic data, fertility rates in this or that region, the latest reports on malnutrition, deforestation, biodiversity loss, climate change, and so on. Such data, while useful, fails to generate mass concern about the fundamental issue affecting the future of the Earth. In reality, every discussion about population involves people, the world that our children and grandchildren will live to see and the health of the planet that supports all life. In my roles as president of Population Media Center and CEO of the Population Institute, I spend most of my time in developing countries, where many of my friends and acquaintances are educated and prospering. But I also know individuals who are homeless, unemployed, or hungry. The vast majority of people in these societies, regardless of their current status, do not enjoy a safety net. They live from day to day in hopes that their economic circumstances will improve. Abstract statistics on poverty are irrelevant to families struggling to secure the food, water, and resources needed to sustain a decent life. Those who blithely dismiss the challenges posed by population growth like to say that we could physically squeeze 7 billion people into an area the size of Texas. They don’t stop to consider the suffering already caused by overpopulation. The population debate is not about the maximum number of people that could be packed onto the planet. The crucial question is: How many people can the Earth sustain, at a reasonable standard of living, while leaving room for the diversity of life to flourish? There is no precise answer to this question, but the facts overwhelmingly support one conclusion: We cannot go on the way we are going. We are already doing severe and irreparable harm to the planet. Something has to give. If we cannot live sustainably with 7.2 billion people, how are we going to support billions more by the end of this century? The United Nations’ latest “medium-variant” projection indicates that we could have 10.9 billion people by 2100, but that may be an underestimation. Fertility rates in many parts of the world are not falling as fast as previously anticipated. In some countries, both developed and developing, fertility rates are actually on the rise again. In 2014 the global total fertility rate—the average number of children born to each woman during her lifetime—was 2.5. If this rate were to remain unchanged, demographers suggest that we could have 27 billion people on the planet by the end of the century. Given our limited inheritance of soil, water, and arable land, sustaining a global population of that size is not even remotely possible. As vividly illustrated by this book, human numbers and activity are already destroying the planet’s ecological integrity—running roughshod over myriad other species. But it’s not just the environmental damage we’re inflicting that should concern us. Equally appalling is how our actions threaten humanity’s future prospects. We have passed a crucial tipping point. Our quest for greater and greater material prosperity is now impoverishing future generations. The Global Footprint Network estimates that humans already use 150 percent of the Earth’s renewable capacity annually, and it estimates further that by 2030 we will need “two planets” to sustain us. Further growth simply deepens the crisis of ecological “overshoot” as we draw down Earth’s carrying capacity, and it comes at the direct expense of our own children and grandchildren. Is that any kind of way to behave? If you care about people, you must care about what we are doing to the planet. If you care about what we are doing to the planet, you must also care about human numbers. Given a planet with infinite space and resources, population growth could, arguably, be a blessing. We do not live on such a planet. However, there was a time when the Earth and its resources appeared boundless. Some people still adhere to that anachronistic belief. If nothing else, the photographs in this book should shatter that illusion. Many of us today do recognize that the Earth and its resources are limited, yet too many people still cling to the notion that modern science and technology will enable us to defy physical limits. In the Middle Ages, alchemists sought in vain for a “philosopher’s stone” that would convert base metals into gold. They never succeeded. Why? Because what they were looking for did not, and could not, exist, because its existence would have violated the physical laws governing the universe. Modern-day alchemists are trying to find ways of sustaining perpetual growth in a finite and increasingly resource-constrained world, searching for a scientific or technological breakthrough that will enable us to keep growing indefinitely. Like the philosopher’s stone, it does not exist. Our faith in breakthroughs is misplaced, as amply demonstrated by the past three hundred years of scientific and technological advances that have accelerated, not slowed, the degradation of the natural world. Even if scientists were to develop a relatively cheap, abundant, and clean form of energy that powered continuous economic and population growth, it would only accelerate the rate at which humanity is destroying the ecological systems that make the planet habitable. In the meantime, while we are waiting for magical breakthroughs, we are in a headlong race to extract and consume fossil fuels at whatever the cost to the Earth. Scientists warn that we will fry the planet if we burn all the world’s known reserves of coal, gas, and oil, but that concern has not slowed the relentless exploration for more fossil fuels. An ever-expanding human population and rising demand for products and services makes humanity’s hunger for fossil fuels utterly insatiable. Some cling to the notion that we can achieve sustainability by reducing consumption in the overdeveloped world. As meritorious as that idea may be, it has no critical mass of support. A growing number of political leaders are supporting the idea of “greener” or “smarter” growth, but there is not a single politician of significant stature in the world calling for slower economic growth, no growth (a steady-state economy), or de-growth. Yes, there are individuals who are trying to reduce their carbon and ecological “footprints,” but their numbers, for the moment, are dwarfed by the growing numbers of people who want to expand their ecological footprint through additional consumption. Much of humanity, of course, desperately needs a larger share of Earth’s resources. More than 2 billion people in the world live on less than $2 per day. Nearly a billion people go to bed hungry every night. About half the people in the world do not have access to toilets or other means of modern sanitation. I do not know of anyone who would deny these people a better quality of life, but if world population continues to grow as currently projected, many, if not most, of these people will never have their most basic needs realized, let alone fulfill their aspirations. The world is not that bountiful. I wish it were, but it is not. If we have any hope of bringing about a genuine balance between what humans demand of nature and what nature can reasonably provide for humanity, we must take crucial steps. Starting with the first step, we must devote more resources to preventing unplanned pregnancies through expanded access to contraceptives. Women everywhere should have the means to time, limit, or space their pregnancies. But greater access to contraceptives alone will not suffice. In those countries where population growth is most rapid today, girls and women lack reproductive choice; they live in traditionally male-dominated societies where large families are still the norm. Large-family norms, misinformation, and cultural barriers account for most decisions to not use contraception. If we do not enable girls to remain in school and delay marriage until adulthood, provide accurate information, and empower women in the developing world, then we will have failed countless individuals. Moreover, in the face of this humanitarian failure, fertility rate declines may continue only very slowly, or not at all—but certainly not fast enough to avoid the kind of human suffering that results when countries are overpopulated. In many parts of the world, child marriage is still prevalent. It is estimated that some 14,000 girls become child brides each day. In some areas, particularly poor rural communities, parents require their daughters—who have not yet reached puberty—to wed men who are twice or three times their age. Child brides do not enjoy reproductive choice in any meaningful sense. Most are condemned, if they survive childbirth, to having many children, and their families are condemned, in turn, to a life of continued poverty and deprivation. As important as it is to reduce unplanned pregnancies in the developing world, it is just as important to do so in the overdeveloped world, where the per capita consumption of resources is so much greater. Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and while America’s teenage pregnancy rate is declining, it remains the highest among industrialized nations. Shockingly, several state legislatures in recent years have slashed support for family planning, resulting in dozens of clinics having to either close their doors or limit services. These individual and community-level actions, in aggregate, have global consequences. The leading scientists of the world are concerned that we are approaching as many as nine planetary tipping points, which, if surpassed, would cause irreparable harm to the environment and the well-being of future generations. We have already crossed one boundary in terms of greenhouse gas emissions; the climate is changing, and we have already inflicted incalculable harm on posterity as a result. Because of population growth and changing diets, the world’s demand for food is projected to rise by 70–100 percent over the next forty years. No one knows how we will meet that demand. Cultivated farmlands already occupy a land mass the size of South America, and ranchlands used for livestock grazing occupy a land mass the size of Africa. There’s very little arable land left; most of it is in the form of tropical forests, which if cut down to expand agriculture would accelerate biodiversity loss and further complicate efforts to rein in greenhouse gas emissions. Water scarcity in many parts of the world has already reached crisis proportions. Demand for water is expected to outstrip supply by 40 percent within the next twenty years. As one research organization put it, we will need the equivalent of 20 Nile Rivers—which we do not have—to meet demand. By 2030, an estimated 3.9 billion people, nearly half the world’s population, will be living in areas of high water stress. We live today in a “Catch 22” world, where addressing one urgent problem often exacerbates another. If we double food production to feed a growing world, we expand greenhouse gas emissions. If we discover and exploit more fossil fuels, we fry the planet. If we reduce our water consumption, we curtail our food production. If we grow the world’s middle class, we increase the pressure on Earth’s natural ecosystems. There is, however, one exception to our “Catch 22” world, and that concerns population. Viewed from almost any angle, addressing population is a win-win proposition. By empowering girls and women in the developing world and expanding family planning services and information everywhere, we produce a world of good: Fertility rates decline; maternal and child health improve; food security increases; poverty decreases; education and economic opportunities expand; and degradation of the environment is curtailed. In discussions about family planning and its many benefits, the health of nature is often an afterthought. Far too often it is overlooked entirely. We tend to see the well-being of people as somehow distinct from the well-being of the Earth. Some even see the environment as being in “competition” with humans. The obvious truth, although unacknowledged by some, is that we are not separate or distinct from nature. Our hopes and our fate are inextricably linked to the fate of the natural world. We are part of a complex web of interdependent life, and our welfare depends upon the health of the whole. When life took hold on this planet it produced millions of species that have lived and evolved and produced both wondrous beauty and diversity. We modern humans are both products of and beneficiaries of that evolutionary process. We are, however, acting as ungrateful beneficiaries. Scientists tell us that we are exterminating our fellow plant and animal species at a rate that is a hundred or even a thousand times faster than the natural rate of extinction. Leading biologists now warn that human numbers and activity are triggering the “sixth mass extinction,” the largest since the dinosaurs were wiped out 65 million years ago. As a young man, after earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology with a specialization in ecology and evolution, my interest in moths and butterflies was so strong that I seriously considered becoming a lepidopterist. Many of the species that piqued my interest as a college student are now in danger of becoming extinct. Even the common Danaus plexippus, otherwise known as the monarch butterfly, is fast approaching endangered status. Its winter habitat in Mexico has shrunk dramatically. Biologists warn that herbicide use is decreasing availability of the milkweed plants, limiting a primary food source for monarchs and thus diminishing their numbers. But it’s not just the monarch butterfly that is imperiled. Every year there are fresh reports about the senseless slaughter of elephants, rhinos, lions, tigers, and other “megafauna.” Some of their population decline is attributable to poachers seeking to harvest ivory or other body parts, but much of the dramatic decline has been caused by an ever-increasing loss of habitat. Many of these animals live in areas, like sub-Saharan Africa, where human fertility rates equate to a doubling of the human population every thirty or forty years. In my college days, we were taught that, since the end of the last Ice Age about 12,000 years ago, humans have been living in the Holocene Epoch, but our impact upon the planet and its environment has become so great that some geologists today suggest we change the epoch’s name to the “Anthropocene,” or “Age of Man.” To most scientists, that development is a frightening prospect; it means that we are changing the planet—for the worse—on a global scale. Some scientists, though a distinct minority, insist that we can “manage” this change; that we can strike a balance with nature that will allow us to feed, clothe, and meet the economic aspirations of an additional 3 or 4 billion people moving forward. As well illustrated by the photographs in this book, that line of thought reflects the worst kind of wishful thinking. Our 7.2 billion on the planet are already doing grave harm to the biosphere. Several decades ago, a cartoon character named “Pogo” made popular the oft-quoted saying: “We have met the enemy and he is us.” We might say this today in regards to the challenge the world faces, only it’s not a comic matter. If we are to reduce severe poverty, defeat hunger, and bring about a sustainable world, we must achieve change on a global scale, beyond just our consumption habits, and that change must begin with us. This conviction led me to work for the Population Institute more than forty years ago and subsequently spurred me to establish the Population Media Center fifteen years ago. Despite the widespread belief that simply making contraceptives more widely available can stabilize world population, there are other reasons why women in the developing world end up having more children than they might otherwise desire, as revealed through the Demographic and Health Surveys supported by USAID (United States Agency for International Development). In reality, many of these women have no reproductive choice. Child brides often have nothing to say about how many of their own children they will have or when. Some women abstain from using contraceptives because of misinformation or blatant lies about the possible side effects or risks of using modern methods of contraception. Still other women have more children than they want because of fatalism, or religious teachings, or insistent in-laws who want more grandchildren. At the Population Media Center (PMC) we create long-running serial dramas (soap operas) that serve to educate women about their contraceptive choices. Using a methodology based upon the “social learning” theories of the great Stanford psychologist Albert Bandura and the programs developed by Miguel Sabido, the vice president of Televisa in Mexico, we work with in-country teams to develop long-running dramas, generally broadcast via radio, that provide positive role models for men and women in the developing world. Our listening audiences learn from popular “transitional” characters who are torn between good and bad influences. In the process the characters and the listening audience discover the benefits of family planning and small family norms. Our programs also address the deeper social stereotypes that demean women and effectively deny them reproductive choice. When girls are educated, women are empowered, and gender equity is achieved, women tend to have smaller, healthier families. By changing attitudes and behavior toward girls and women we can improve their lives, the well-being of their families, and prospects for the planet and our posterity. At PMC we also use the “Sabido methodology,” as it is now known, to achieve positive social change with respect to environmental conservation. In Rwanda, our radio programs have encouraged farmers to participate in reforestation programs aimed at restoring natural habitats and preserving the land for future generations. Similarly, we can use our programs to alter harmful consumption patterns or promote sustainable agricultural practices. The potential is enormous. WHILE THE OBSTACLES before humanity are real, we should be careful not to overestimate the difficulty of following the path of the United Nations’ lowest population projections, which show a possible global stabilization as soon as the year 2050. Achieving this stabilization is a challenge, but it is far from an insurmountable one. The United Nations estimates that it would cost an additional $3.5 billion per year to provide contraceptive information and services to the more than 220 million women in the developing world who want to avoid a pregnancy but who are not using a modern method of contraception. (That’s less than 4 percent of what Americans spend on beer each year.) That’s a very small price to pay for a more sustainable world. Combine that investment with efforts through entertainment mass media and other means to change attitudes and behavior towards girls and women in the developing world, and we can stabilize world population at 8.3 billion and then begin a gradual reduction in the total number of humans on the planet as soon as 2050. If we can hew to the United Nations’ low variant demographic projection, by 2100 global population would be back down to 6.7 billion—more than 4 billion fewer than can be expected in the business-as-usual, medium variant projection of the human population trajectory. Such numbers may seem incomprehensible but the reality is that these two possible futures—one of 6 billion versus 10 billion humans to feed, clothe, educate, and employ—is the difference between a world of scarcity and nightmarish suffering for much of humanity and a world in which it may be possible to balance the needs of people and nature. Put another way, a population difference of 4 billion—the result of either staying complacent or working hard to share family planning tools and information around the globe—is 46 percent more than the current combined populations of North America, Central America, South America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa (roughly 2.7 billion)! While I am deeply concerned about the future of humanity and the planet, I’m not a pessimist. It’s not too late. There are things that we can do to achieve a harmonious world and many of the steps that are required, like PMC’s radio programs, do not require an enormous investment of resources. Time, however, is beginning to run out. Given the central role that population dynamics will play in determining the welfare of future generations, what the world needs today is a wake-up call. This book is that wake-up call. The photographs to follow are emotionally jarring. The thoughts expressed herein are not reassuring; they are deeply provocative. But that is the nature of wake-up calls. The way that human numbers and behavior are transforming the Earth, undermining its ability to support the human family and the rest of life, is apparent for all to see. The reality of this urgent moment calls us to think, to care, and to act.

Overpopulation in many major urban centers around the world is a major problem IELTS essay

Overpopulation in many major urban centres around the world is a major problem IELTS essay

IELTS ESSAY TOPIC

Overpopulation in many major urban centres around the world is a major problem. What are the causes of this? How can this problem be solved?

Sample Answer

The excess population is a big problem in numerous developed urban areas around the globe. This essay will suggest that the principal cause of this issue is the lack of job opportunities and submit a holistic development as a viable solution, followed by a reasoned conclusion.

The main reason for the increasing number of individuals in urban cities is the lack of job opportunities in rural areas. People migrate from rural to urban areas for better employment as well as a good lifestyle. Here, people have numerous options for jobs in terms of money and opportunities. Moreover, people earn decent money that helps them to provide a better lifestyle for their families. A recent survey in Hyderabad depicted that the population almost doubled in the last five years due to the enormous job opportunities available in the city.

The most feasible solution to reduce this problem is the holistic development of the nation. The government should not only focus on developing the prime cities of the country but also focus on the development of small cities and the countryside. It will provide job opportunities to people in their native places. And, due to this fewer people will migrate to urban cities. Moreover, it will also result in a better lifestyle and fewer health complications. Sri Lanka is a prime example where there is overall development in the entire country and citizens have good job opportunities in rural as well as urban areas. Due to this reason, the percentage of people moving from the countryside to cities is less.

To summarize, the overpopulation in developed cities has been caused by fewer employment opportunities in the countryside and should be curtailed by the overall development of the nation.

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Home Essay Examples Sociology Overpopulation

Overpopulation: Causes And Consequences

• Category Sociology
• Subcategory Human Populations
• Topic Overpopulation

The concept of global challenges is very ambiguous as it encompasses multifarious types of challenges, consequences and solutions. However, Professor Kristen Gelsdof succinctly defines a global challenge as “any major trend, shock or development that has the potential for serious global impacts” (1). I would like to extend this definition with “and can only be solved with global compliance and collaboration”, as I believe that no global challenge can be solved by any one nation or institution alone. They require collaborative action among all members of the international community, including IGOs, NGOs and corporations (2).

A significant challenge facing us today is world population, which can be characterised as overpopulation and as a growing threat to human survival on Earth. From the beginning of human history, it took until 1804 to reach a world population of 1 billion people, but only approximately 200 years after that to reach 7 billion (see Figure 1). Now, humans are reproducing at an unprecedented rate, with the population expected to increase by 2 billion in the next 30 years and peak at 11 billion by 2100 (3). The Industrial Revolution was a pinnacle point of human history that brought advancements in science, technology and transport worldwide. These advancements have enabled more people to reach the reproductive age and have reduced the fatality rate. As a result of this, increasing worldwide population growth has become a major contributor to climate change, rising sea-levels, exhaustion of natural resources and rising living costs and unemployment (4). It is now more important than ever before to face overpopulation with global solutions, otherwise the consequences will be devastating.

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In her report The Population Explosion: Causes and Consequences, Carolyn Kinder defines overpopulation as “the condition of having more people than can live on earth in comfort, happiness and health and still leave the world a fit place for future generations” (6). With more than 220 000 consumers being added to the planet daily (7), the disparity between human consumption and renewed global resources is increasing at an extremely unsustainable and alarming rate.

Earth Overshoot Day is the date which marks the depletion of the global allowance of the Earth’s yearly quota of natural resources. These resources include clean water, clean air and carbon sequestration (8). In 2019, Earth Overshoot day was July 29th, the earliest date recorded. To put this into perspective, in 1987 the date was October 23rd and in 2005 it was August 26th (9). This current usage is equivalent to 1.7 Earths, and if this trend continues, with more people using more resources, three Earths will be needed by 2050 (see Figure 2) (10).

The first step in solving overpopulation is recognising it as a global challenge and acknowledging that it’s growing beyond its limits. When looking at Gelsdorf’s definition, it is quite evident that the concept of overpopulation cannot be denied as a global challenge. This trend has the ability to effect any area of the globe and has the ‘potential for serious global impacts’, such as resource depletion. Furthermore, because overpopulation is “trans-institutional in solution” (12) it can only be solved with ‘global compliance and collaboration’.

The 1994 International Conference of Parliamentarians on Population and Development recognised this fact. The conference identified that there is a “delicate balance between population and natural resources” (13) and it urges national governments to take responsibility to resolve their own population issues “in a way that respects their own national and cultural identity, values and tradition” (14).

A prominent example of a nation taking specific action to tackle population growth is China and it’s one child policy. Introduced in 1980, this unique and unprecedented domestic measure established strict government monitoring to ensure that Chinese couples were having one child only. Incentives were offered to those who complied with the policy, including paid vacation and priority housing. With China making up 19% of the global population alone, the policy has been effective in preventing approximately 400 million births (15), but despite this success, China has suffered from some negative side effects, including a skewed male population, an aging population and a shrinking workforce. The policy framework focused on numbers only and did not – or was not able to – take account of entrenched cultural biases that favoured survival of male children over female children. So, resolving the challenge clearly lies within shrouds of moral, religious, political and practical circumstances, as well as numbers.

Recent modifications to the policy now allow couples to have two children if either parent is a single child. A study published by The Lancet by Professor Yi Zeng and Professor Therese Hesketh highlighted that the two-child policy will “not result in a baby boom, but rather a moderate increase in fertility” (16), because of the low fertility culture in China due to the previous policy. Currently, China’s birth rates are at 1.9 children per mother (see Figure 3) and if this rate is sustained, it will lead to depopulation. However, the rate of decline will not mean a dramatic reduction in total population numbers, which still stands at 1.4 billion (17).

For the global community to benefit the most out of this solution, other nations should follow suit and implement their own birth policies within the bounds of their culture and awareness, especially nations with higher populations like India, the United States and Indonesia (18). It’s a non-disruptive way to slowly decrease the population as it doesn’t impact individuals who are already alive, but instead prevents births.

Another international solution is the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which outline 17 goals for the international community to work towards that are “the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all” (20). Because of state sovereignty, the SDGs are not legally binding. Instead, they are an innovative and effective way to exert pressure on nations and hold them accountable to accomplish the goals within their own borders (21). Additionally, compliance with the SGDs allows nations to create or maintain ties with other countries and establish a positive reputation within the global community. Although there is no specific SDG for overpopulation, the interconnective nature of the goals ensures that progress of some SDGs, especially ‘gender equality’ and ‘quality education’, is progress towards reducing overpopulation.

In his documentary Bill Nye Saves the World, scientist Bill Nye discusses the link between empowering women and overpopulation, stating, “by empowering women, we can lower the birth rate and keep population growth manageable” (22). Giving women access to a quality education and career is an impactful and ethical way to lower the birth rate. Not only is an education a vital way to gain knowledge about the many birth control options, but having a career usually means a woman can choose to have children later in life, which usually is linked to having fewer children. While this is a desirable aim, it is unfair for the female population to address this alone. The attitude and expectation of the male cohort must change if increased population levels are to be stabilised or reduced over time.

If the UN were to modify the SDGs to add a specific overpopulation goal, it will increase awareness about this issue and hopefully encourage nations put in place their own policies to sustain their precious resources and ensure the future of the world. Such an approach requires some sort of incentive which may include attaching achievement of population goals to financial assistance levels. World lending and aid organisations need to link their practices to a more sustainable level of population growth in spite of the moral and ethical issues that such an approach presents and the financial implications of doing so.

The actions we as a global community take now to combat overpopulation will determine the future of humankind and the environment. We have the power to decide whether we want to prosper as a race or succumb to irreversible environmental degradation and resource depletion. It is vital for all members of the international community to collaborate, cooperate and comply to ensure that the global solutions put in place are effective and sustainable.

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Rapid Population Growth, Crowded Cities Present Challenges in the Philippines

June 9, 2003

Yvette Collymore

Former Senior Editor

Focus Areas

Children, Youth, and Families World and U.S. Population Trends

(June 2003) Fast-paced population growth and rampant urbanization represent some of the major population concerns in the Philippines, a country of 80 million people where the average number of children born to a woman is close to four and where a sizeable 37 percent of the population is under age 15.

These issues represent major stumbling blocks in efforts to reduce poverty and improve living standards in the Philippines. In 2000, roughly one-third of the population (nearly 27 million Filipinos) lacked the roughly US$275 required annually to satisfy food and non-food basic needs, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) estimates. Such poverty, exacerbated by prolonged El Niño-induced drought and the residual effects of the 1997/1998 financial crisis that shook the region, limits the ability of the poor to gain access to health and other services.

The Philippines is also among the world’s fastest urbanizing countries, and overcrowded cities present their own challenges. With some 47 percent of the population living in urban areas, compared with 31 percent in Thailand and 16 percent in Cambodia, the country has more than 200 urban areas that have populations of more than 50,000, notes the country’s Commission on Population (POPCOM). By World Bank estimates, these urban centers could expand to some 600 by 2020, largely because high levels of rural poverty are pushing people into the cities.

The concentration of economic development in relatively few urban areas and rapid population growth throughout the country are other factors contributing to urban sprawl. Compared with other countries in the region, the Philippines is experiencing rapid population growth. The rate of natural increase — the birth rate minus the death rate — is 2.2 percent, compared with 0.8 percent in Thailand and Singapore and 1.9 percent in Malaysia.

In addition to fleeing to urban commercial centers, many people leave the country for work. An average of 2,500 Filipinos leave the country every day for work abroad, and the Philippines is second only to Mexico as an exporter of labor. An estimated 10 percent of the country’s population, or nearly 8 million people, are overseas Filipino workers distributed in 182 countries, according to POPCOM. That is in addition to the estimated 3 million migrants who work illegally abroad. According to official statistics of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration, Filipino workers abroad sent home US$6.8 billion in 1999 alone. A large proportion of these remittances come from women who are the majority of overseas Filipino workers.

* May include formal and/or informal unions. Sources: Carl Haub, 2002 World Population Data Sheet (Washington, DC: PRB, 2002); Justine Sass and Lori Ashford, 2002 Women of Our World (Washington, DC: PRB, 2002); PRB, The World’s Youth 2000 (Washington, DC: PRB, 2000). All these data can be easily found in PRB’s DataFinder.

Yvette Collymore is senior editor at PRB.

Oldest Areas May Be Hardest Hit: The Importance of Age Structure in Understanding Mortality During the Coronavirus Pandemic

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Over Population Of Urban Areas Has Led To Numerous Problems – IELTS Writing Task 2

Updated On Feb 19, 2024

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The Essay Writing section of the IELTS Writing Module can be a difficult task for many IELTS Aspirants. Thus, it is vital that you polish your essay writing skills before attempting the IELTS.

Below is a sample IELTS Essay for the IELTS Essay topic:

Overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. Identify two serious ones and suggest ways that the government and individuals can tackle these problems.

Cause and Solution Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the essay topic using synonyms.

Clearly state the contents of the subsequent paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs

Two major problems caused by overpopulation in urban areas.

Possible solutions to tackle these problems by the government and the public.

Summarize the topic and mention your solutions briefly.

Sample Essay

Overpopulation is one of the most pressing issues faced by the entire world in this day and age. Today, the world population is well over 7 billion and rising. The more concerning fact is that the distribution of population is severely erratic and is concentrated primarily in countries like China and India. Consequently, this predicament has precipitated countless complications among the general public, especially those residing in urban areas. In this essay, I will address some of the significant problems caused by overpopulation and suggest possible solutions to overcome the situation.

One of the gravest problems that are facilitated by overpopulation is the deficiency of living space. As we know that land resources are limited in nature, the area available for residence is also finite . Since the majority of the population resides in urban areas, the ability to shelter every individual becomes an arduous task. This phenomenon is called overcrowding and is relatively common in metropolitan areas. Additionally, due to the issue of overcrowding, the collective standard of living also declines considerably in urban cities. As the number of inhabitants surges , the means of the local authorities to provide decent public services like safe drinking water, sanitation and proper food is hampered .

Nevertheless, some measures can be taken to uplift these circumstances. First and foremost, the concept of family planning should be made known to the underprivileged and uneducated sections of society. It is only when the stigma regarding such sensitive subjects is eradicated that the focus of the populace will be re-directed towards more distressing matters. Also, proper city planning must be undertaken by the administration to tackle the current situation of overpopulation. With a reliable system, the plight of innumerable urban dwellers can be resolved.

Finally, the problem of overpopulation is something that cannot be solved instantly. With the consolidated efforts of both the general public and the government, the further aggravation of this issue can be restrained.

Band 9 Sample Essay

Overpopulation is one of the biggest hurdles that people around the world confront in today’s fast-paced environment. The city dwellers have suffered many hardships as a result of the technological and industrial revolution. The two most significant concerns created by urban overcrowding are high living costs and the persistent spread of pollution. To address these socioeconomic concerns, the government can take a variety of policies and preventative steps. The following essay will highlight the major issues and potential solutions to this pressing problem.

Technological improvements have resulted in an increase in the number of urban regions, resulting in people migrating to these cities. One of the most serious problems exacerbated by overcrowding is an increase in the expense of living in metropolitan regions and lack of space because land resources are limited in nature, and the amount of space accessible for living is similarly limited. As a result, procuring accommodation for each person becomes a difficult endeavour. Second, bumper-to-bumper traffic congestion is a severe consequence of overcrowding. Growing population allows people to opt for transportation services resulting in an increase of pollution.

However, the government can take some steps to address the overpopulation problem. To begin, the government can establish strict birth control regulations to reduce population increase, and the concept of family planning should be promoted to the poor and underprivileged. Apart from that, the government may develop rural areas by providing adequate infrastructure and providing employment opportunities for youth, thereby preventing people from relocating to urban areas. Furthermore, the government might invest in new modes of transportation to alleviate traffic congestion.

To sum up, traffic congestion, pollution, and high living costs are only a few of the repercussions of overcrowding in metropolitan areas. However, through establishing laws and enforcing bills, the government and higher regulatory authorities can focus on addressing these issues. Hence, overcrowding problems can be resolved with proper planning. Although it may not completely solve the issues, it will surely reduce the population.

Meaning: not even or regular in pattern or movement; unpredictable. Eg: The results from this method were quite erratic.

• Predicament

Meaning: a difficult, unpleasant, or embarrassing situation. Eg: He was responsible for his current predicament.

• Precipitated

Meaning: cause (an event or situation, typically one that is undesirable) to happen suddenly, unexpectedly, or prematurely Eg: The violent death of that woman precipitated nationwide outrage.

Meaning: limited in size or extent. Eg: The natural resources of the world like fossil fuels are finite.

Meaning: involving or requiring strenuous effort; difficult and tiring. Eg: The arduous journey from the bottom of the mountain to the summit was unbearable.

Meaning: a sudden large increase Eg: The surge in the number of COVID-19 patients was alarming.

Meaning: hinder or impede the movement or progress of. Eg: His work was constantly hampered by the loud noises outside.

Meaning: a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person. Eg: There is an age-old stigma regarding inter caste marriage in society.

Meaning: destroy completely; put an end to. Eg: The concept of racism has to be completely eradicated from society.

• Aggravation

Meaning: the state of becoming worse or more serious. Eg: The remarks of the politician led to the further aggravation of the situation.

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The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities Report

Introduction.

Overpopulation refers to stretching in terms of size and capacity due to limited resources and space. Overpopulation occurs as a result of high population densities. High population densities occur when the ratio of people to the size of land is not equal. High population densities are as a result of high birth rates which lead to pressure on available resources (Newman 2008).

Existing resources can only satisfy sufficiently a certain number of people and once the population explodes, social issues arise. These include poor sanitation, poor housing and increased poverty. Overpopulation is a major challenge in developing countries where people have continuously exceeded the normal size. This has led to pressure on space and land.

Solutions to Overpopulation

Land is a fixed resource therefore innovative ways need to be devised to use it. Several options are available to tackle overpopulation including economic, technical and social options like conservation, recycling, population controls through government legislation, educating people, and use of new technologies offered by art, engineering and architecture. Countries may implement measures to reduce birth rates or offer options to control putting up of buildings (Brym & Lie 2007, Newman 2008).

It is important to understand the root cause of overpopulation, which is scarce space. This means that if space is used efficiently, the problem of overpopulation can be greatly reduced. One angle is applying innovation in how buildings are designed and erected to utilize little space. Several architectural designs and drawings have been advanced by different experts in design and building of houses (Fawcett 2003).

Independent research

My independent research covered hexagonal housing units often referred to as vertical cities.

Emergence of vertical cities

Based on my independent research, development of housing and commercial units ‘horizontally’ tends to use up more space. As a result, developments by a Malaysian architect, Tay Wee, propose the design of ‘vertical cities’ which are made up of hexagonal housing units that offer a solution to the problem of overpopulation mostly experienced in Asian cities where population has exceeded the space available (Bernick, K 2010).

This development supports the idea that as population continues to burst; more units can be added to the facility or structure to accommodate the ever increasing population. It is termed as a “plug-in development” which borrows heavily from Le Corbusie’s theory, a French architect, who made advanced developments in architectural styles and emphasized the idea that “a house is a machine for living”( Bernick, K 2010).

In this proposed model, the city authorities own the building. They build it upon consideration of aspects like costs, accessibility, durability, ability to withstand tension, materials for construction and usability. Upon the erection of the original structure, more hexagonal units can be “plugged in” to the initial structure to accommodate new and upcoming families who want to settle down into homes (Bernick, K 2010).

When putting up the initial structure, arrangements should be made to accommodate recreational needs and facilities hence these areas maybe left as open spaces. The fascinating thing with this design is the ease of dismantling which implies that it promotes mobility hence it can be moved to another upcoming area in the event of pressures of population or growth of new cities which present better options for settlement of population.

The design of the building assumes that the structure will have a longer and sustainable life as compared to the degrading city and surroundings. This can be particularly applied in developing countries where better building solutions like ‘vertical cities’ have not been employed as this considers the fact that land is a scarce resource (Bernick, K 2010).

Aspects of design

Aspects of design refer to the elements that are considered to promote symmetry in the successful implementation of different architectural styles. These aspects revolve around shape, material, cost, accessibility, usability, effectiveness and durability. Design involves conceiving in the mind sketches and plans to be executed or constructed (Downton 2003). Based on the idea of vertical cities, aspects of design are equally taken into consideration and are discussed below.

In this particular case, usability is one of the core aspects. Usability refers to the ease of use and re-use in terms of ability to replicate the concept and make improvements to it. The idea behind hexagonal units is to “plug in” new housing units to the existing structure. This implies that the initial structure can be modified vertically depending how well the initial concrete slab was designed to withstand tension in terms of pressure and weight.

Usability is brought about by the ability to continuously add more units without exerting pressure on horizontal space due to the fact that vertical space is being used (Gudnason & Scherer 2012). Usability is equally brought about in the sense that this model can be replicated in towns experiencing similar overpopulation problems and used to curb the social issue. This idea is supported by the fact that the structure is flexible and can easily be dismantled hence it is very mobile.

Accessibility

The second aspect of design is accessibility. It refers to the degree in which a product, which in this case is a building, is readily available to as many individuals as possible. Accessibility in this design can be looked at from an angle of mobility in the sense that in the event of development of new cities, the structure can be moved to new found areas. People are not restricted to their initial areas of settlement.

Cost refers to the monetary or non-monetary investment that is used in development of something (Levitt & Bernstein 2010). This design saves costs in terms of time due to the option of plugging in” of hexagonal units. One does not have to undergo the problem of setting up initial structures.

This style significantly reduces financial cost. This is in terms of acquiring of new space or land to put up more units. The style makes use of vertical space to accommodate new or upcoming units. The initial cost of setting up the concrete slab might be costly hence care must be taken to ensure that durability and strength of the structure is not compromised as a result of concentrating on cost-cutting measures.

The overpopulation problem poses a major strain to many resources which include land and social amenities. Several options are available to tackle the ever increasing problem of population pressure. Architecture has presented several styles in design that if employed can greatly manage the overpopulation problems as indicated above.

Different advancements have been laid out that can be used in countries experiencing this social issue to ease congestion and over reliance on land as a fixed resource. It is important to appreciate the fact that architecture and engineering could provide several options that can be employed by countries experiencing overpopulation problems.

Bernick, K (2010), Plug your hexagonal house into this vertical city . Web.

Gudnason, G & Scherer, R. J (2012), E-Work and E-Business in Architecture, Engineering and Construction . CRC Press,United Kingdom.

Brym, R.J & Lie, J (2007), Sociology: Your Compass for a New World . Cengage Learning Inc, USA.

Downton, P(2003), Design Research . RMIT, Australia.

Fawcett, P (2003), Architecture Design Notebook . Elsevier Science, USA.

Levitt, D & Bernstein, L (2010), The Housing Design Handbook: A guide to Good Practice . Routlege, USA.

Newman, D (2008), Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life . Pine Forge Press, USA.

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IvyPanda. (2022, August 22). The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities. https://ivypanda.com/essays/report-on-overpopulation-and-aspects-of-design/

"The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities." IvyPanda , 22 Aug. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/report-on-overpopulation-and-aspects-of-design/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities'. 22 August.

IvyPanda . 2022. "The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities." August 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/report-on-overpopulation-and-aspects-of-design/.

1. IvyPanda . "The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities." August 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/report-on-overpopulation-and-aspects-of-design/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "The Challenges of Overpopulation: Vertical Cities." August 22, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/report-on-overpopulation-and-aspects-of-design/.

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IELTS Writing Task 2/ Essay Topics with sample answer.

Ielts writing task 2 sample 832 - overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems, ielts writing task 2/ ielts essay:, overpopulation of urban areas has led to numerous problems. identify one or two serious ones and suggest ways that governments and individuals can tackle these problems..

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Most of the big cities are overpopulated. Why do people still move to big cities? Give your opinions and examples.

IELTS essay Most of the big cities are overpopulated. Why do people still move to big cities? Give your opinions and examples.

• Structure your answers in logical paragraphs
• ? One main idea per paragraph
• Include an introduction and conclusion
• Support main points with an explanation and then an example
• Use cohesive linking words accurately and appropriately
• Vary your linking phrases using synonyms
• Try to vary your vocabulary using accurate synonyms
• Use less common question specific words that accurately convey meaning
• Check your work for spelling and word formation mistakes
• Use a variety of complex and simple sentences
• Check your writing for errors
• Answer all parts of the question
• ? Present relevant ideas
• Fully explain these ideas
• Support ideas with relevant, specific examples
• ? Currently is not available
• Meet the criteria
• Doesn't meet the criteria
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