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INDIA'S POPULATION EXPLOSION

India is presently the second most populous country in the world. By the year 2050 India's population is expected to surpass that of China. Like most countries which have experienced the population explosion, India's population has skyrocketed because of consistently high fertility rates despite falling mortality rates. Over the last fifty years the expectation of life at birth rose from 32 years to around 60 years at present. This results in reproduction over the replacement rate, which in turn results in rapid (exponential) population growth. It is commonly professed that, for the benefit of society and the earth's resources, fertility rates must eventually be curbed to equal the replacement rate.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR INDIA'S POPULATION, ECONOMICS, AND ENVIRONMENT

India's present environmental problems are numerous. They developed, and are continually being exagerated, because of the stresses of increasing population and efforts to raise the standard of living, industrialize and modernize. It has been proposed that the earth cannot sustain the "normal" economic cycle, immitating European industrialization while neglecting the environmental, with the scale of present day society. Instead it is suggested that first world states must quickly assist such environmentaly hazardous countries into more efficient, less toxic, environmentally sustainable methods of production. At the same time the leading forms of production will shift from aggriculture to industry, as farming means become more efficient and industry expands.

This should produce a more urban and affluent population. It is apparent that both urbanity and affluence tend to lead to decreased fertility rates. This is (among other reasons) because of higher education rates and thus increased investment per child; and greater economic stability in old age and thus less dependency on children. Although this is the most prescribed answer to India's environmental and economic problems, outside countries have been slow to volunteer the necessary aid.

For more specific infromation on economic and environmental issues in India click here .

To see the sources used to create this summary, as listed in our annotated bibliography, click here .

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Ian Dorresteyn
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