Population Lesson: How They Grow and Change
Lesson Overview
- What Is Population?
- Poverty and Food: Why Do Some Families Spend So Much on Food?
- Gender Equality: Do Women and Girls Have the Same Rights?
- Youth and Challenges: What Are the Problems Young People Face?
- Family Planning: Why Can't Some Women Access Contraception?
- Environment and Population: How Does Growth Affect the Planet?
- Ageing Population: What Happens as People Live Longer?
- Urbanization: Are Cities Getting Too Big?
- Milestone Moment: When Did We Reach 7 Billion People?
Have you ever wondered how many people live on our planet, in your country, or even in your city? The population is the count of all individuals residing in a particular area, whether it's a small village or the entire world. Understanding population helps us learn about how people live, where they live, and the challenges they face.
What Is Population?
Population means the total number of people living in a specific place - a city, country, or the world. Every second, new babies are born, and people move between places. This constant change in how many people live in a certain area affects how we live, eat, travel, and take care of the Earth.
Population is not just a number. It's about people - children, adults, workers, students, and families - all sharing space, food, jobs, and resources. As population grows, the needs of people grow too.
Poverty and Food: Why Do Some Families Spend So Much on Food?
In many poor countries, families spend over 50% of their income on food alone. That means half of all the money a family earns goes just to buying food. That leaves very little for other important things like clothing, rent, medicine, and education.
Why Does This Happen?
- Food prices are high in some countries.
- Jobs pay very little.
- There may not be enough grocery stores or farmland.
- Families may have many children to feed.
| Type of Country | % of Income Spent on Food |
| Poor Countries | 50% or more |
| Rich Countries | 10–15% |
This shows how poverty affects daily life. When families can't afford more than just food, they stay stuck in a cycle of poverty.
Gender Equality: Do Women and Girls Have the Same Rights?
In many parts of the world, women and girls do not have the same rights as men and boys. They may be denied education, fair pay, or the ability to own land or make decisions in government.
Examples:
- Some girls are not allowed to go to school.
- Women are paid less than men for the same job.
- Women may not be allowed to inherit land or money.
- Girls are expected to marry and take care of families at a young age.
| Right to… | Do Women Have It in All Countries? |
| Own Land | ❌ Often No |
| Choose a Career | ❌ Sometimes Not |
| Make Government Rules | ❌ Rarely |
Youth and Challenges: What Are the Problems Young People Face?
Today, half of the world's population is under 25 years old. That means young people make up a huge part of our global population. But many of them face serious challenges.
Common Issues:
- Health problems like HIV (a virus that can make people very sick)
- Early marriage – especially for girls aged 15–19
- Unemployment – many young people can't find jobs
These problems can hurt a person's future and the future of their community.
| Problem | Fact |
| HIV Infections | 40% of new infections are ages 15–24 |
| Early Marriage | 50 million girls married by age 19 |
| Teen Mothers | 16 million girls become moms every year |
| Jobless Youth | 3x more likely to be unemployed than adults |
Family Planning: Why Can't Some Women Access Contraception?
Over 215 million women worldwide want to plan their families but don't have access to modern contraception. Contraception helps women choose when or if they want to have children.
Without it, women may have many children even when they are not ready or able to take care of them.
Why It Matters:
- Prevents dangerous pregnancies
- Helps families save money
- Gives women time to go to school or work
- Creates healthier families and communities
| Region | Women Without Access to Contraception |
| Developing Countries | 215 million |
Environment and Population: How Does Growth Affect the Planet?
As more people are born, we use more natural resources like water, energy, and land. This puts pressure on Earth's environment.
How We Can Help:
- Reduce energy use
- Recycle more
- Use renewable energy like solar and wind
- Support fair use of resources
| Action | Helps the Planet? |
| Wasting water | ❌ No |
| Riding bikes or walking | ✅ Yes |
| Burning fossil fuels | ❌ No |
| Sharing clean energy tools | ✅ Yes |
Ageing Population: What Happens as People Live Longer?
Today, the average life expectancy is 69 years - that's 21 years longer than in 1950. People live longer because of better medicine, cleaner water, and improved hospitals.
Why This Matters:
- Older people need support and care.
- Some do not have retirement income or health care.
- More elderly people means new challenges for governments and families.
| Year | Life Expectancy |
| 1950 | 48 years |
| Today | 69 years |
Urbanization: Are Cities Getting Too Big?
Yes! In many developing countries, cities are growing very fast. By 2025, some cities will double in size, creating both challenges and opportunities.
What Happens When Cities Grow Quickly?
- Overcrowded housing
- Traffic and pollution
- Too few schools and hospitals
- BUT also: more jobs and better services
| Issue | Example Impact |
| Overcrowding | Too many people in small homes |
| Pollution | Dirty air and water |
| Poor Planning | No public transport or parks |
Milestone Moment: When Did We Reach 7 Billion People?
On October 31, 2011, the world's population reached 7 billion people. That was a major milestone. Today, we are already past 8 billion!
What This Means:
- More people means more demand for food, water, and space.
- We must work together to make life fair and healthy for everyone.
| Year | World Population |
| 1800 | 1 billion |
| 2011 | 7 billion |
| Today | 8+ billion |
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