Overpopulation in Niger

By, Zack Selker and Scott Campbell

 Niger
• Niger is a country of extremes.
• It experiences some of the most extreme
impoverishment in the world along with
one of the highest infant mortality and
death rates in the world
• The average life span for both a man and
a women is 44 years old.
• As we speak Niger is experiencing one of
the worst famines in generations.
• The infant mortality rate is 155.42/1000
births.
 Overpopulation
• The problem in Niger is its overpopulation
problem.
• It is a nation of 13,272,679 people.
• This excess of people is compounding the
other problems that the nation faces and
creates new ones.
 Poverty
• There is extreme poverty in Niger
• On average, the income is $700 per year.
• In the latest survey the poverty rate was
that 63% of the population lived below the
poverty line.
 Famine
• Right now there is a terrible famine plaguing
Niger.
• This famine pushes the death rate even higher
to 20.26 deaths/1,000 people while the birth rate
is at 49.62 births/1,000 population.
• Even with the high death rate, the birth rate
remains very high, along with the fact that
women bear on average 7 children. It is easy to
see where the overpopulation problem is coming
from.
 Its Problem
• While the overall population might not
seem as high as that of China and India,
and while its population density is just 12
people per square mile, Niger suffers from
all of the symptoms of overpopulation.
 The Land
• Niger is a barren desert, so most of its
workforce is employed in industry and
service (92% industry and 8% agricultural)
• This lack of farmland makes famine an
everyday occurrence.
• Only 11% of the land is arable.
 Contributors to the problem
• Extreme poverty is a contributor to the
problem and also a result.
• The high infant mortality rate makes
mothers feel the desire to have more
children because most babies do not
survive.
• Limited access to contraceptives.
 Results of Overpopulation
• Increase in famine occurrences are likely
and have happened.
• The increased spreading of diseases such
as HIV/AIDS and typhoid are direct results
of overpopulation.
• Poverty is a major result of overpopulation
and is a main contributor also.
• Increase in rebel and anarchist activities
 Solutions
• A viable solution would be to increase the
quality of medical care. This would give
people a fighting chance against the
diseases they face. A healthier population
would mean an overall better population.
 Controversial Solution
• A controversial solution would include the
use of military force.
• This would put pressure on the
government to better the conditions in the
country and stabilize the out of control
population.