Population Growth: Young Population and High Fertility

In many parts of the world, population has skyrocketed in past years.  There is a strong correlation between the existing level of development in a country and a country's population growth rate.  As countries become more developed, birth rates tend to decline, whereas countries that remain relatively underdeveloped retain higher birth rates.  As countries become more developed, their set amount of resources naturally present becomes capable of supporting a greater number of people, whereas in undeveloped countries the amount of resources naturally present is capable of supporting a much lesser number of people.  

Ironically, those countries with the highest capacity to accommodate new people tend to have the lowest birthrates, and that those regions with the lowest capacity to accommodate new people tend to have the highest birthrates.

In the past, discrepancies between population growth resource distribution have led people to migrate en masse.  A prime example of this is European immigration to the United States in the 1800's and 1900's.  The population of Europe had exceeded the resources available in the region, and declining standards of living caused people to cast their eyes elsewhere.  Relatively open immigration policies and a surplus of resources relative to the existing population made the United States a popular destination for immigrants.  Allowing immigrants to flow from areas of low resources to areas of high resources led to positive economic results for both the host nation and the donor nation.  Immigration can simultaneously provide solutions to two problems: a host nation's large proportion of underdeveloped resources in proportion to its existing population, and a donor nation's low proportion of resources in proportion to its existing population.

Population Decline: Aging Population and Low Fertility

As a result of declining fertility rates and lengthened life expectancy, the population of the world will inevitably age in the future.  Because this trend is already present in many of the European nations, we can look at demographic shifts in Europe and project similar patterns onto other regions of the world for a plausible view of their future. 

The significance of the aging population of Europe only becomes clear with historical context.  At the end of the Second World War, the nations of Europe built up enormous social welfare systems.  Many of these programs, specifically benefits for the elderly, were put into place with the assumption that the population would continue to grow so that the young people who put money in would always outnumber the old people who took money out.  For the greater part of the century, they were right; population growth kept the system running smoothly.  

In the nineties, however, the populations of major European countries began to experience a declining birthrate.  The reasons for this are still hotly debated.  As a result, many countries in Europe have begun to import young immigrants to make up for the youth deficit.  However, since the Eurocrisis and the subsequent downturn of the European economy, the continent has become a less attractive place for skilled immigrants.  The shortage of skilled labor is enough to pose major challenges to the economy itself, which in turn will further lower the birthrate and discourage the migration of skilled labor.