5 The consequences of rapid population growth - World Bank

5 The consequences of rapid population growthThis chapter shows that rapid populationgrowthat rates above 2 percent, common in mostdeveloping countries todayacts as a brake ondevelopment. Up to a point, population growthcan be accommodated: in the past three decadesmany countries have managed to raise averageincome even as their populations grew rapidly. Inthat strict sense, population growth has beenaccommodated. But the goal of developmentextends beyond accommodation of an ever largerpopulation; it is to improve people's lives. Rapidpopulation growth in developing countries hasresulted in less progress than might have beenlost opportunities for raising living standards, par-ticularly among the large numbers of the World ' conclusion that rapid population growth hasslowed development is by no means straightfor-ward or clearcut (see Box ). Under certain condi-tions moderate population growth can be benefi-cial.

Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, and Rwandathe short-run difficulties are more obvious. In some areas crop yields are still relatively low, leaving room for rapid growth in agricultural production; in others, the expansion of manufacturing industry could provide exports to pay for extra food imports. But both solutions require costly investments, devel-

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  Growth, Population, Malawi, Population growth

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