12 Biology

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Unit 12.2: Population

Topic 1: The human population growth in PNG

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Topic 1 Learning Outcome

•Explain the impact PNG’s population increase in terms of the environment and species endangerment, and the health and stability of the nation as a whole

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

Topic 1 Instruction

1. In this topic you will explain the impact of PNG’s increase population in terms of the environment and species endangerment, and the health and stability of the nation as a whole.

2. Read through the slides thoroughly.

3. Complete the questions on the activity slide.

4. For this unit read Save Buk 12 Biology (Page 159 to 162).

5. If you use 60 to 120 minutes of your time everyday, you should able to complete the given task in a week.

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Read from here for further understanding in the topic

The growth of world population is considered by many experts to be the greatest of all changes of the twentieth century. It is a change which has been largely dependent on the rapid development of medical sciences. Although the rates of growth have varied, population growth has continued throughout periods of world war, famines, technological development, and dramatic shifts in the world power.

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Where people live on the earth is referred to as population distribution. Human settlements are very unevenly distributed over the earth’s surface. Some areas are unsuited to human habitation and other areas have very favourable geographic conditions. This causes people to congregate there resulting in high population density. The four most densely populated regions are northeast USA, south and east Asia, the Nile valley and delta, and northwest Europe.

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The national census in 1990 put the total population of Papua New Guinea at 3.8 million. The population growth rate averaged 2.3 percent annually over the most recent inter-census period (1980-1990). PNG’s population in mid-1999 was estimated to have reached 4.6 million and is increasing at approximately 105,000 per year. The growth rate has remained almost unchanged since the 1970s. At the provincial level, growth rates between the last two censuses (1980-1990) varied from a high of 4.6 % annual growth in the NCD to low of 0.3% in Chimbu province. These rates are affected by the in-flow and out-flow, respectively, of migrants. In provinces with low rates of population growth, the main reason (excluding migration) is high death rates rather than low birth rates.

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According to the 1990 census, population distribution between regions and provinces is uneven. Of the four regions, the Highlands recorded the highest population in the 1990 census (1.4 million), followed by Momase (1.0 million), Southern (0.8 million), and Islands (0.6 million). Over the recent decades, the regional population distribution has changed little. In 01997, the Highlands region comprised 37 percent of the population, followed by Momase (26%) Islands (21%), and Southern (16%). Population growth rates vary across regions. The Islands region has the highest annual rate (2.9%) because of the higher than average birth rate, lower than average death rate and in-migration from other regions. The Southern region follows (2.7%) mainly because of in-migration from other regions to the National Capital District. If PNG’s current growth rate were to continue unchanged for the next two decades, the population would reach approximately 7.5 million by the year 2020. The National Population Policy 2000-2010 aims to bring the national growth rate down to 2.1 percent by 2010 and below 2.0 percent by 2020.

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

PNG faces numerous challenges in comparison to the other Pacific Islands countries. PNG has:

• One of the highest proportion of people aged younger than 25 years of age (58%).

• Very high overall fertility rates. Family planning and reproductive health programmes need to be strengthened.

• Very high adolescent fertility rates - Access to youth-friendly services throughout the country, particularly in rural areas. Family life education in schools will help to raise awareness of the consequences of early child-bearing.

• Highest Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR)- targeted intermediations to address the underlying causes of maternal mortality are needed. Access to safe motherhood and emergency obstetric care needs to be improved.

• Lowest proportion of births attended by skilled professionals.

• Highest Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) .Some of the measures that should be undertaken to reduce infant mortality rates, is to improve infant, child and maternal health by improving primary health care programmes, improve emergency obstetric care to decrease neo natal mortality, and expand immunization programmes.

• Highest HIV prevalence rates.

• Lowest Life expectancy at birth.

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

Prepared by: Ivan Raka

Activity: Answer the following questions on the space provided.

1. Answer the following two questions in terms of the difference in birth and death rates.

(a) Why was the human population steady in the past?

(b) Why is the human population increasing rapidly in the last 300 years till now?

2. A growing population is likely to increase while a steady population does not increase or decrease in size. Write STEADY or GROW beside the following statements.

(a) Life expectancy is high. _________

(b) An old and aging population. _________

(c) A developing young country. _________

3. What will be the total population in Papua New Guinea by the year 2050?

4. What will be the significant change in the population between now and the year 2050 as shown by the age structure?

Prepared by: Ivan Raka