Essay On Future Population

1047 Words5 Pages
Australia's Current and Future Population Nineteenth century scholar Thomas Malthus famously argued that population growth, if not controlled, would outgrow resources, resulting in many social catastrophes. Malthus warned that it was mathematically inevitable, but is this the case for Australia? Population defines the number of people a country houses. This number is determined by the birth rate and death rate of a country as well as and country’s migration rate and fertility rate. Australia is a highly progressive developed country, but how applicable is it to Malthus’s theory? What are its current and future population trends, what issues would arise and is its government doing enough? Australia, a mostly uninhabitable land in which the majority of the population live in concentrations along a thin strip around the coast. The country’s population had clocked 24 million as of February this year and has a population growth rate of 1.4%, with around 400,000 births per year. Australia experiences…show more content…
Although many may believe faster population growth leads to faster growth in the economy, leading to higher quality in life. In reality, this only occurs if economic growth exceeds population growth, proving this observation shortsighted. Inevitably, there would not be enough infrastructure to support the demand of a ‘big’ Australia. From traffic congestion to urban sprawl, many population issues are observable today and they can be aggravated if no action is taken. Despite this, Australia’s population continues to age, with life expectancy increasing and birth rates dropping. With less in the workforce, economic activity will take a hit and the number of taxes payers will drop while the taxes rise. The country would need more in the workforce to keep it young and
Open Document