Population Geography of Africa

Worldwide Population Distribution Eastern Hemisphere

Population Distribution in Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa 630 million Compare: Population Data 1999 Africa Total 770 million Sub-Saharan Africa 630 million Compare: Asia 3,600 million (3.6 billion) Europe 730 million S. America 510 million N. America 300 million

Most Populous Countries in Africa

Growth Rate vs. Population Size In spite of rapidly growing populations, the majority of African countries have national populations of less than 25 million people.

Least Populous Countries in Africa

Population Density Numerical density: number of persons per total land area Physiological density: number of persons per arable land area Agricultural density: ratio of farm population to the arable land

Population & Land in SSA

Population Distribution in Europe 72% is Urban

Africa: Regional Population (in Millions) and Urban Percentage

World Population Rates Although population rates are declining on a global scale as well as on the African Continent… Africa has the highest average population growth rate among the various world regions.

World Population Boom Average Annual Growth Rate -0.2% 0.7% 1% 2% 2.8% 2.3% 1% 1.4%

Population Growth & Fertility Population growth or decline is based on fertility rates in a country. Fertility rates indicate the average number of babies born to each woman of childbearing age in a country, and are usually calculated as annual rates.

Cultural Factors in Fertility Lineage continuation and expansion What are “patrilineal and matrilineal” Children as “wealth” and assets Agricultural work is labor (human) intensive Male-dominant decision making Polygyny Child fosterage

Direct or “Proximate” Factors in Fertility Early marriage Postpartum and peri-partum practices Natural and pathological sterility High infant mortality rates High maternal mortality rates

Programs and Policies to Manage Population Growth in Africa

Family Planning Programs Information and communication are being uesd to promote family planning and birth control. This is an education poster in Kenya, East Africa, printed in the local language: It says, “This mother needs Family Planning”

Kenya: Nutrition & Health Care Clinics Aim to Decrease Infant Mortality Rate

Maternal Deaths by World Region 1990 (although still high, Africa’s maternal death rates are lower than in Asia) Source: PRB

Programs and Policies to Manage Population Growth Governments in Africa recognize that improvement in the quality of life of their people is an effective means of managing population growth. The following chart relates educational levels of females in several countries to fertility levels.

Effect of Female Education on Fertility Rates

Population Issues Rapid growth rate Rate more critical than absolute numbers Fertility rate inversely related to quality of life/economic development. Why? Cultural factors: ‘wealth’ of human capital Economic factors: rural/agricultural labor requirements