1. Population Geography of Africa

2. Worldwide Population Distribution Eastern Hemisphere

3. Population Distribution in Africa

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

5. Most Populous Countries in Africa

6. 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.

7. Least Populous Countries in Africa

8. 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

9. Population & Land in SSA

10. Population Distribution in Europe 72% is Urban

11. Africa: Regional Population (in Millions) and Urban Percentage

12. 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.

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

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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

17. Programs and Policies to Manage Population Growth in Africa

18. 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”

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

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

21. 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.

22. Effect of Female Education on Fertility Rates

23. 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