The World Is Experiencing a Dramatic Increase in Population | IELTS Essay Sample

This is causing problems not only for poor, undeveloped countries, but also for industrialised and developing nations.
Describe some of the problems that overpopulation causes, and suggest at least one possible solution.

• You should write at least 250 words.
• You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Band 9 essay sample

There has been a dramatic surge in human population over the last few years. In fact, over 8 billion people inhabit the planet at the moment. This leads to a lot of problems including shortage of resources and destruction of wildlife.

Thanks to better living standards and greater access to advanced healthcare, infant mortality rate has plummeted over the years. People are also living much longer than they did in the past. The result is a massive population boom. While being able to live long and healthy lives is indeed a blessing, unfortunately, it also leads to many problems.

First, there are not enough resources for all the people currently living on earth. Overpopulation leads to faster depletion of natural resources. In order to feed the growing number of people, more food has to be grown. In order to grow more food, more land has to be brought under cultivation. This often happens at the expense of wildlife. Forests are turned into agricultural land. This leads to the loss of many species of plants and animals. It also disrupts the natural food chain and creates many problems. Not only food but other natural resources are also being consumed by humans at an alarming pace. Consequently, our land, water and air have become polluted. The treat of climate change is also looming large. Second, overpopulation leads to unemployment. There are not enough jobs for all the people who are willing to work. Unemployment can trigger social unrest. People from poor nations are also moving in large numbers to developed countries. There they often subsist on social welfare. Unemployed immigrants are also likely to commit crime. Thus, a massive increase in human population is not beneficial for the world.

The main cause of over population is the high fertility rate. In many countries, especially those in Asia and Africa, it is common for most families to have four, five or even more children. Some communities shun birth control methods because they believe it is against the will of God. Such people need to be made aware of the harmful consequences of overpopulation. Governments as well as religious heads have an important role to play here. If nothing works, governments should consider bringing in laws that limit the number of children a family can have.

To conclude, if the human population continues to grow at the current pace, we will not be able to achieve any more progress due to the shortage of food and other resources. Encouraging people to limit the number of children they have is the most viable solution.