Population Density, Fertility, Prosperity and Poverty
20 May 2005
Many believe that rapid population increase will not bring poverty to countries with few people per sqk. My letter in The Times elicited an e-mail along this line. Here is part of my reply.
| Population per SqK | Total Fertility Rate | GDP per capita (ppp$) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somalia | 13 | 6.84 | Poverty and violence | 500 |
| Norway | 14 | 1.78 | Prosperity | 37,700 |
| Zambia | 15 | 5.47 | Poverty | 800 |
| New Zealand | 15 | 1.79 | Prosperity | 21,600 |
| DR Congo | 26 | 6.54 | Poverty and war | 600 |
| Brazil | 22 | 1.93 | Becoming prosperous | 7,600 |
| Tanzania | 39 | 5.06 | Poverty | 600 |
| Iran | 41 | 1.82 | Prosperity on its way | 7,000 |
| Kenya | 58 | 4.96 | Poverty | 1,000 |
| Ireland | 57 | 1.87 | Prosperity | 29,800 |
| Sierra Leone | 84 | 5.72 | Poverty (and violence) | 500 |
| Greece | 81 | 1.33 | Prosperity | 19,900 |
| Uganda | 116 | 6.74 | Poverty and violence | 1,400 |
| Portugal | 114 | 1.47 | Prosperity | 18,000 |
| Nigeria | 139 | 5.53 | Poverty despite $billions from oil | 800 |
| China | 136 | 1.72 | Becoming prosperous | 5000 |
| Pakistan | 202 | 4.14 | Poverty | 2,100 |
| Italy | 193 | 1.28 | Prosperity | 26,800 |
| Burundi | 229 | 5.81 | Poverty and violence | 600 |
| Germany | 231 | 1.39 | Prosperity | 27,600 |
| Philippines | 293 | 3.16 | Much poverty | 4,600 |
| UK | 243 | 1.66 | Prosperity | 27,700 |
| Rwanda | 320 | 5.49 | Poverty and violence | 1,300 |
| Vietnam | 253 | 1.94 | Coming out of poverty rapidly | 2,500 |
| Comoros | 309 | 5.09 | Poverty (Islands off Africa) | 700 |
| Mauritius | 603 | 1.96 | Prosperity (Island off Africa) | 11,400 |
| Gaza Strip | 3823 | 5.91 | Poverty despite huge aid inflows | 600 |
| Hong Kong | 6317 | 0.91 | Prosperity | 28,700 |
(TFR = Children born per woman)
Figures courtesy of CIA (World Fact Book 2004) – and US Bureau of the Census