Population growth is the change over time in the number of individuals within a defined population, determined by the balance of births and deaths together with immigration and emigration. In human demography it is commonly expressed as a growth rate and summarized by the difference between crude birth and death rat…
Population growth is the change over time in the number of individuals within a defined population, determined by the balance of births and deaths together with immigration and emigration. In human demography it is commonly expressed as a growth rate and summarized by the difference between crude birth and death rates plus net migration, while ecologists describe it through models of exponential growth, where numbers increase by a constant proportion, and logistic growth, where the rate slows as a population approaches the carrying capacity set by limiting resources. The underlying dynamics are governed by age structure, fertility, mortality, and survivorship, and can be projected with kinetic and difference equations that track how a population's composition evolves. Rapid growth concentrates demand on food, water, energy, housing, sanitation, and health services, and can intensify environmental pressure, land-use change, and competition for habitat, whereas very low or negative growth raises concerns about ageing and dependency. For global health, population size and growth shape the distribution of disease burden, the reach of health systems, and the scale of nutritional and infrastructural need, particularly among vulnerable groups. Understanding these patterns is central to demography, ecology, resource planning, and sustainable development, informing policy on public health, agriculture, conservation, and the equitable allocation of finite resources.
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A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Population Growth, linking to each citing work.