Population Issues

Overpopulation: HBR, HFR, LLE (6)

• Many children might lose parents at young age

• Unemployment

• High illiteracy rates / low educational level

• Lack of access to important services

• Strain on finite resources

• Overcrowding

Many children might lose parents at young age (OP)

• They may be forced to find new homes / seek alternative shelter

• They may suffer from emotional issues from losing parents

Unemployment (OP)

• Job creation and supply cannot keep pace with growing population → Poverty

High illiteracy rates / low educational level (OP)

• Inability to attend school → Hard for young people to find jobs

Lack of access to important services (OP)

• Food, education, healthcare

  • Malnutrition / hunger

  • Inability to attend school

  • Ill health

Strain on finite resources (OP)

• Clean water, food

• Need to share the limited resources

Ageing / shrinking Population: LMR, LFR, HLE (5)

• More resources needed and diverted to supporting elderly-dependents’ needs

• May take an emotional toll on economically active population

• Underutilisation of resources

• Smaller labour force / Labour shortage

• Less innovations

More resources needed and diverted to supporting elderly-dependents’ needs (AP)

• Need to pay for elderly’s living expenses who may not have enough retirement funds

• Need to pay for medical costs for the elderly who require more medical and healthcare services as they age

May take an emotional toll on economically active population (AP)

Taking care of elderly

Underutilisation of resources (AP, UP)

• More schools shut down/merge

Smaller labour force / Labour shortage (AP, UP)

• Not enough workers to work in various industries (e.g. healthcare workers)

• Less production of goods & services (e.g. strain on healthcare system)

• Decline in economy

• Become dependent on migrant workers

Less innovations (AP, UP)

• Lack of talent

• Fewer ideas, less creativity, slower pace of innovation

• Those with experience retired

• Less vibrant economy

Underpopulation: LBR, LFR (4+3)

• Difficulty maintaining national defence

• Infrastructure underuse

• Economic decline

• Strain on social services

• Underutilisation of resources

• Smaller labour force / Labour shortage

• Less innovations

Difficulty maintaining national defence (UP)

Fewer people → fewer military recruits → challenges in maintaining national defence

Infrastructure underuse (UP)

• Expensive infrastructure (roads, hospitals, public transport)

  • Inefficiencies

  • Financial losses

Economic decline (UP)

• Reduced consumer demand → businesses struggle with reduced market + workforce → economic stagnation/decline

• Lower tax revenues → funding for pensions, healthcare and other public services may become unsustainable

Strain on social services

• With lower tax revenues, funding for pensions, healthcare and other public services may become unsustainable