Geography IGCSE - Uganda Youthful Population Statistics

Uganda pop.

45 million (2021, worldbank)

Uganda location

Uganda is located in East Africa and lies astride the equator.

Birth rate

4.69 per women (2020, worldbank)

Intro

Young dependent pop. = 45%

BP1 (46% of Uganda's population live in rural areas)

Large rural population → pressure on agriculture land + water resources → families rely on small scale farming for subsistence → low income + food insecurity → reduces ability to pay for education + healthcare → limits children’s opportunities → slows down overall national economic growth

BP2 (In 2019/20 30% of Ugandans were below the poverty line)

Rising poverty rates → straining the availability of jobs + educational opportunities → more people competing for limited resources and employment → incomes stay low → access to basic services like healthcare + education is hindered → repeating cycle of poverty

BP3 (57% of 15-24 year olds have not completed primary)

Overcrowding → public traffic + overcrowding in schools → resources are stretched thin → leads to high dropout rates → lack of high education levels → limits young people's future employment opportunities in formal sectors → turn to informal or low paying work → contributes to cycle of poverty + underemployment

Causes BP1 (high birth rate of 4.69 per woman)

Families have more children than needed → due to limited access to family planning service, low female literacy + social expectations → cultural preferences for big families → rapid population growth → long term strain on economy as job creation can’t keep up with population growth

Causes BP2 (The young dependent pop. is 45% while the old dependent pop. 1.5%)

Imbalance creates large dependancy ratio → large percentage will enter reproductive age → youthful pop. will contribute to pop. growth → greater family sizes + faster pop. increase → government must allocate more funds to schools, childcare + vaccinations rather than elderly care → limits economic investment in infrastructure + development

Causes BP3 (migration from rural areas to urban areas have pop. growth rate of 5.1% annually)

Many individuals migrate to cities seeking better employment opportunities, healthcare + education → rapid influx overwhelms housing, sanitation + transport systems → strains urban infrastructure → leads to overcrowded living conditions, overcrowded slums + rising unemployment