Abstract

PIP: African countries are today suffering from the ill effects of uncontrolled population growth--massive unemployment, environmental degradation, and poor quality of people's lives. And the continent's population is growing at an alarming rate. According to U.N. projections, Africa's population will reach 1.5 billion in the year 2025. West Africa's population is growing at a rate of 3.3% per year, East Africa's at 3.1%, Central Africa's at 2.9%, and North Africa's at 2.7%. African women have 1 of the highest fertility rates in the world: an average of 6 children. While population is growing, the infant mortality rate is increasing. 113 of 1000 infants die in Africa compared to about 10 of 1000 infants who die in developed countries. The life expectancy of African men is 49 years; that of women is 52. African governments have responded poorly to the population growth crisis. Some African intellectuals have even termed the crisis a hoax put forth by westerners to destroy the black population or to sell contraceptives. Such illusory thinking will not remove the need for action, and the time for acting is now.