Benin

Benin And its issues with OVERPOPULATION

Location • The Republic of Benin is located in Western Africa • It is surrounded by Nigeria, Togo, Niger, Burkina Faso, and the Atlantic Ocean • The capital is Porto-Novo and the official language is French

Statistics Population – 9,000,000 Population Density – 80 people per km Average mean income per family – $1,160 USD Labor force: Industrial - 2,098,200 people Agricultural - 3,281,800 people

Life Statistics • Life Expectancy: Male – 54 Female – 57 • Births (per 1000 people) – 42 • Deaths (per 1000 people) – 12 • Infant mortality (per 1000 births) – 98

Graphs Population Percentiles

39% 61%

Urban Rural

Current Events Articles • "I have nothing left to harvest this year" • River Flooding Prompts Fears of Malnutrition,

Causes of Overpopulation • Lack of education – Few public schools available or attended

• Lack information on prevention – Beliefs based on rumors and cultural ideas instead of facts

• Unindustrialized – More people working outside the city

• Children used for labor – Larger families used to help with farms

Consequences of Overpopulation

Increased poverty and unemployment Decreased standard of living Unsanitary conditions and environment Deforestation and excessive

Possible Solutions for Overpopulation • Provide access to Family Planning information and services • Promote women's rights, and power in a household to have a say in the number of children • Include information on overpopulation in the school’s curriculum • Use the government to promote limiting families to two biological

One Child Policy • Remarkably effective in stunting population growth • Adults save money used later for investments and their future • Parents spend more time bonding with an only child • Conserves resources • Women can now work • Increased economic growth

• Violation of human rights • Causes sex-selective abortion • Leaves only child to care for two parents and four grandparents in later years • Reduces social and communication skills

THE END