It is called “overpopulation” the excessive increase in the average number of inhabitants of a specific region, resulting in a decrease in the quality of life, conflicts or damage to the environment. It is normal that its use applies to the human relationship with the environment, but those of other species are also included. In relation to past years, recent studies have revealed that the world population has increased considerably, since medical advances have reduced mortality rates in both childhood and adulthood and have leveled off with birth rates, generating the replacement rate.
According to experts in the field, overcrowding can have many causes; It is generally explained by claiming that, within a biotope (an area with the necessary properties to maintain a healthy community), the limits of sustainability are exceeded, that is, they cannot provide the necessary elements for survival. In other words, an area has a set figure for how many beings it can house and maintain; If this limit is exceeded, the population is most likely in danger of extinction.
In the case of humans, overpopulation arises when the death and birth rate are not level. In previous years, mortality rates were very high, due to the precarious living conditions; however, after the end of World War II, the Baby Boom occurred, a massive wave of births, which began to define life in the second half of the 20th century. After this phenomenon, birth rates, a level worldwide, were reduced considerably, being on par with mortality (replacement rate). Despite this balance, there are some countries where the population is greater than its capacity, such as China or parts of sub-Saharan Africa.
