ABSTRACT
Since the end of Second World War, there has been a very rapid growth in awareness of, and concern for, the global "population problem." This chapter examines the population problem by disassembling it into its component parts and assessing these parts from a geographical perspective. "Overpopulation" in one region of the world impacts all the world's states in the form of resultant political instability and outflows of migrants—from illegal "economic" migrants to asylum seekers. Many were surprised to find that population distribution problems were identified as significant for an overwhelming number of countries, and for many it was noted as the most serious problem. Many intergovernmental and nongovernmental agencies have become deeply involved in these population flows. The impact of AIDS and HIV differs greatly from group to group and from region to region, demanding that solutions and even policies be population- and place-specific.
