THE EARTH’S POPULATION LIMIT

Evening Star, Issue 19994, 11 October 1928, Page 1

THE EARTH’S POPULATION LIMIT

This is vet far distant fa.-scns Dr Bader, in ‘ L’.Ero Nouvelle,’ Bans), relying on tho calculations of two Gorman geographers, who estimate that, although Europe is 80 per cent, full, the earth as a whole could support a population of at least live i-inies it;- present size. We road: “Some time age Professor Albert Penck, a Berlin geographer of wide repute, demonstrated, in the course of a series of scientific lectures, using authoritative statistics, that tho fear of tho approaching overpopulation of onr planet often expressed, is entirely without foundation. In fart, the can'll today lias not a fraction of (lie population that it is able to shelter and feed.

“ At tho present lime the earth is inhabited In 1,800 millions of human being*. Penck concludes that, taken together, the continents oiler the means of subsistence to eight billions of persons at least The present population of the globe would therefore only be about one-fifth of the maximum.

“ zVuother Gorman geographer, also an eminent authority on this subject. Professor Alois Fischer, declass that according to his own calculations; the earth’s population could never exceed 6,200 millions. Thus, oven accepting these more modest figures, we sec that the earth is still very far from overpopulation.

“ Wc rm)>t admit-, however. that, for some of the continent?, considered 'separately, conditions are quite different, So far as Europe is concerned Penck and Fischer agree in declaring that in the relatively near future the population there will reach the critical limit. zVeeording to Fischer. Europe can food 560 millions of people at best. Now it already has 4(50 millions-—about 80 per cent, of i(s rapacity oven now! Conditions arc infinitely more favourable for the oilier continents. Asm could support 1.500 millions, according to Fischer; 1.700, Penck says, 11 s actual population is 1.030 millions, or about 70 per cent, of its capacity. “In .America, conditions differ in North and South America. Smith America could support an increased population of 1.200 millions beyond the present total. In North America, the situation is less favourable. The present population, which is f 15 millions, would stand an increase of 800 millions on Fischer’s e-iimatc, or 1.100 million A on Penck's. “ Africa and An-tralia mTfar (he greatest possibilities in the way of increased population. Pend: calculates that Africa is a bit' to support 2.300 millions of sonK while it now hn= only 140 millions. Fischer puts the maximum at 1,5(50 millions. “ Australia has now only nine millions of inhabitants, and could support -15-0 millions more!

“ Although old Europe is filled np to 80 per cent, of her total e.ipaciiy. Africa read .Australia have reached respectively only 7, and 3 per rent. The perspective? opened for the human race arc thus: mere reassuring,"