Academic Writing - Task 2 (Model Answer)

The world is experiencing a dramatic increase in population. This is causing problems not only for poor, underdeveloped countries, but also for industrialised and developing nations. Describe some of the problems that overpopulation causes and suggest some solutions.


If we consider that China alone has a population of 1.3 billion this figure should worry the world. Many other Asian countries like India and Bangladesh also have high population figures. A population explosion is of concern not only for an overpopulated country but for the rest of the world too.

Firstly, resources are limited and cannot be shared equally amongst people. Poverty increases due to this unequal distribution and we can see many people starving in poorer nations. These people have no hope or future and are often taken advantage of by richer nations who are looking to gain from their disadvantaged position, for example in the form of cheap labour. Aid is expected which burdens economies that are doing well. Other social problems are also caused by a population boom such as mass migration, increase in levels of crime, unsanitary living conditions, lack of social services etc.

Unfortunately some of the solutions available are extreme. In China for example the authorities have imposed a one-child policy for each family to restrict population growth. Having more children means a family must pay high taxes for this. Other less dramatic measures could be to promote birth control and educate families on the dangers of having too many children.

To conclude, everyone is affected by overpopulation and limited resources, food shortages being the main danger. It is not always easy to deal with this problem which already exists as mega cities are overcrowded and cannot cater for all residents. Prevention is better than cure and methods to restrict further growth should be examined.

Question taken from 101 Helpful Hints for IELTS p.126