Impacts of Environmental Quality on the Demographics of Three Nations

Author(s)

Emily HummelFollow

Abstract

This study will examine how the correlation between air and water quality and the population demographics of India, South Africa, and the United States. India is a country with a growing population, increasing income inequality, and gender roles that reflect its status as a developing nation. South Africa is much smaller in area and the population is beginning to level off, but South Africa’s income inequality is growing much faster than India’s and gender inequality is less of an issue in South Africa. The population of the United States is decreasing and gender roles are fairly equal, despite income inequality growing fastest of the three countries. Each country has air and water quality issues due to power generation and economic traits, but general trends arise. In all three countries, income inequality is increasing, and a higher concentration of impoverished people live in rural areas. Rural areas of developing countries are subject to environmental degradation and poor environmental quality, meaning these people are more susceptible to the effects of climate change and extreme weather events, pushing them further into poverty. This is a world issue, and this knowledge can serve as a template for potential solutions for other countries that may have one or multiple characteristics in common with the countries.

Department

Environment and Sustainability

Major

Environmental Science

First Advisor

Holly Myers

First Advisor Department

Environment and Sustainability

Second Advisor

Yu Zhou

Second Advisor Department

Geography

Publication Date

Spring 5-2-2016

Repository Citation

Hummel, Emily, "Impacts of Environmental Quality on the Demographics of Three Nations" (2016). Honors Projects. 286.
https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/honorsprojects/286