Ethiopia on the path
The world population
demographic transition
01-
is tbe sum total of all
largest countries ·in Africa in terms of population
factors
next to Nigeria
there has not been aD~ material
Africa'are
book
quantitative
in
terms
of
it is
estimated to number more than 7 billion. It is
lots of researches
said that the world
regarding
living
humans
on earth.
As of today.
population
reached
refer,students
one
1804. It reacbed two
1927, but it took only 33 years to
reach three billion in 1960. Thereafter, the global
population
reached four billion in 1974, five
billion in 1987, six billion in 1999 and, according
to the United States Census Bureau, seven
billion in March 2012.
According to current projections, the global
population will reach eight billion by 2030, and
will likely reach around nine billion by 2050.
Evidences showed, average global birth
mortality,and
billion
However,these
rates are declining
from developed
slightly,
countries
countries
manageable.
a demographic
The
"Demographic
the movement
from higher
initial
birth rates to a stabilized
Professor
H. Teller,(PhD)
in Addis Ababa
of Population
University
Institute
Studies in an exclusive
interview
with The Ethiopian
major
problem
population
pressurize
Herald
Much densely
will
result
areas put
in rural
environmental
in land size and climate
The other difficulty
the number
of the
and other
distribution
in
degradation,decrease
because
is not a rapid
populated
High population
areas
that the
"It is the distribution
on the environment,land
resources.
change.
indicated
in Ethiopia
growth.
population.
Adjunct
is the youth bulge
of children
is going down
but the proportion
of youth is growing up. The
number
is becoming
of youth
percentage
of the population.
educated,have
and can't
couldn't
land and jobs.
be a potential
have productive
agricultural
becoming
It will be burden
help
if the country
employment
productivity.
As to him,the
much greater
They need to be
and good
growth
the most important
rate is no longer
problem because
published
Transition
book
Ethiopian
scholars.
up such as the high population
arcas,and
the youth
bulge
and demographic
Asked
National
whether
of the movement
and the potential
stated
on the
Policy is achievable
or not
which was issued
in 1993 have two main objectives
which was
to reduce fertility rate from over six (6.4) to 4.0
2015. The 10lal fertility backs down
in the year
to 4.8.
It is almost
Population
total
policy
fertility
women
in track.
faster and mortality
and mortality
be around
rate has shown progress
of four
mortality
per women.
Dr. Asscfa
fertility,when
Professor(Population
University
in Addis Ababa
said :"We say a country
transition
to low mortalily
fertility
to low fertility.
that fcrtility
has also
Hence,
if a country goes
So Ethiopia
and high
has started
has been very high and mortality
been
very
high
particularly
infant
to the 2011
2811000, total fertility
reached 4.8 from a high of 6.6 in the year 2000.
is very high. According
DHS, infant mortality
Therefore,
is
we are in a transition.
like Western
The direction
further
policy
that included
only
fertility
indicated
reach
European
is a comprehensive
policy
of development
not
reduction,
contraceptive
or
After
problems
all,it focuses
of
groups,education,empowering
employment
"Ethiopian
creation.
on
vulnerable
women,
and
To this end, what has to
be done is a good assessment
of strategies
to find out the limitations.
and
Without
doing that we can't say tbis strategy is good and
that is wrong.
That is why we said an evaluation
of policy is important.
has to be a population
regional
level because
and strength
to policy
We recommend
council
that there
at federal
and
it will give more power
implementation.'
He also said "Though Ethiopia is one of the
entitled
'The
and Development
adequate
in
c.over~ge of rlJost all 6f
.i..
education,
to the other
and
there
on
growth. In tbis regard
community
downward.
the policy
on the issue
Ethiopia
to the
and accelerate
We have worked
issue
for the last twenty
three
years
years and in the last
transition
in Ethiopia
has to be organized
Neighbouring
countries
in
a
here.
like Kenya are a head
earlier. They started
lowering
growth,fertility,raising
in
is because
information
of us and began a transition
improvement
focus
for almost
population
population
populous
and development
20
in demographic
in sub·.5aharan
It was indicated
emphasize
in the second
country in Africa,Elhiopia.
its uniqueness
countries
of the book
It highlights
transitions
implications
grown
population
address
urban
data
pressure
temporary
migration
among
Africa.
in the book that the main
policy
agricultural
employment
are raised among
Generalizations
demographic
for
on land and
linkages
commercialization,otf-farm
about
the
and
others.
lack
change and of progress
place,
de'monstratingthe
transition:
negative
This book
with
and higher
are pushing
countries
'0'( an Africana mix ofpoveny
factors
education,health
that
change.
with other African
uniqu1tness
type demographic
trends
are
but they are often misleading
Ethiopia
related
of
in meeting
the MDGs in Sub Saharan African countries
positive
age of marriage
this population
the demographic
transition
to
and meet
most ofMDGs.
The book
findings
policy
to guide policy,harmonizing
use,reduce
years."
The
needed
and leadership.
demographic
accelerate
a population
education
home
and belie the social-cultural
with 27 E~iopian
we
using
of the long
Council
coordination
fmdings
compares
demographic
there
research
common
authors."
ltWhy
the formation
the proposed
on the book
and
secondary
Population
for inter-sectoral
the
on this
we will be able to pull this book
in collaboration
implement
National
conflicting
20 years ago. We
regarding
woman's
theories, models, local case studies and indigenous
the process of Ethiopia
material
of
Among
to low
from high population
a wrinen
restrictions,increase
awaited
is a change
and high mortality
wrotc the book in order to encourage
said
1
the
compared
from the early stage, started
also
o.p f4ral-urban
The title demonstrates
to low population
He
are rais~'p
a,nd
2oi'5 where
quality
we have been following
together
for
by
growth
international
targets
issues
should consider
the MoFED
in Ethiopia
and mortality
population
barmonizing
demographic
different
the
th&<age· at early
fertility
of
is how to capture
div·ldend opportUni'ties.
enrollme'nt
transition
makers,provide
demographic'
marriage
published
from high fertility
. .
The main challenge
MOH
of
health
"This is the ftrst
world. We show that Ethiopia has embarked
demographic
maternal
migration,urbanization,ertf~rce'
of Ethiopia
transition
of negative
all aspects
reduction.
objectives
and
said.
population
population
is in a demographic
mortality
both fertility and mortality
low phase
Assefa
addressing
from high mortality
period of rapid
growth,"he
from
say
transition.
four per
(PhD) Associate
Studies)
on his part
one can
and mortality,declining
growth),declining
extreme
in a rapid
has five stages--
but stable fertility(the
population
2015 is very close."
Haile-Mariam
transition
fertility
is
speaking, when fertility
countries who are in low replacement
in this way it reaches
reaching the target of four in
is also declining
2015 thc
and thus declined
children
high
decline
is in a demographic
Demographic
very
fertility
rates are declining,
that a country
so in the last 15 years the total fcrtility
6.6 to 4.8. Ifit continues
state
In the National
it is stated that by
rate should
to Assefa,
pace. "Demographically
Charles who is also Sociologist and Demographer
policy
is faster than it used to be."
According
in rural
dividend.
the plans
Population
are coming
pressure
capital
cultures
proportion
in rural areas,poorest
the following:
re$earchers
case of Ethiopia':
10 Dr. Charles
academic
in population
Policy makers and their'advi~grs
and Dr.Assefa
a book
The unique
uniqueness
it is going down but other problems
Dr.Charies
with other 27 Etlliopian
According
mortality
,.
contribution."
Demographic
said "The population
Charles
projected
Africa.
Transition"
of human population~
lower one.
Dr.
significant
recenlly
burden
transition.
term
describes
in
largest
areas,thirtl'l1ighe~t
coverage,and
community
in
and
and data a~al~sis ovef'the
second
nu-al urban fertility, lowest
population
theMDGs.
In this regard,
levels) to
is one of the country
size, largest
in rural
of population.
are scattered and not in a compiled
To enable the international
together
(where birth rates typically
Ethiopia
aspects
research
20 years:
past
of Ethiopia
qualitative
city fertility, deeply cherished traditional
growth,fertility,infant
other
the uniqueness
identified-through
f
(where birth rates are
remain high). To this end, countries in the horn
of Africa are striving to make the growth
can
30 years
be aware of population issue of their ~spective
.
. .«
countnes,
research based PUbhCatl0rS have a
but vary greatly
often at or below replacement
developing
manner.
researcliers
have been done in this country
population
billion for the first time in
in
that
can use. Over the last
behind
also touches
upon
to unravel
some complexities
in Ethiopia-·slowly
declining
population
rates with rapidly
declining
child
growth
mortality,
nutrition,low
very
high population-resource
rapidly
high
chronic
under
urban but high rural fertility,
growing
pressure
small urban places.
and
along with