Abstract

The main aim of this study was to investigate population growth and its effects on residential land in Douala IV Municipality. The objectives of this study were aimed at investigating the effects of the nature and trend of population growth, to analyze the consequences’ of the nature of residential area, solve the problem of population growth in Douala IV Municipality.

The sample population of the study was 100 inhabitants of the Douala IV Municipality. The instrument used was questionnaire. Findings reveal that; there is a strong positive correlation between the use of projectors and teaching of geography. The findings revealed that population growth is a major call for concern in this area. Also, there many causes of population growth and the problems can be solved through the recommendation.

For recommendations, based on the findings of the research, individuals wish the government should solve the problem of population growth because they suffer the consequences of traffic congestion, pollution, diseases, unemployment and high crime wave. The government should open more roads, create jobs, ensure free medical campaigns, increase security.

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Just few aspect of human societies as fundamental as the size, composition and the rate of change of population (Robinson 2001).The growth of human population in the last 50 years has been staggering. According to the United States cencusbureau,the global population was 2.5 billion in 1960, and later increased to 3.5 billion in 1975, and 5 billion in 1999 and to 6.5 billion in 2006.

The rate of increase in the world’s population is alarming and so causes an increase in the demand for food,shelter, clothing, and other life-supporting needs. These needs are derived directly or indirectly from the natural environmental (Animashaun, 2002). This astronomical growth in human population has a number of environmental, social, economical, political and physical consequences.

200 years ago there were less than one billion humans living on earth. Today, according to the United nation’s calculations there are over 7.7 billion of us, and in 30 years the world’s population is going to increase by 2 billion persons, which is 9.7 billion persons in 2050, and could peak at nearly 11 billion person around 2100.

Recent estimates suggest that today’s population size is roughly equivalent to 6.9% of the total number of people ever born. This is the most conspicuous fact about world population growth: for thousands of years, the population grew only slowly but in recent centuries, it has jumped dramatically.

Between 1900 and 2000, the increase in world population was three times greater than during the entire previous history of humanity—an increase from 1.5 to 6.1 billion in just 100 years (UN Secretariat, 2008).By 2045, the world’s city population is predicted to exceed 6 billion.Rapid population growth and cityization will have a dramatic effect on the increased demand for jobs, housing, energy, clean water, food, transportation infrastructure, and social services (UN Secretariat, 2008).

Population growth provides opportunities. But at the same time, population growth raises problems. Because, residents need jobs, need skills to work, need income and recognition, require the establishment of family economic conditions, and so on. Because the needs of the population are very large, the city manager needs the right steps to avoid the population and their needs. Population control is urgently needed, especially in increasing population, population distribution, and its effects on city development.

This statement by the UN-Habitat has a background, namely, there is no specific and detailed study with the population and land. Residents who may live in the city, are not determined. Though city land has never increased, city residents must be determined by considering the carrying capacity and capacity of city land. Thus, there is a balance between the population and the availability of city land.

The balance of city development that considers the population and city land will provide opportunities for the creation of attractive and sustainable cities. Sustainable cities have become a global issue, and the efforts of city managers to realize sustainable cities will only be achieved if city development policies favor the population and the availability (also condition) of city land.

One of the implications of this uncontrolled population growth is it impact on residential land  particularly,in the urban areas. Urbanization and high population density has caused land degradation especially in most parts of developing countries. Cameroon is one of the developing countries,that has experience a rapid population growth rate since the past years.

The increase in the rate of population growth occuringin  most Cameroonian cities, has been resulting in rapid rise in the demand for urban lands, particularly for housing, roads,and other economic activities. This rising demand for urban land,tend to be reflected primarily in the congestion of center areas of the cities,rise in land values, prices and in the conversion of rural lands at the peripheries of the cities into urban use.

In Douala as it is in other cities,rapid population growth, means more people to feed,more infrastructural development, increase provision of facilities and ameneties such as hospitals,water, electricity and even telecommunications. The provision of all these ameneties,means putting pressure on urban land, resulting to the competition for scarce land.

Douala has experience tremendous changes in land uses over the past years, especially for residential purposes. The reason for this is not far-fetched. The city of Douala has become an industrial zone,in addition to being a business resort and the economic capital of Cameroon. Apart from this factors mentioned, the establishment of schools, hospitals, roads, parks and transportation facilities attracted people and thus leading to population increase, which increase the number of hotels, and the demand for more land for residential housing and hospitality industry. This increase in population has also resulted to the establishment of new residential zones, which are owned by both the government and private individuals.

Many writers see the phenomenon of population growth as a challenge to create a more attractive city. Moreover, there is a lot of research on population growth which states that the majority of the population will live in an area called “city”. However, the authors see that there are many cities that do not pay attention to city development based on the population. In fact, if the population is not controlled and is not used as the basis for the construction of city facilities, the city will face crucial problems.

 1.2 Statement of the Problem

It is obvious that any area with increasing population density has serious implications on the pattern of land use, especially for residential purposes. The population of Douala has increased over the past years till now. The paradox is that, inspite the land mass of Douala, which is about 210 kilometers square, with about 2.45 million residents, as compared to other big cities with larger surface area and more residents.

Land meant for residential purposes, in Douala and even in other cities of the world, are to be available and affordable. It is expected that every taxable adult can own a plot of land. In Douala very few adults can own a plot of land, because of several documents which are needed and some sales men are scams, and the land is not even enough for the increasing population and this shortagein available land has adverse effects in the use of land.

Another problem of population pressure on land is the scarcity of land optimised by an increase in land rent. Land in Douala is very expensive. In the late 1980s, plots of land cost lesser that it does today, that is, at the main streets and even more lesser at the peripheries during the past years than it is now. The astronomical increase in house rent in Douala has become very glaring.

As soon as the price of land I increasing, So does the house rent increase too. For example a room which cost 2500 to 3000 francs in the past years, now cost 5000 to 6000 francs and even more, and an apartment which cost 10000 to 15000 francs in past years, now cost 25000 to 30000 francs and even more during this present days. Also, that is the same which house rent in the peripheries are increasing.

Moreso, we do have high crime wave. Due to the increase in population in a gben urban area (Douala), there will be an increase in the demand for jobs, which the available jobs won’t be enough to satify or employ the excess population there present, will lead to joblessness of a given proportion of the population. Thus, due to this, there will be an increase in crimes like stealing and even trafficking of children, which is as a result of no jobs.

Also, we have pollution. Pollution can be either air, land, water and even noise. With an increase in population, there will be an increase in waste produce by both houses and industries in the production process. Due to this waste increase, through which some will be deposited in rivers, some on land, and the gas from this waste will thus pollute the air thus leading to the pollution of these different sources. Also when population increases, these is increase in noise in the urban areas, which causes noise pollution.

1.3 Research Questions

1.3.1 Main Research Question

What are the effects of population growth on residential areas in Douala IV Municipality?

1.3.2 Specific Research Questions

1. What are the nature and trends of population growth in Douala IV Municipality?
2. How has population growth affected residential areas in Douala IV Municipality?
3. How can this issue of population growth in residential areas in Douala IV Municipality?

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