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thissuddenincreaseinthepopulationofthedevelopingcountrieshaseatadifficulttime.eveniftheirpopulationhadnotgrownsofasttheywouldhavebeenfacingadesperatestruggletobringthestandardoflivingoftheirpeopleuptothepointatwhichtherewasenoughfood,housing,education,medicalcareandemploymentforeveryoohaveareasonablelife.thepoorcountriesarehavingtorunfasterandfasterintheireconomicactivityinordertostayinthesameplace,andthegapinwealthbetweenrichandpoorcountriesgrowswidereveryyear.
themostpressingproblemcreatedbytherapidincreaseinpopulationisashortageoffood.moremouthshavetobefedeveryyearandyetahighproportionoftheexistingpopulationarenotgettingenoughoftherightkindoffood.overthepasttwoyearsthetotalamountoffoodhasdecreased,andofcoursethetotalamountoffoodperpersonhasdecreasedevenmoresharply.
moreandmoreofthebabiesbornindevelopingcountrieshavebeensurvivinginfancy,andnownearlyhalfthepeoplelivinginthosecountriesareundertheageof15.theadultshavetoworkharderthanevertoprovidefortheneedsofthechildren,whocannotcontributetotheeconomyuntiltheyareolder.thereisashortageofschoolsandteachers,andtherearenotenoughhospitals,doctorsandnurses.farminglandisbeingscarce,socountrypeoplearemovingtothetownsandcitiesinthehopeoffindingabetterstandardofliving.butthecitieshavenotbeenabletoprovidehousing,andthenewersliveincrowdedslums.finally,therearetoofewjobs,andunemploymentleadstofurtherpoverty.