Issues We Address
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Population and International Security
Population growth is a major contributor to economic stagnation through its depressing effect on capital formation. With growing numbers of young people attempting to enter the labor force, many developing countries have extraordinarily high levels of unemployment. Often high rates of unemployment give rise to severe political instability, which ultimately threatens national and international security.
Today, nearly half of the world’s population, that is, 3 billion people, are under the age of 25. Today’s generation of young people is the largest in history. Eight-seven percent of these youth live in developing countries where jobs, educational opportunities, and resources are scarce.
As the world grows smaller and smaller through globalization, wealthier countries and regions will find it increasingly difficult to insulate themselves from threats to their own security. The combination of poverty and violence is adding rapidly to the number of refugees seeking to move into more stable and prosperous areas. Growth of refugee and migrant populations is contributing to political instability and economic dislocation in many countries. Intelligence agencies in the U.S. and elsewhere have long recognized the implications of population growth on international security.
