Bill, that's the inevitable consequence of countries with traditions of large families (so that on average two children survive and reproduce) getting healthcare and work. In the Industrial Revolution, Britain went from 10 million people to 60 million people over the course of a century. By the end of the 19th century, the tradition of large families had mostly died out because it was no longer necessary, and families couldn't afford to support that many surviving children. That's why we're still around 60 million people here and we haven't had another six-times expansion over the 20th century.

I agree with you - what's needed is less people. We have enough automation, machinery and new techniques now to do a lot with less people, which means there isn't room for unskilled labourers any more. But since people are chosing now to have smaller families, the population *will* slowly come back down from the Industrial Revolution peak.

The problem is that Third World countries haven't necessarily had the benefit of our hindsight to stop that happening. A lot of charities have been trying to head the problem off at the pass, some as part of preventing AIDS with family planning advice which has the same effect. Just recently that's been rather hamstrung by GWB, but no doubt it'll get back on track when he's gone. And AIDS itself, sad to say, might have some hand in stopping this problem of overpopulation coming about in much of the Third World.

Graham.