Population and Land Use in Developing Countries : Report of a Workshop

This valuable book summarizes recent research by experts from both the natural and social sciences on the effects of population growth on land use. It is a useful introduction to a field in which little quantitative research has been conducted and in which there is a great deal of public controversy. The book includes case studies of African, Asian, and Latin American countries that demonstrate the varied effects of population growth on land use. Several general chapters address the following timely questions: What is meant by land use change? Why are ecological research and population studies so different? What are the implications for sustainable growth in agricultural production?

Although much work remains to be done in quantifying the causal connections between demographic and land use changes, this book provides important insights into those connections, and it should stimulate more work in this area.

This report summarizes the discussions and papers presented at a Committee on Population workshop on population growth and land use change in developing countries. The workshop, held December 5-6, 1991, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C., brought together researchers from different disciplines to discuss recent research on the effects of population growth on land use.