Youthful Population: Uganda

Statistics (these help to boost your mark in the long answer questions): 

• Fertility rate = 6.15 births per woman
• Infant mortality = 65/1000
• Child mortality = 107/1000
• Stage 1 of the Demographic Transition Model 
• 49.1% of the population aged 0-14

Advantages: 

There are advantages to having a youthful population structure. There are fewer elderly to support, so there is less pressure on the economically active in that respect. Additionally, there is a large working force available so there may be a chance to boost business or attract industries due to the large workforce available. 

Disadvantages: 

On the other hand, there are a significant amount of disadvantages. Even though there are fewer elderly dependants, there is a very high young dependancy ratio. The high numbers of younger people cause an increase in demand for facilities and puts pressure on infrastructure. Also, there will be competition for jobs, and if there are not many available there can be high levels of unemployment. Finally, there can be an increase in antisocial problems such as crime. 

Why? 

High fertility rates, largely due to a widespread lack of access and knowledge of contraception. In agricultural and many other communities children are seen as economic assets, rather than burdens, as they are able to work and earn more money for the family.