The country`s population has now hit 39.4 million, an increase of 4.9 million five years after the last census, raising worries that if the current birth rate is sustained, by 2025 every dispensary in the country would be required to have 42,000 nurses to cope with the increase.
The Director of National Statistics Bureau Albina Chuwa told members of parliament at a seminar on the country`s statistics held yesterday that out of the total population, 29.5 million (about 75 per cent) live in rural areas while 10 million (about 25 per cent)live in urban centers.
She said that the birth rate was increasing at 2.9 per cent.
The last population census was held in 2002, during which a total of 34.5million people were recorded. The next census will be held in 2012.
`The increase in birth rates is the major factor of the increase of population. Most families have an average of six children,` she said.
Chuwa said the increase in the number of people has an adverse effect to the environment and also affects other sectors such as education and health.
`If this is the trend, in the health sector for instance, Tanzania will require 42,000 nurses in every dispensary by 2025 to cope with the increase,` she said.
She called on the MPs to educate their constituencies on family planning and on the need to have fewer children they can easily raise.
Chuwa said that if the birth rate is not controlled the number of people will increase from 64.5 per cent in 2025 to 86.5 per cent in 2085.
Speaking at the seminar, Busega MP Dr Raphael Chegeni challenged the bureau to state clearly how many children each family should have.
Victor Mwambalaswa (Lupa), wanted the bureau to give scientific explanation as why regions such as Mbeya and Iringa have more women than men, while other regions such as Tabora have more men than women.
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