Human population growth: local dynamics--global effects.

This communication presents a very simple model for the global growth of the human population. It is shown that the solution of the simple equation x = beta x2 describes the experimental data remarkably well. This equation is derived by introducing a new, local concept: the individual quality of life and by assuming that human breeding strategy consists in keeping this quantity constant through the ages. However the model should be enlarged with a saturation mechanism if future growth is to be described.