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MANY ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING ELIMINATION of tropical forests, desertification, and reductions in biodiversity, are most clearly evident in the Third World. While rapid population growth is often considered an important factor in this environmental degradation, solid empirical evidence on its role is almost nonexistent. Understanding the effects of population on the environment requires careful consideration of the full range of factors responsible for environmental deterioration and of how they interact with demographic factors. The nature of this relationship is heavily determined by land use patterns and agricultural policies adopted by governments. This essay describes some of the relationships between population growth, migration, and natural resources with reference to agricultural practices in two very different less developed countries, Guatemala and the Sudan.