



The Book of Mormon population growth rate would have to have been more than double that of the Roman Empire and other peers.





Nephite/Lamanite Populations with the most conservative estimates possible:

Population Start (Ps) = 100

Number includes both Lehi's family and the Mulekites who colonized during the same period.

Lamanite army size estimate using the same number of as the Nephite Army

Even though Mormon 6:8 indicates that the Nephites were " filled with terror because of the greatness of their numbers "

" Warrior to Population ratios used is 1:4

Even though anthropologists say 1:5 is the usual ratio. And they sometimes go as high as 1:6 depending on the type of battles.

References:





[3] Pop. Start = 100, Pop. Finish = 1.8 Million = 1.02% Annual Growth Rate See Note [5]

[5] " Calculating Growth Rates ", University of Oregon, Bob Parker





Other Resources:





From John C. Kunich's "Multiply Exceedingly"

Table 2 - Growth Rates

DATE U.N. Smith; Ehrlich Hauser Bogue 1650-1750 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.34 1750-1800 0.4 0.5 - 0.5 1800-50 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.43 1850-1900 0.5 0.8 - 0.68 1900-10 0.8 0.8 - 0.65 1910-20 0.8 0.8 - 0.65 1920-30 0.8 0.8 - 1.07 1930-40 0.8 0.8 1 1.11 1940-50 0.8 0.8 - 1.1 1950-60 1.8 1.8 - 1.83 1960- 2 1.8 2 -

Equation to calculate the Growth of a Population:





Where:

Pf = Population Final

Ps = Population Start; Ps = 100

r = Annual Growth Rate

n = Years of Growth; n = 984

Apologist Response: