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:
[1] Mormon 6:8-16
[2] "An Ancient American Setting for the Book of Mormon", John L. Sorenson, BYU Anthropologist
[3] Pop. Start = 100, Pop. Finish = 1.8 Million = 1.02% Annual Growth Rate See Note [5]
[4] "Roman Empire Population", Chris Heaton, unrv.com
[5] "Calculating Growth Rates", University of Oregon, Bob Parker
Other Resources:
[A] "Multiply Exceedingly", John C. Kunich, Signature Books
[B] "Population Growth", Wikipedia, 17th-19th Century Growth Rates
[B] "Population Growth", Wikipedia, 17th-19th Century Growth Rates
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:
http://www.fairlds.org/authors/danderson-steven/adding-up-the-book-of-mormon-peoples
