One reason for world population growth is falling death rates due to improvements in medical care, inoculation, and living conditions. Some Low Income Countries have high birth rates due to social norms where children support parents and economic needs, while birth rates in countries like the UK have fallen due to costs of raising children, women's education and careers, and family planning programs. An aging population in Japan is causing economic concerns due to a shrinking workforce and increased costs for pensions and healthcare, but pensioners are boosting the economy through their spending and technological developments have been inspired to support elderly citizens.
1. Population Change
To be able to:
Describe and explain growth and distribution of global population.
Explain the reasons for changing birth and death rates.
Describe the characteristics of the demographic transition model.
Describe and explain the physical and human factors which affect the
distribution and density of population in China and UK.
Explain what two countries do to cope with contrasting population
problems
Describe population at a local scale
Recognise and interpret population pyramids
Explain the consequences of an ageing or youthful population.
Explain the advantages and disadvantages of ageing populations
2. Global Population Change
The rate at which a population grows depends upon two factors: the number of births and the number of deaths. By
subtracting the deaths from births we are able to calculate a country’s natural increase, the higher this number the
faster the rate of growth. A negative result means the country’s population is shrinking.
The rapid growth of the past 100 years has mainly resulted from a reduction in the death rate brought about by
better hygiene, diet, water supply and medicine. Although the death rate has fallen, birth rates have remained high
in many LICs due to social norms and economic needs – child often work for their parents and support them in old
age. Population growth in Europe and other HICs has slowed considerably, and even gone into reverse, as a result of
later marriage, women wanting careers and the increased cost of bringing up a child.
7. a) Study Figure 4a (maps) in the
Resource Booklet.
It shows a map of world population
density and a map of world relief.
(i) Which country named on Figure 4a is
densely populated?
(1)
(ii) Describe how relief can affect the
population density of an area.
Use only evidence from Figure 4a in
your answer.
(4)
(iii) Outline other factors that affect
world population density.
(3)
8.
9. The number of live babies born in a year The number of people who die in a year
for every 1000 people in the total for every 1000 people in the total
population. population.
• Improvements in medical care for • Improvements in medical care has
pregnant women have resulted in more resulted in people living longer lives.
births. Inoculation against diseases.
• It is now costly to bring up children in the • Inoculation have resulted in more people
UK, increasingly people are having less living lowering the infant mortality rate.
children linked to this. • Death rate is affects by poverty and level
• Women are being educated on how to of development.
control fertility.
• Women are choosing careers delaying The difference between the birth rate
marriage and child birth. and death rate is known as NATURAL
• Some religion do not believe in birth INCREASE. If the birth rate is higher than
control. the death rate, then the total population
• Family planning programmes put in place will increase. If the death rate is higher
to control countries birth rates. than the birth rate, then the total
population will decrease.
10. One reason for world population growth is falling death rates.
Give reasons why death rates have fallen.
(3)
Suggest reasons why some Low Income Countries (LICs)
have a high birth
rate.
(4)
11. Some countries have a falling death rate.
Explain the medical and social reasons why death rates have
fallen.(4)
14. Physical and Human factors that affect the
distribution and density of the population in
China Although China has the world’s
largest population at over 1.1
billion people there are large
parts of the country which are
sparsely populated. Most Chinese
live in the eastern half of the
country with the highest densities
along the coast and major rivers.
These regions have fertile
soils, good natural resources and
excellent transport. The densest
regions are the major port cities
of Hong Kong and Shanghai which
Physical Human have grown prosperous through
Relief Employment international trade. The western
Climate Industry half of China is only sparsely
Water supply Transport populated as much of it is arid
(the Gobi Desert) or upland (the
Tibetan Plateaux).
15. Physical and Human factors that affect the distribution and
density of the population in the UK
16. China One Child Policy
What has China done to reduce its birth rate?
In 1979 China has a quarter of the worlds population, and its was growing at a rapid rate. Government
realised something drastic had to be done to improve living standards and to ensure their economy
could sustain the population therefore the one child policy was put in place.
Incentives Disincentives
These were rewards which were given to These are the punishments in which people may
those people who kept to the policy. Couples have if they go against the policy.
with only one child were given a ‘one- child Couples were required to pledge that they would
certificate’ entitling them to a package of not have more children. If they had another child
benefits, including: they lost their privileges.
• cash bonuses They could be sacked from their jobs and also
•Free education receive heavy fines.
• free medical care People were monitored by the ‘granny
•Better child care police’, These women made regular household
• preferential housing arrangements visits to keep track of the status of each family
under their jurisdiction.
Recent Changes Unmarried young people were persuaded to
In rural areas, a second child is generally postpone marriage, couples without children were
allowed after five years, but this usually only advised to wait their turn, women with
applies if its a girl. unauthorised pregnancies were pressured to have
A third child only allowed in ethnic minorities. abortions, and those who already had children
were urged to use contraception or become
sterilised.
17. Singapore Population Policy
What has Singapore done to increase its birth rate?
Population policy has gone full circle in Singapore. During the 1970s and 80s the government
encouraged parents to stop at two children, concerned that the small island nation would become
over crowded. The policy was so successful that the population actually started to shrink! Faced with a
shortage of workers for its expanding businesses. In 1987 the government introduced a ‘have three or
more’ policy which included the following elements:
Incentives
Parents receive a cash gift of up to $6000 per child.
Government funding used to reduced the cost of nurseries
Preferential access to the best schools given to parents with large families
Expanding families given spacious flats and outdoor space.
Pregnant women are provided with counselling to discourage ‘abortions’ or sterilisation after birth.
Maternity and paternity leave extended.
Parents receive annual paid childcare leave.
Parents with young children receive an extra payment from the government to help them pay for a
maid ($95 per week).
The second to fourth child can also have a savings account called a Children Development Account
(CDA). This is where any savings made are matched by the government.
18. Characteristics of Population
Every 10 years the British government carries out a census. A census
literally counts everyone and records their characteristics (gender,
age, ethnicity, religion, occupation etc...). When the results
gathered are compared with those of the previous census
demographers can get an image of how a population is changing.
This information can be used by many groups, including local
councils and national governments, to estimate future service
needs, and in some cases to identify potential future problems.
Exam Tip – Although you may be asked to use location
specific knowledge to answer questions covering this section
of the specification; it is more likely that you will be asked to
describe a table, graph or map that is focused on a region we
have not studied in class.
Whenever you’re describing a resource try to complete the
following steps: (1) Identify the main trend; (2) Support with
evidence (data from the table etc...); and where possible, (3)
identify any exceptions.
19. WHAT IS A POPULATION PYRAMID?
Vertical Axis - Age Groups
Elderly dependents
Working population
Young dependents
Horizontal Axis – Percentage / number
20. Levels of Economic Growth Population Pyramids
The wide base indicates that
there are large numbers of There is still a pyramid shape There tends to a lower birth
young dependents, the result of but the steps do not decrease rate linked to changes in
high levels of fertility. The top of rapidly as LICS. This is because lifestyle and choice.
of improvements in medicine
the pyramid is narrow and People live longer due to
indicates that only a small and diet leading to a lower
death rate. The birth rate tends medical improvements.
proportion of the population Large workforce due to
lives to old age. to be still high, however, death
rates have decreased due to emigrants.
Characteristics of this country:
Limited resources stretched to continued improvements in
meet the needs of a high living conditions.
amount of dependents.
Large number of jobs will need
to be created.
21. Consequences of an:
Negative Positive Negative Positive
In the UK there are 3 They can play an important The large numbers of children
pensioners for every 5 people role in the community by is causing many problems in
Children can look
of working age, which is providing their time and LICs. Providing a enormous after their parents
causing a strain on the expertise for free, such as strain to provide education,
provision of state pensions. working in charity shops. healthcare and food. In many
so less money
This causing a strain on those countries education is not free needs to be spent
people who work for their therefore many don’t get an
taxes need to add to state education affecting the work
on care for the
pensions. they can do. elderly.
Greater demand for With more people having Diseases among children is
healthcare and support leisure time there is a growth widespread with common
There is a large,
services. At present hospitals in the number of jobs in the complaints like measles and active workforce.
are already short of bed space leisure industry. diarrhoea, sometimes leading
and specialist nursing for the to death because of lack of
elderly. doctors and nurses and
the amount of money spent Unemployment rates will be necessary medical resources.
on education might have to be low as the percentage of
cut to spend on the elderly. elderly increases.
22. Advantages and Disadvantages of an ageing population in Japan
Introduction
• Their population is ageing at an alarming rate, causing concern over economic growth and living
standards.
• In 2006 20% of the population was over 65, which is high compared to the UK’s 16%, it is said to rise to
41% by 2055.
• The percentage of economically active will fall to 51% in 2055.
•Birth rate is low
Disadvantages Advantages
Workforce – The labour force will of shrunk to 5.3 million The greying Yen – Japans pensioners
by 2015. are spending their money upon
Not enough people for new recruits. travelling, leisure activities and luxury
Between 1990 and 2025 the proportion of pensioners to
workers paying taxes, there will only 2 workers compared
items. This is adding to the economy.
to 6 in 1990.
Basically not enough people to work affecting the Technology – The greying of Japan has
economy. led to a technological explosion,
They may have to draft in migrant workers. inspired the developments of gadgets
Pensions – The state pension system will be affected due to monitor the elderly family
to not enough money coming from workers. Therefore members.
they have had to raise the retirement age and increase
pension payments plus increase taxes.
Healthcare – The number of people living in care homes is
increasing causing pressure upon the economy for the
expense to provide facilities.
In 2006 they started incentives to try to get more people to
try and live at home longer.
