Population

Population

1. World Population Growth

   • Exponential - Where population growth rate constantly increases
   • This graph is an S-shaped graph which means it increases more rapidly and then the total begins to decrease causing the shape to flatten out and curve
   • Demographic Transition Model
     • The transition from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates as a country develops from a pre-industrial to an industrialized economic system.
     • Stages
       • 1. Total population is low but it is balanced due to high birth rates and high death rates e.g. Rainforest Tribe
       • 2. Total population rises as death rates fall due to improvements in health care and sanitation. Birth rates remain high e.g. Afghanistan
       • 3. Total population is still rising rapidly. The gap between birth and death rates narrows due to the availability of contraception and fewer children being needed to work - due to the mechanisation of farming. The natural increase is high e.g. Bangladesh
       • 4. Total population is high, but it is balanced by a low birth rate and a low death rate. Birth control is widely available and there is a desire for smaller families e.g. USA
       • 5. Total population is high but going into decline due to an ageing population. There is a continued desire for smaller families, with people opting to have children later in life e.g. Germany

2. Population Pyramids

   • A type of bar graph used to show the age and gender structure of a country, city or area
   • Wide base shows high birth rate
   • Narrow top shows high death rate
   • Step shape shows decrease in population with age

3. Issues

   • Economic
     • Shortages of resources e.g. food, raw materials
     • High unemployment rates
     • Less money for spending on healthcare and education
     • Economy is affected by huge international debts
   • Social
     • Lack of a clean water supply
     • Lack of public services e.g. sanitation and electricity
     • Overcrowding and increased sizes of shanty towns
     • Low living standards and increase in rate of crime
     • Tension between different ethnic groups
   • Political
     • Unstable governments
     • Political coups
   • Enviromental
     • Over grazing and over-cultivation
     • Water, land and air pollution
     • Deforestation, land degradation, soil erosion and destertification
       • Causes of Desertification
         • Removal of vegetation
         • Overgrazing
         • Uncontrolled logging
         • Unsustainable farming and infertile soil
     • Huge traffic congestion

4. Reducing Growth

   • Population policy - A government strategy for reducing birth rates.
   • Consequences of an ageing population
     • Political
       • Raised retirement age
       • More money spent on pensions instead of education
       • Possible only private pension plans
     • Social
       • Large strain on healthcare resources
       • Large demanding on housing for increasing population
       • Increased numbers of retirement homes which are expensive
       • More interest in leisure industry from elderly people so more jobs
     • Economic
       • Low unemployment rates due to increased number of elderly
       • Have free time to invest such as working in charity shops
       • Increased taxes to be payed by working population
     • Demographic
       • 1950's - one pensioner for five working people present - three pensioners for five working people
       • This an increasing problem in countries like the UK
   • Case Study: China's One Child Policy
     • 1979 - present
     • The leader from 1949 - 1976 was Chairman Mao, he believed a large population would create a productive workforce needed to make China great.
     • The one child policy was introduced on the 25th of September 1979.
     • It is believed to have prevented 400 million births.
     • Couples can have a second child if: A rural family has a female child first, the parents were both single children, if they are an ethnic minority or if they can afford the fines
     • Advantages: More readily available food, improved standards of living, better access to technology and reduced strain on health care
     • Disadvantages: Forced abortions late in pregnancy, lack of human rights, baby girls are abandoned and left to die, 60 million more men than women, single children can be spoilt
     • A small working population will have to provide for an increasing number of pensioners

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