population

population

1. definitions

   • birth rate: the number of births per 1000 population per year
     • rate of natural change: the difference between the birth and death rates
   • death rate: the number of deaths per 1000 population per year
   • immigration rate: the number of immigrants per 1000 population entering a receiving country per year
     • rate of net migration: the difference between the emigration and immigration rate
   • emigration rate" the number of emigrants per 1000 population leaving a country of origin per year
   • fertility rate: average number of children a women is expected to have in her lifetime
   • carrying capacity: the largest population that the resources of a given environment can support
   • population density: number of people living in a given area per km2
   • population distribution: how a population is spread around the area
   • life expectancy at birth: average number of years a child born can be expected to live under current mortality levels
   • rural depopulation: due to falling demand (reduction in services, schools, hospitals
   • counterurbanisation: process of population decentralisation as people move from large urban areas to smaller urban settlements and rural areas. (to seek a better quality of life by getting away from problems in cities)
   • population structure: composition of population eg. age/sex

2. reasons for population explosion

   • improved medical care: vaccinations, hospitals, drugs etc.
   • improved sanitation and water supply
   • improvements in food production
   • improved transport
   • decrease in child mortality

3. population growth and resources

   • increasing population allows for fuller exploitation of resources
   • optimum population: ideal amount of people living in an area to allow for maximisation of resources without decline in quality
   • overpopulation: when there are too many people in an area relative to the number of resources available to maintain a high standard of living.
     • consequences: shortage of workers, less tax revenue, schools/hospitals/roads close, less development, hard to defend; congestion; competition for land
   • underpopulation: when there are too little people in an area to use the resources available efficiently.
     • consequences: unemployment, shortage of schools/hospitals, congestion, inflation, shortage of water/electricity, pollution

4. high death rates/low birth rates

   • high death rates in LEDCS: poor healthcare,/sanitation/access to water/food, disease, lack of education and provision for elderly
   • low birth rates in MEDCS: contraception, education, expense of children, social norms, pensions, women in the workforce, low infant mortality
   • HIV: poverty, STIs, low status of women, sexual violence, high mobility, ineffective leadership

5. population policies

   • population policies: encompasses all of the measures taken by a government aimed at influencing population size, growth, distribution, or composition.
     • pro-natalist: promotes large families/immigration (increase)
     • anti-natalist: encourages few births (decrease)

6. migration

   • push factors: intolerance, extreme climate. natural disasters, social upheaval, poor employment/income/living standards, shortages
   • pull factors: attractive environment/amenities, high standard of living, job prospects, high wages, improved housing/education/healthcare
   • voluntary: there is free choice
   • involuntary: made to move against their will
   • barriers to migration: lack of money/awareness
   • remittances: money sent back by migrants to their families
     • alleviates poverty, spurs investment, multiplier effect
   • positive impacts of migration
     • country of origin: remittances as source of income, emigration eases level of unemployment, reduces pressure on services, return migrants bring skills
     • countries of destination: increase supply of labour, migrants bring skills, cultural diversity, young migrants reduce dependency ratio
     • migrants: higher wages, more job opportunities, new skills, support family, new languages/cultures
   • negative impacts of migration
     • country of origin: loss of youths with skills, ageing population, shortage of labour (affects agriculture), returning migrants may threaten tradition
     • countries of destination: migrants may take jobs from locals, increased pressure on services and housing, ethnic tension, negative environmental impacts
     • migrants: high financial costs, separation from kin, assimilation, exploitation, illegal journeys

7. DTM

   • (1) High Stationary Stage: high BR and DR (DR fluctuates due to disease/war), slow growth, high IMR, low life expectancy
     • (2) Early Expanding Stage: DR falls, BR high, growth peaks, IMR falls, life expectancy increases (medicine, norms etc.)
   • (3) Late Expanding Stage: BR and IMR falls, urbanisation slows
   • (4) Low Stationary Stage: low BR/DR, slow growth, DR rises slightly due to ageing population
   • (5) Natural Decrease Stage: BR falls below DR, natural decrease

8. dependency

   • ratio: relationship between the economically active and inactive population
   • implications of ageing population: shortage of workers/taxes, pressure on healthcare, expensive pensions
   • too few youths: closure of child services, less taxes in the future, increase in average age, declining population
   • too many children: pressure on services, increased dependency

9. population distribution

   • sparse: rough terrain, extreme climate, dry/lack of vegetation, natural disasters, poor supply of water/gas/electricity, poor communications, shortage of resources, shortage of services
   • dense: coastal, flat relief, close to water supply, abundant natural resources, fertile land, communications, jobs/electricity/food, infrastructure

10. case studies

    • kenya: high rate of population growth
    • russia: declining population
    • bangladesh: overpopulation
    • australia: underpopulation
    • china: anti-natalist policy
    • france: pro-natalist policy
    • mexico to the usa: migration
    • gambia: dependent population
    • canadian northlands: sparsely populated area
    • northeast usa: densely populated area