Global Population Change Case Studies

Global Population Change Case Studies

1. The Gambia's Youthful Population

   • Causes
     • Most people living in rural areas
       • Families have economic reasons for more children as they can help on the farm
     • Male dominated society - doesn't use or discuss contraceptives or family planning. Not much education on this
     • Small country, not enough room for the population
   • Effects
     • Population has been kept down due to deaths and infant mortality
       • However, developing healthcare, food and water resources is now leading to an increasing population
     • Birth rate 40 per 1000, per year. 3 or 4 times the UK
     • 11 mothers die for every 1000 children born
     • Life expectancy is 53 for men, 57 for women
     • Infant mortality is over 50 per 1000 per year
     • Population expected to double every 28 years
     • 92% dependency ratio
     • Not enough adults to provide the services for all the children
   • Male Nurse, 2 wives, 13 children. If each child has 6 surviving children there will be 27 times the population after 4 generations
   • Conditions
     • Government doesn't have the money to provide infrastructure for growing towns e.g. paved roads
     • Few can afford electricity
     • Lack of good sanitation - can be more than one family sharing a toilet
     • Not much privacy, all in the same room, no safety from intruders
     • Nutrition problems with only rice to eat, due to money problems
     • Trying to get all the children through primary school
     • School not big enough, 3000 pupils only 26 classrooms
       • Not enough school resources
     • 1 in 10 children die before 5
     • Wood being used as fuel, at a unsustainable rate
   • Managing the youthful population
     • Family planning awareness and easy access
     • Contraceptives subsidised by the World Health Organisation
     • Free vaccinations for every child
     • Outside funding to build clinics
     • Teaching mothers to space births - less children, allows time to recover
     • Education about forests and conservation
     • Trying to get everyone into primary school
       • Could lead to demographic dividend in the future - large educated working population
     • Policies and actions to avoid the crisis
       • WFP (World Food Programme)
         • Better Nutrition for kids
           • Better education
             • High skilled workers, leading to an economy boost
               • Demographic dividend
           • Better health
             • Less child death
               • Less children per family
       • Family Planning
         • Higher use of contraception
           • Less STD's
           • Lower Birth Rate
         • Better Maternal Health
           • Possibility of working more and a higher income
             • More money per family member
         • Lower infant mortality rate
           • Healthier children
             • Better nutritioned and educated children
               • Decrease in children per family

2. China - One Child Policy

   • Introduced in 1979 , restricts couples in urban areas to only one child
   • In rural areas, families are allowed to have 2 children if the first is a girl
     • Other exceptions include ethnic minorities and couples who both do not have siblings
   • Couples who break the rules can face heavy fines, or possibly lose their property or their jobs
   • It has led to forced abortions, female infanticide, and the under-reporting of female births
   • The traditional preference for boys has also created gender imbalance as some couples opt for sex-selective abortions
   • In future, families will be allowed 2 children if 1 parent is an only child
     • 2015 - Now becoming 2 child policy
   • Effects
     • Positive
       • Birth rate decreased
       • Fertility rate fallen
         • 1970 - 5.75 2000 - 1.7
       • Population growth reduced
       • People have been saving more as less money is spent on children, it gives them more money to invest
         • Need to save money for the future, can no longer rely on children to care for parents in old age
     • Negative
       • Care for girls program, which aims at eliminating cultural discrimination against girls, through subsidies and education
       • Unbalanced sex ratio
         • 1982 - Boys 100:110 girls 1990 - Boys 100:111.7 girls More females dying in first year after birth than males
       • Men finding it difficult to find a wife
         • Imports wives for Chinese men, especially form Burma
       • Growing ageing population
         • 1989 - 5% over 65 2002 - 7% over 65 2025 - 30% over 65
       • Reliance on children to look after parents, replaced by social health care, retirement homes etc.
       • Four-Two-One problem - one child is left to provide for parents and grandparents
       • Children are seen as an investment for old age as not every worker is entitled to a pension
       • Parents lavish too much on the child creating 'little emperors'
       • Male children are seen as more desirable
       • Multiple births - no penalties for couples who have twins
       • Infanticide - Selective abortion of female foetuses
       • 70,000 children kidnapped every year and traded on the black market, girls cost much less than boys

3. East Devon - Ageing Population

   • Causes
     • Receives retirement migrants due to pull factors
       • The scenery and weather
       • Memories and family
       • Rural Area
       • Elderly people culture
       • This fuels the businesses and housing that are catered to older people, making it even more attractive for retired people
       • Fairly affluent people,can afford to move
   • Effects
     • Increase in proportion of people over 65 and some over 50
     • Gender imbalance towards older females
   • Push factors
     • Cost of housing
     • Lack of shops and entertainment
     • Low paid jobs
     • Causing 18-30 year old's to leave
   • High dependency ratio of 85%
     • UK - 55%
   • 2nd highest concentration of over 50s in the UK
   • Implications
     • Significant reduction in earnings
     • Less tax and national insurance to collect
       • Working people may need to pay more
     • Healthcare becomes catered towards elderly
       • e.g. GP, hip replacement, social care
     • Particular types of housing, transport
     • Grey Pound, Grey Vote
     • Travel Agencies
     • Grandparents provide childcare
     • Not enough working age people to provide services

4. Newham and Richmond-upon-Thames

   • Local, not global
   • Newham - Inner City
     • Less educated
     • Higher concentration of population
     • More ethnically diverse
     • Less affluent
     • More unemployment
     • More crimes
     • Many residents relying on benefits and are deprived
     • Youthful population
     • More concentrated housing
   • Richmond - Suburban
     • Wealthier
     • Better Qualifications
     • Detached, more expensive housing
     • Less children, more elderly
     • Higher proportion of White residents
     • Higher percentage of employed residents
     • NHS under less pressure