Changing populations Flashcards
China case study
94% of its population living in the east and only 4% living in the west
Physical factors
- harsh relief that occupies most of the west
- Himalayan mountains not easy to build on, and the
rocky landscape means that no agriculture can happen as there is no soil and little water - in the mountain shadow
- Deserts e.g Gobi desert, which is uninhabitable since it can reach -40 C in winter
Human factors
- Job opportunities in east e.g. Beijing, Shanghai
- Trade opportunites in east
- Fertile soils - better for agriculture
South Africa case study
69% of the population lives in urban areas
Physical factors
- abundant resources in areas like Gauteng for mining - e.g. gold and diamond - workers move to these places for work
Human factors
- Appartheid ended in 1994 - caused economic segragation and people can’t afford to move - poverty - creates areas of high population density and poverty
- Big cities like Johannesburg in Gauteng region entice people to move there - job opps and high living standards - rural to urban migration
Natural increase vs decrease (defenitions)
Increase - birth rates higher than death rates
Decrease - death rates higher than birth rates
Total fertility rates (definition)
Average number of births per 1000 women of childbearing age
Population momentum
The continued growth of a population even after fertility rates are down to replacement level
Causes of high population growth rate in Gambia
- 95% of population is Muslim - learned that contraception should not be used
- Families have kids to work in farms - country reliant on agriculture
- High birth rates and fertility rates
- Women pressured to have children - lack of equality
- Not good healthcare accesibility so families have lots of children to compensate for infant deaths
Impacts of high population growth rates in Gambia
- Overcrowded schools e.g. in Banjul (capital city) 3000 students, 26 classes
- Pressure on resources e.g. firewood - 50 years predicted forest gone
- High dependancy ratio
- Stress on economy and resources e.g. employment, healthcare
Soloutions to high population growth rates in Gambia
- Education about contraception
- Improving education so people can find employment
- Improve equality for women so they can have other options than being a mother
- Improve healthcare so infant mortality rates are lower
Causes of aeging population in Japan
- Older people stay more active
- Healthy diet e.g. eat more vegetables
- Good mindsets / mental health
- Less people to care for elderly because of low birth rates
Impacts of aeging population in Japan
- Economic difficulties for the government to pay lots of pensions
- High rates of suicide and depression among elderly - 40% are below the poverty line
- ⅓ of all suicides are committed by elderly people
- Increased dependency ratio and decreased labour force - causes lower GDP and overall negative growth
- Stress on healthcare services
- Dependency ratio is 70.1%
Soloutions for aeging population in Japan
- Strategies by government to encourage immigration and the relaxation of pre-existing regulations
- Encouraging women in the workforce - there are traditional gender roles of women being marrying and becoming housewives - more economically actives to support elderly
- Pro-natal policies to increase birth rates
- Giving small jobs to elderly people so that they can earn some money e.g. day care teachers
Consequences of megacity growth (10 mark q.)
Mumbai - population almost 22 mill, on the western coast of India.
- Slums have been formed e.g. Dharavi slum because property is so expensive
Disadvantages
- Bad sanitation - 500 people share one toilet
- Untreated water - high levels of Diptheria and TB and water scarcity
- No safety measures for children - lots of child labour
- Crowded areas - little privacy e.g. 1 million people living in one square mile
- High levels of income inequality
Advantages
- Sense of community
- Very low crime rates - lots of trust
- High levels of employment
Causes of forced migration in Syria
At least 10 million Syrian people have been displaced and fled to neighboring countries e.g. Turkey and Lebanon
Push factors
- Civil war that began in 2011
- Bombing destroyed homes and cut off communication
- Climate change meant that there was a lack of rainfall so low crop yield - also lead to tension between government and rural communities
- since 2011 nearly 500,000 people have been killed.
- Little to no infrastructure
Consequences of forced migration in Syria (on people and host countries)
Impacts on people
- Shelters migrants are forced to stay in are hot and uncomfortable
- Water is in short supply in camps
- Most children can’t attend school
- Migrants turn to dangerous boat journeys to be trafficked to better countries and often die.
Impacts on host countries
- In some towns in Lebanon, the population has doubled which puts stress on resources
- Stress on education - some schools teach lebanese kids for first half of day then syrians for second half.
- Sweden has taken most Syrian refugees per capita in Europe - but people blame higher crime rates on immigrants
Causes of forced migration in Tuvalu
- Country in Oceania
Push factors
- Rising sea levels due to climate change cause flooding which causes loss of drinkable water, cultivatable land and natural resources.
- Salt water is killing coconut trees - losing their main export which is dried coconut meat
- Predicted to be fully submerged in 30-50 years
Pull factors
- New Zealand is offering migration programmes to immigrants to ease their transition and provide housing and work.
Consequences of forced migration in Tuvalu (people and places)
Impacts on people
- Loss of income from agriculture
- Houses lost by flooding or cyclones
- Psychological toll on Tuvaluans e.g. eco-anxiety and stress when being forced to leave
Impacts on places
- Strain on Australian social services as smooth integration for lots of immigrants to
What is the definition of a demographic dividend?
The growth of an economy which is the result of a change in age structure of a country’s population.
First demographic dividend
When fertility rates decrease and life expectancy begins to increase. There is a relative bulge in the pyramid of people ages 18-33 so the economy benefits.
Second demographic dividend
When the growth of the labour force has decreased since the first DD, but the longer life expectancy and older retirement ages mean there is a bulge of workers contributing to the economy around the ages of 40-60.
Population structure of South Korea (part of Dem Div. case study)
Convex shape, bulge in the 40-60 ages, in the second demographic dividend
How did South Korea manage to achieve a demographic dividend?
- Adressing the high fertility rates they experienced during the 50s by investing in health centres and family planning
- In 1950, fertility rates were 5.4 per woman and in 2016 it was 1.25 per woman
- Also improved education so that people could find employment and contribute to economy
What challenges are South Korea facing now?
The DD is expected to turn into demographic debt.
- The dependancy ratio may increase as large work force retires and fertility rates remain low.
Example of an anti natal policy (+ incentives and disincentives)
China one child policy
- carrot and stick approach - incentives and disincentives
- 1979 to 2015
Incentives
- Free healthcare and education for the one child
- 5-10% salary rises for complying
- Cash payments
Disincentives
- Fines
- Job loss
- People with extra children did not obtain extra rations
Consequences of one child policy
- Abortions and contraception more available
- Shrinking labour force and future aeging population
- Relaxing of rules may cause a baby boom and population may grow faster than it can feed itself.
Example of a pro natal policy
Japan pro natal policy
Incentives
- Tax breaks and subsidies for child care and education.
- 8 weeks of paid leave
- Shorter working hours
Other ways
- Robot babies are being used to invoke an emotional connection
Is it working?
- fertility rate only rose by 0.14% from 2005 to 2013.
- Still not enough gender equality for mothers
Define gender equality
Rights, responsibilities and opportunities are equal between all genders
What is gender equality like in Rwanda? - Eastern Africa
- Women have traditional roles as housewives and have limited opportunities
- After the Rwandan genocide, many men were killed by a tribal group, so women had to step in and take positions in the workplace
- Gender based violence is a big problem - 57% of women have experienced domestic violence
What is being done to achieve gender equality in Rwanda?
Government of Rwanda is sponsoring a cooperation project which promotes gender equality
- Goal being that 30% of government is women
- Has been achieved, now 60% of government positions are taken by women
- There are dedicated members of police force who are women and support other women in issues like domestic abuse
- Sponsoring the gender action learning system which teaches men and women to work together and share their incomes.
- Campaigns are being carried out to reduce sexual harassment
What is gender equality like in Sweden?
- Gender equal society
- ranks 1st in the EU on the Gender Equality Index
How is Sweden striving for gender equality?
- Gender discrimination in the workplace is illegal
- Sweden is striving for equal pay, however there is still a significant pay gap, in 2022 womens salaries were 90.1 percent of mens
- Childcare and parental leave policy means that women can have a work-life balance and continue working if/when they have children
What is human trafficking?
The illegal transportation and/or exploitation of people or human parts.
Human trafficking Iran
- Black market and trafficked organs represent 10% of all global transplants.
- War zones/ areas hit by natural disasters are major target areas because people will sell organs for cheap
- In Iran it is legal for people to sell organs to hospitals
Advantages
- There is no black market or waiting list for kidneys
Disadvantages
- It encourages people to do bodily harm to themselves.
- It is state sponsored exploitation of poor people.
