Demography

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

• Study of Population trends and their causes and consequences

Question 2

Causes

Answer 2

• Causes of population growth are grouped as natural (births and deaths) and migration (immigration and emigration)

Question 3

Measures of birth

Answer 3

1. Raw numbers of births
2. Birth rate (number per 1000 members of the population)
3. TFR (total fertility rate) average number of children a woman has during her lifetime

Question 4

Consequences of birth rate

Answer 4

• Falling birth rate means a falling population unless death rate also falls or is migration patterns compensate

Question 5

Reasons for drop in birth rate

Answer 5

o Falling infant mortality- 5/1000- as less infants die, parents stop having more children to compensate. IMR has fallen because of better hygiene, housing and sanitation etc
o Change in the role of women- better access to divorce, abortion, contraception, better education and career prospects have changed attitudes towards having children, as it can be postponed and avoided
o Child centred-ness- children are an economic liability, they are expensive because of long periods of dependency caused by requirements to be in education.

Question 6

Measures of death

Answer 6

1. Raw Numbers of deaths
2. Death rate (number per 1000 member of the population)
3. Infant Mortality Rate (deaths under the age of 1 per 1000 live births)

Question 7

Patterns of death

Answer 7

• Death rate has dropped from 18 to 9 between 1900 and 2005
• IMR has fallen from 154 in 1900 to 5 in 2005
• Falling death rate has balanced out the falling birth rate, increased life expectancy (male: 77, female: 81) causes an ageing population

Question 8

Reasons for changing death rate

Answer 8

o Improved Public Heath- public sanitation, housing improvements, clean water etc.
o Medical Improvements- immunisation has eradicated some diseases though diseases of affluence (heart disease, cancer etc) have risen, antibiotics
o Better nutrition:as a result of laws controlling food standards
o Occupation change- less manual work
o Improved welfare provision- vulnerable groups are better cared for (eg elderly)

Question 9

Consequences of death rate

Answer 9

• Age pyramid is more like a rectangle, because of ageing population
• Declining need for new schools with more demand for elderly care homes
• Rise in one-person households (mostly females as they live longer)
• Causes policies to benefit elderly as they are more likely to vote (78% turnout 2015 election, with a overall turnout of 66.1%)
• Dependency ratio increased, which can effect all aspects of life

Question 10

Immigration definition

Answer 10

number of people entering a country

Question 11

Emigration definition

Answer 11

number of people leaving a country

Question 12

Net migration definition

Answer 12

immigration - emigration

Question 13

Migration patterns

Answer 13

• Until the 1980s there way more emigration than immigration
• Mainly to the USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (more recently to EU countries)
• Mostly young adults
• Economic reasons
• After WW2, many fled the weak economy of the UK

Question 14

Immigration

Answer 14

• In the last 20 years more immigrants have been from Europe
• Main reasons are economic and political persecution (UK advertised to Caribbean for workers in 50s and Asians were driven out of Eastern Africa in 60s and 70s)
• Since the 1980s borders have limited immigration from non EU countries

Question 15

Effects of migration

Answer 15

• Net migration is now 200,000 per year
• Immigration has been increased by globalisation
• Immigration increases diversity
• Some immigrants have professional skills and bring wealth to the economy
• 2015 General Election highlighted immigration as a major concern Marxists would say this provides a basis for the ruling class to control the working class