G2: Populations Flashcards
What is the demographic equation?
Birth rates + Immigration - Death rates - Outmigration = Population change
What is demography?
Demography is the study of population’s vital statistics
What is our model of population change called?
The demographic transition model
Give an example of a birth rate and death rate at stage 2 of the DTM
Birth rate: Niger (48)
Death rate: Niger (14)
Give an example of a birth rate and death rate at stage 3 of the DTM
Birth rate: Mexico (19)
Death rate Mexico (5)
Give an example of a birth rate and death rate at stage 4 of the DTM
Birth rate: UK (13)
Death rate: UK (9)
Give an example of a birth rate and death rate at stage 5 of the DTM
Birth rate: Germany (8)
Death rate: Germany (10)
Describe and explain the changes to birth/death rates at stage 2 of the DTM.
How does this affect total population?
Very high birth rates, death rates are beginning to fall. This is the result of vaccinations (E.g. TB vaccine) and social policy reforms (E.g. Sewage Systems)
Total population rises rapidly (Natural increase) as more people are being born than are dying
Describe and explain the changes to birth/death rates at stage 3 of the DTM.
How does this affect total population?
Birth rates now start to drop due to: more access to contraception, falling infant mortality rate lowers need for overcompensation, empowerment of women to allow them to work as opposed to having children, etc, Death rates still dropping as health care improves but the drop is at a less substantial rate
Natural increase continues to increase the population but not as much as before
Describe and explain the changes to birth/death rates at stage 1 of the DTM.
How does this affect total population?
High birth and death rates cancel each other out. No vast change in population. No countries still in stage 1.
Describe and explain the changes to birth/death rates at stage 4 of the DTM.
How does this affect total population?
Birth rates plateaux then slowly begin to drop. The baby boomers (1946-1954) have reached pension age and by 2021, 20% of the UK population will be pensioners and pensioners have little to no babies, lowering the birth rate. Infant mortality is low (UK 4.5) so no need to replaced deceased children. Many people want a career and with the average marriage age so high, people have little time to produce children. Finally, contraception such as the pill have added a sense of choice to having children. Death rates continue to decline as health care reaches an elite stage. Machines such as life support machines prolong life
Total population doesn’t change much here. It tends to fluctuate around a set amount
Describe and explain the changes to birth/death rates at stage 5 of the DTM.
How does this affect total population?
Birth rate steadies or falls slightly. Death rates start to increase due to: 1) Medical technology keeps people alive longer so lots of elderly people passing away raises the death rate. 2) Diseases of affluence - drugs, smoking, alcohol, fast food, suicides as developed countries take forgranted their luxuries
Total population hits natural decrease as the death rates rise above birth rates. This decreases the total population
With the DTM, what are the two types of questions they can ask you?
Questions on birth and death rates
Questions on total population
What are the two types of migration?
Forced and voluntary
What is forced migration?
Where one of more people are left with no other option but to move
What is voluntary migration?
When one or more people decide to move to a location out of choice
What is our case study for voluntary migration?
West Africa to Canary Islands
Why do they move? (4 Points)
They live in Sub-Saharan Africa, the lowest income region in the world
They have a lack of resources due to a rising population
If a member leaves to an MEDC, they are regarded as a hero
European trawlers have reduced African fish stocks, meaning they can’t fish
How are they moved?
On boats called Pirogues of death
They are filled with migrants and have little food or water to get more people on the boat
They have the minimum amount of petrol
The journey takes 8-10 days
How are the government responding to illegal immigrants?
Europe has added tighter border security (Frontex)
They assist Spain in repatriation attempts
They give aid money to persuade people to stay in Africa
The number of those arriving at the Canary Islands stood at 2246 (2009) from 9181 (in 2008)
Three economic impacts on the Canary Islands
Undocumented workers don’t contribute to the Spanish economy, instead they send the money back home. 5.5% of Ugandan GDP is from workers in foreign countries.
Cheap labour force enables Spain’s booming construction industry to make record profits
Tourism levels are reduced as people don’t want to go on a beach where malnourished Africans are washing up
Three social impacts on the Canary Islands
Increase in racism as immigrants are willing to take such low paid work, indigenous people aren’t happy as they no longer have work
More homeless people as immigrants can’t always find regular jobs and sleep on the streets
There is a pressure on health care as the Africans arrive in a poor state of health from their disease ridden journeys on the pirogues of death
Three environmental impacts on the Canary Islands
Tourists/locals find dead bodies washed up on the beaches
Many boats are abandoned along the coast
Abandoned boats are a health hazard due to the disease from the 8-10 day journey
Three economic impacts on West Africa
Billions of dollars each year is sent back to Africa to help their families
Loss of fishing industry as young males leaves and boats become old
Trade has increased as people migrate on trade routes and visit oasis towns.
Three social impacts on West Africa
Loss of young people as they drown trying to reach Europe - trauma stress for their families
Families break down as young males leave
Increase in crime as males people high prices to be smuggled out
Three environmental factors on West Africa
Farms abandoned as young males leave - farm land deteriorates
Hill-slopes are less maintained by farmers so soil slides damaging terraces become common
Long boat trips to avoid Frontex increases amount of dead bodies that wash up on shore
What model of migration did we study?
Ravenstein’s laws of migration
When was this model developed?
Where was it based on?
Does it still apply?
1880s/Britain
It applies to LEDCs today because 1880s Britain was similar to an LEDC
State 5 laws
Migration is short distance Females move more than males The major cause is economic Most migrants are adults Rural people are more likely to migrate than urban people
Applications (Good parts) of this model? (4)
The laws provide a basis to compare migration in different countries
The laws help to provide a historical perspective to decipher if migration has changed in certain countries
The laws provide a summation of the main characteristics of migration (the laws sum up migration)
The laws compliment the DTM in that the more developed the country, the larger the population
Limitations (Bad points) of this model? (5)
With improvements to transport/tech, it has become easier and cheaper to migrate over large distances. E.g. UK to Australia for work/warmer climate
The biggest group of economic migrants today are young males, not females as the model suggests. E.g. West Africans to the Canary Islands
It is difficult to differentiate between political and economic migrants if they ‘lose their papers’
The laws are based on the 1880s. Today people might move for other reasons
The model doesn’t take in to account other types of prominent migration. E.g. Retirement migration
What is a refugee?
Someone who is forced to flee his/her country because of persecution/war/violence.
What is an asylum seeker?
When people flee, they seek sanctuary in another country. They apply for asylum - the right to legal protection and material assistance. They must demonstrate their fear of persecution is well-founded
What three examples did we have for refugees? Provide a little bit of information for each one
Czechoslovakia - German troops invaded. Jewish families left via the kinder transport.
Iraq - Protecting families from the ongoing war. Left via plane
Afghanistan - War/fighting going on. Left to find freedom/safety/human rights. Got smuggled in a container
What is it like waiting for your asylum application? (4)
Can’t work/study
Feeling like you don’t belong
Have to regularly report to home office
Uncertain fate
Consequences of Asylum seekers - 3 economic
Economic pressure - Organisations such as NHS, fire/police services and Solicitors have increased workload
Status of refugees can be dubious as they can pretend to be refugees. This costs the tax payer as they fund immigration/control.
They can add to the economy by providing a cheap labour source. Also, spending the money within the UK furthers the benefit to the economy
Consequences of Asylum seekers - 4 social/cultural
Cycle of deprivation takes place (E.g. Butetown, Cardiff) where they have low income jobs and so can’t afford to improve their houses
Repatriation to a war torn country can be emotional as they’ve experienced a good quality of life and have to go back
Indigenous people may be upset by different habits of incomers. E.g. Prayer times in Cardiff schools
Respect for the law - Coming from a legally lenient. country, incomers may have no respect for the law increasing crime rates and police work hours.
Consequences of Asylum seekers - 3 demographic
Incomers tend to have higher birth rates raising pressure on schools/healthcare
Asylum seekers need to have a home while their application takes place meaning tensions with indigenous people who want their own home
Migrants may help combat the natural decrease that occurs in stage five of the DTM.
Push factors for asylum seekers from Somalia
Somalia was without a formal parliament for more than 20 years
Somalia is ill-equipped to deal with natural disasters. E.g. Drought killed 1/2 a mill people in 199/ and 2010-12
In 2006, Islamists pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda and controlled the south
Somalialand is an unrecognised self-declared de facto state causing tensions between them and Somalia
Pull factors to Cardiff
Seaman/merchants from Somalia migrated to Cardiff in the 19th century, meaning a historical link of Somalians.
Most Somalians can speak English which is the UK native language
Better healthcare (life expectancy of 80 in the UK compared to a male/female life expectancy of 50 and 53 respectively in Somalia)
Five reasons for countries to have unbalanced gender structures
Migration Stage 5 of the DTM Conflict and Gendercide AIDS Government Policies
Explain why migration causes a gender imbalance
Male domination in a county which is exploiting natural resources as there is a demand for male workers to migrate. E.g. Dubai. The origin country becomes female dominated. E.g. Libya
Explain why stage five of the DTM causes a gender imbalance
At stage five, there is an ageing population
Women are biologically programmed to live longer, have less risky occupations and have generally healthier lifestyles meaning there is a surfeit of older females. Men also tend to have less care for health issues hence the female dominance arises
Explain why conflict and Gendercide causes a gender imbalance
In war, mostly males battle. This means that lots of young males die on the battlefield. This reduces their weighting compared to females creating a female dominated country. E.g. Somalia has undergone civil wars since the 1980s.
Gendercide in the systematic killing of one gender lowering their weighting in gender balance. In Juarez, Mexico, young women are raped and murdered. Known as the ‘dead women of Juarez’, their deaths increases the amount of males In comparison to females
Explain why AIDS causes a gender imbalance
Cultural beliefs of polygamy (multiple wives) and agains contraception spread sexually transmitted infections. This means that more more contract AIDS and die. E.g. Swaziland views condoms as ‘Un-Swazi’ and have an annual reed dance for the king to find his next wife.
Explain why governmental policies causes a gender imbalance
Certain government policies reduce the benefit of having a certain gender child. This means they are often aborted/killed in hope of getting another child the desirable gender. E.g. China’s one child policy sets a demand for male offspring to have a working male providing/caring for their parents as they reach their elderly stage.
Why do refugees and asylum seekers enter countries with developed economies? (4)
Economic hardship - Trade in primary goods/no financial stability, E.g. Ivory Coast (Sells Cocoa beans) - Migrate to MEDC (E.g. Spain, demand for manual labour) to provide basics, food, water, etc.
Persecution/Intolerance - Move to more accepting societies e.g. 1930s Nazi Party led to Jews leaving. Pulled to MEDCs (UK accepted over 10000) as stability of government/laws to prevent persecution
Natural disasters - a Destruction of homes/Loss of saved money/Disease (E.g. Philippines typhoon 2013 spread Cholera)
Arranged marriages - Rich men in MEDCs go to LEDCs to marry young poor women. The women men move over to the MEDC to live with the men
[Gender and the Demographic Transition]
Stage 2
Women regarded as mothers to children and have to care for high amounts of children (compensate for high infant/child mortality)
Domesticated cooking role
In Sub-Saharan Africa, women are the providers of agricultural labour
E.g, Guinea Bissau -Women collect 90% of the water
Women tend to be illiterate as little educational opportunities
Depend on children for status/security
[Gender and the Demographic Transition]
Stage 3
World dominance by men
Women are cheap source of labour
E.g. Asia, up to 50% of women provide agricultural labour
RIC - food processing and textiles jobs
Indirect education and employment increases skill set
Women are relied on in factories
[Gender and the Demographic Transition]
Gender 4
Women make up greater proportion of work force
A degree of gender bias. Roles include: Secretary, Admin, Teachers, Waitresses, Retail etc,
Almost a third of both genders have degree qualifications
What issues are facing Swaziland’s population?
High Birth Rates - 29.09 in 2011 and has fluctuated around 27 since 2004. This is due to polygamy, high infant mortality leading to overcompensation and cultural beliefs against contraception
High Death Rates - Death rate of 30 in 2008. This has increased from 21 in 2003. The rates are high due to the spread of HIV. First case was reported in 1987. 26% of population have HIV. 0.25% of budget spent in epidemic because the king is greedy. Life expectancy has dropped from 57 to 31
What has the government done to tackle this? (5)
Condoms widely distributed since the 1990s. Free condoms available at key locations such as border migration points.
Abstinence (Ban all girls under 18 from sexual activity for 5 years)
Any man who has sex with a virgin has to pay a cow to her family
Antenatal care offered, voluntary HIV testing, free nevirapine.
Attitudes gradually changing towards being tested but coverage isn’t sufficient
How successful have these initiates been? (4)
Not very:
Condoms are unpopular and controversial [“unswazi”]
King broke policy and became engaged to a 17 year old girl who he married in September 2013 - hypocrite
Blame females for the spread of HIV
HIV positive people are rejected by their families
What countries have high death rates?
Countries at stage 2/3 of DT, e.g. Sierra Leone (20 per 1000) with poor health care
Countries suffering from AIDS (37 in Swaziland)
Countries at war (Israel/Palestine)
Stage five countries e.g. Germany (10) due to diseases of affluence
Policies to tackle high mortality rate (6)
Improving economic structures such as more employment and pension schemes
Encouraging high birth birth rates to combat the dependency ratio issue
Better general healthcare
Specific health care policies associated with STIs
Education regarding smoking/alcohol
Providing more care for the elderly
Dealing with an ageing society (4)
UK- sixth months paid leave, option of further six months unpaid
New fathers get 2 weeks paternity leave
Govt. offers free early education places
Parents with children under age of 6 potentially can get more flexible working hours
Italy- One time €1000 to couples who have a second child
Parliament proposal paying women not to have abortions has gained support
Sweden/Norway- Each parent is entitled to 18 months paid leave.
Public day care available
Flexible work schedules
Lower work hours for women with children of pre-school age
12 months off work with 80% pay or 10 months full pay
Fathers must have at least four weeks leave or else leave is lost
Leave is tax financed
Fathers are entitled to take almost all of the leave
Germany- 14 Weeks maternity leave plus parental leave of up to 36
Tax breaks to families with children
Suggested eliminating fees for kindergarten
