Lesson 4, Chapter 2: Population composition

Question 1

Population composition

Answer 1

the measure of certain characteristics of a population like age, race, and gender

Question 2

Age structure

Answer 2

an organization of population based on age groups

Question 3

purpose of age structure

Answer 3

knowing how many people fit into different age groups enables geographers to draw conclusions about whether a population is growing, stable, or declining

Question 4

dependents

Answer 4

people who depend on others to survive (children under age 15 and elderly people over age 65; essentially, this includes people who do not work)

Question 5

what is the dependency ratio?

Answer 5

(number of dependents / number of working people) x 100

Question 6

what is the use of the dependency ratio?

Answer 6

important to figure out the pressure on the working population

Question 7

what is the meaning of a low dependency ratio and a high dependency ratio?

Answer 7

low dependency ratio = more working age people supporting less dependents
high dependency ratio = less working age people supporting more dependents

Question 8

Sex ratio

Answer 8

represents a comparison of males to females in a population (scale we measure this on is important, for it could vary from place to place)

Question 9

what is the function of population pyramids? pull up a picture of them for reference

Answer 9

depending on the shape of them, they can tell us whether a population is growing, stable, or declining

Question 10

look at the Unit 2 AP HUG notes, and describe what the first case of a population pyramid represents

Answer 10

rapid growth; this often occurs in developing countries where the birth rate is high and the lifespan is short (e.g. DRC); these countries should invest in educational resources

Question 11

look at the Unit 2 AP HUG notes, and describe what the second case of a population pyramid represents

Answer 11

slow growth because the birth rate is only slightly higher than the death rate; still a pyramid but the base is much narrower (e.g. China after their one child policy)

Question 12

look at the Unit 2 AP HUG notes, and describe what the third case of a population pyramid represents

Answer 12

stable growth; birth and death rates are similar; equal distribution throughout the different age groups (e.g. USA)

Question 13

look at the Unit 2 AP HUG notes, and describe what the fourth case of a population pyramid represents

Answer 13

population decline because the death rate is larger than the birth rate; these populations may face problems like labor shortages and increasing demand for consumer products