Population

Question 1

What does population change depend on/affected by?

Answer 1

Mainly: the balance between the birth rate and the death rate; to a lesser extent: migration

Question 2

Describe Stage 1 of the demographic transition model + give an example of a country in stage 1

Answer 2

HIGH FLUCTUATING: Very high, fluctuating birth and death rate (as birth rate rises, death rate falls, vice-versa); e.g. no more countries in stage 1, maybe rainforest tribes

Question 3

What is the x and y-axis of the demographic transition model?

Answer 3

x-axis: Time/Development

y-axis: Rate per 1,000 population

Question 4

Describe Stage 2 of the demographic transition model + give an example of a country in stage 2

Answer 4

EARLY EXPANDING: Birth rate very high, death rate falling rapidly - positive natural change = drastically increasing population; e.g. most sub-saharan countries

Question 5

Describe Stage 3 of the demographic transition model + give an example of a country in stage 3

Answer 5

LATE EXPANDING: Birth rate falling rapidly, death rate falling slower - growth rate smaller; e.g. most LEDCs

Question 6

Describe Stage 4 of the demographic transition model + give an example of a country in stage 4

Answer 6

LOW FLUCTUATING: Birth falling slower, death rate falling very slowly - very little growth rate, e.g. most MEDCs

Question 7

Describe the possible Stage 5 of the demographic transition model + give an example of a country which may end up in stage 5 in the near future

Answer 7

DECREASING POPULATION: Slight fall in birth rate, death rate is stable, death rate possibly exceeds birth rate; e.g. Japan, Germany, Italy

Question 8

Suggests reasons for high birth rates.

Answer 8

• Shortage of family planning facilities and advice
• Parents having lots of children in the expectation that some will die (more common in LEDCs)
• Children can be put to work
• Children can look after parents when they get old/sick (there may not by an old age pension scheme)
• Contraception not available / not affordable
• In some cultures, children are seen as a sign of virility for men (machismo)
• ‘Boy Preference’ in some cultures causes couples to have more kids in the hope for a son/sons
• Certain religions denounce the use of contraception and/or encourage large families
• In some countries, the ‘Status of Women’ is low

Question 9

Suggests reasons for high death rates.

Answer 9

• Dirty, unreliable water supplies
• Poor housing conditions
• Poor access to medical service
• Endemic (indigenous) diseases in some countries
• Diets that are short in nutrients/calories (this may be caused by drought, for example)
• Some MEDCs have a high DR as they have an ageing population (so a lot of old people are dying) (this will eventually decline)

Question 10

Suggests reasons for low birth rates.

Answer 10

• Expensive to look after a large family
• In some countries, children are not allowed to work, by law
• Material possessions/vacations/etc. chosen over having (more) children
• More women prefer to concentrate on their careers
• Increasing sexual equality - women have more control over their fertility
• Ready availability of contraception and family planning services
• Concern about the future (climate change, natural resources, etc.)
• Children not expected to care for parents when they get old/sick (old age pensions offered)

Question 11

Suggests reasons for low death rates.

Answer 11

• Good housing conditions
• (More than) enough food to eat
• Advanced medical services which are easily accessible
• Safe water supplies
• Better testing for and treatment of HIV/AIDS

Question 12

What does the width of the base of a population pyramid relate to?

Answer 12

The birth rate / total fertility rate

Question 13

What does the steepness of the side of a population pyramid relate to?

Answer 13

The straighter the sides, the lower the death rate / the more pyramid-like/concave the slope, the higher the death rate

Question 14

What does a wide top on a population pyramid suggest?

Answer 14

That there are many elderly people which suggests a high life expectancy.

Question 15

What are the 5-year age groups called on a population pyramid?

Answer 15

cohorts

Question 16

What can bulges in a population pyramid suggest?

Answer 16

Bulges can indicate a higher fertility rate (baby boom) in the past at a specific point or a mass migration event

Question 17

What is this dependency ratio - 100:54 - saying?

Answer 17

That for every 54 dependants there are 100 economically active

Question 18

When does overpopulation occur? + give an example of a region which is overpopulated

Answer 18

When there are too many people living in an area for the resource and technology available for them to maintain an acceptable standard of living (e.g. Sub-Saharan Africa)

Question 19

Causes of overpopulation

Answer 19

• Insufficient food, minerals and energy resources
• Suffer from localised natural disasters such as drought and famine
• Characterised by low incomes, poverty an poor living conditions
• High birth rates

Question 20

When does underpopulation occur? + give examples of regions which are underpopulated

Answer 20

When people living in an area have more food, minerals and energy resources than they need (e.g. Australia, Canada)

Question 21

Causes of underpopulation

Answer 21

• Being able to export surplus
• High incomes
• Good living conditions and high standard of living
• Low immigration rate
• Low birth rate

Question 22

What is the principle of an anti-natal policy? + give an example of a country which has implemented an anti-natal policy

Answer 22

Discouraging births (e.g. China)

Question 23

What is the principle of a pro-natal policy? + give an example of a country which has implemented a pro-natal policy

Answer 23

Encouraging births (e.g. Singapore)

Question 24

How might people be awarded for adhering to an anti-natal policy?

Answer 24

‘Carrots’ = rewards such as privileges, cash awards, etc.

Question 25

How might people be punished for not following an anti-natal policy?

Answer 25

‘Sticks’ = punishments such as fine, withdrawal of privileges, etc.)

Question 26

Why do anti-natal policies work well in urban areas?

Answer 26

• People have small-sizes apartments - no room for bif family
• Easier to advertise the policy
• Babies are born in hospitals - easier/better regulation
• Women are more likely to want a career
• Easier control from the govt.

Question 27

Why don’t anti-natal policies work well in rural areas?

Answer 27

• Families want more children so that they can work on the family plot and aid parents when they get old
• Babies are born at home - control not as easy
• Hard to advertise and police the policy

Question 28

What are some of the problems caused by anti-natal policies?

Answer 28

• ‘Boy Preference’ can cause female infanticide
• Forced abortions
• Forced sterilisation - human rights issue
• Overcrowded orphanage

Question 29

Give an example of a pro-natal policy advertisement.

Answer 29

Singapore Mentos “National Day” advertisement

Question 30

How are people encouraged to follow the pro-natal policy? And how are pro-natal policies sometimes ENFORCED?

Answer 30

Reducing prices for childcare, education, child products, etc.
Enforcing by (threatening to) raising taxes if birth rate doesn't increase

Question 31

Give reasons for the rapid increase in the world’s population.

Answer 31

• significant decrease in death rate means birth rates are higher than death rates, so there is a natural increase in population

Question 32

How do you calculate the natural increase?

Answer 32

birth rate - death rate

natural increase is given as a %, so the natural increase is divided by 10

Question 33

Define the term population density.

Answer 33

The number of people living in a given area, usually per km2.

Question 34

Define the term population distribution.

Answer 34

How a population is spread out around a country or an area. If a country’s population is distributed in a regular pattern then we say it has an even population distribution. However, if there are areas with many people and then areas with few people, then we would say that it has an uneven population distribution.

Question 35

(Possible) Consequences of overpopulation.

Answer 35

• Unemployment - not enough jobs for everyone, high unemployment rate leading to poverty
• Shortage/pressure on public services such as schools and hospitals means people will not be provided with basic services like education or healthcare
• Shortage/pressure on housing can lead to growth of informal settlements (e.g. shanty towns) and low standard of living
• Increase in congestion with increase in cars, buses, etc. leading to pollution
• Increase in prices of housing, food, resources, etc. can lead to inflation, economic instability
• As more houses need to built, there is not enough resources left to do so, people don’t get decent living standards
• As people are deforesting and using all the trees, some people may end up without fuelwood
• Lack of clean water forces people into drinking polluted water, making them fall ill

Question 36

(Possible) consequences of underpopulation

Answer 36

• shortage of workers
• less people paying tax means that govt. may not be able to fund certain constructions/schools/hospitals/etc.
• public services (e.g. public transport links, schools, hospitals) close due to lack of customers
• Less innovation and development due to lack of brain power
• Not enough people to fully exploit natural resources
• Hard to defend country as there is a lack of soldiers
• Could lead to population decline

Question 37

Solutions to underpopulation

Answer 37

• relax visa rules to attract migrants
• benefits to people with more children
• pro-natal policies
• increase retirement age so that there are more people working
• increase tax rates so that the govt. receives more money

Question 38

How do you calculate population density?

Answer 38

Total population/area (km2)