Population Flashcards
How much of the world’s population growth is taking place in developing countries?
Up to 95%
What proportion of the world’s population is over 60? What will that rise to by 2100?
About 10% of the worlds population is over 60. By 2100, that proportion will have risen to one-third
Why do you get high birth rates?
Parents want children
- for labour
- to look after them in old age
- to continue the family name
- for prestige
- to replace other children who have died (high IMR)
- children are net contributors to family income
Why do birth rates come down?
- children are costly
- the government looks after people through pensions and health services
- more women want their own career and have higher status
- widespread use of family planning
- falling IMR reduces need for replacement children
- urbanisation + industrialisation associated with social changes + decline in traditional beliefs + customs
Case study: Population growth in Africa
- fastest growing pop. in world
- by 2050 population predicted to be 1.6 billion
- may put burden on foods, jobs, schools, housing, healthcare
- but youthful pop. = large workforce
- worlds highest fertility rate Niger (7.4)
Why does Africa’s population continue to rise?
- low life expectancy
- fertility tends to be high when mortality is high
- in parts of Africa only 28% married women use contraception because
- women may not have control over own bodies
- access to reproductive health services limited due to
- poverty
- underdevelopment
- limited education
- resources
When are death rates generally high?
- lack of clean water + food
- poor hygiene + sanitation
- overcrowding
- contagious diseases e.g. diarrhoea
- respiratory infections
Poor rural areas, shanty towns, refugee camps
What has the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said about the ‘brain drain’ from developing countries?
- many LEDCs are losing their skilled professionals, hindering their ability to pull themselves out of poverty
- in 2004 a million educated people emigrated from LEDCs out of a total skilled pool of 6.6million - a loss of 15%
- in Bangladesh 65% of all newly graduated doctors seek jobs abroad
- BUT remittances make up a significant part of those countries foreign earnings
What are the female health disadvantages?
- risks relating to pregnancy
- gender bias in cultures where strong preference for sons. Means girls receive less nutritious food + less medical care, perpetuating a cycle of poor health
As a country develops, the major forms of illness and death change. Why ?
- LEDCs have high proportion of infectious diseases e.g. cholera
- fatal diseases in MEDCs are degenerative conditions e.g. cancer + heart disease
This change in disease patter from infectious to degenerative is known as the epidemiological transition
What are the 4 stages of the Demographic Transition Model?
- High death + birth rates (no pop. growth)
- Reduction in child mortality leads to rapid growth + youthful population
- Decline in fertility rates -> reduces pop. growth rates -> ageing population
- New equilibrium -> Low birth + death rates (no pop. growth)
An overall improvement in health has brought
Longer life spans
Increased certainty that both children + mothers will survive childbirth
The reductions in mortality + fertility are driven by, and help to reinforce, other aspects of sustainable development, including?
Increased access to education
Improvements in sexual + reproductive heath
Greater gender equality
What do reductions in mortality + fertility help promote?
Increased productivity of workers
A larger workforce as women take on new social roles
A higher standard of living
When preparing for ageing populations, we need policies that…
- Support participation of women in the labour force
- Parental leave for both mothers + fathers
- Affordable childcare
- Long term care for older persons
