Population Flashcards
why is the world’s population growing so rapidly
- decreasing death rate (better health care)
- increasing birth rate
- large families are seen as security and an economic asset
Major influences on population density and distribution
climate, landforms, topography, soil energy, accessibility, jobs, rivers, culture, government policies
Examine a case study of a country sparsely populated
Canada
-Large in size, short summers, only air transport, cold, not many jobs, permafrost, not very inhabitable, inability to grow crops
Examine a case study of a country densely populated
North east US
- New York is a global city, greatest financial city (lots of jobs)
- states are near coast, nice views, trade, jobs
- Fertile land
- nice climate
- tourism and famous states
Over population
When there aren’t enough resources for the inhabitants in an area E.g Bangladesh
Under population
When there are more resources than inhabitants in an are E.g Canada
Case study for an overpopulated country
Bangladesh
-results in overcrowded areas with traffic congestion, burning of fossil fuels, air pollution, not enough resources and food for everyone, housing shortages, deforestation, lack of jobs, lots of homeless people, people under poverty line, diseases
Case study for an underpopulated country
Canada
-labour shortage, services close down as there aren’t enough customers. less innovation and development, difficulty defending the country
Solutions:
-relaxing immigrant policies, allow pensioners to continue working
Life expectancy
Average age a person can be expected to live to in a particular area (indicator of health in an area)
Demography transition model
Attempts to show how population changes as a country develops, natural increase or decrease
Population pyramids
- Rapid growth (Philippines)
- Slow growth (USA)
- Negative growth (Germany)
Population problems in LEDCs
- rapid population growth, countries like Bangladesh and China have high populations already and even limit couples to one child
- by having lots of children, they are creating a high dependency ratio
Case study of youthful population structure
Gambia
- large proportion of population is under 18, large families are seen as security and families rely on farming income
- stigma and cost of contraception links to religious background (95% are muslim)
- higher death rates and low life expectancy
- problems: schools are overcrowded, families lack resources, bad sanitation, limited resources, widespread deforestation for fuel and housing
- benefits: in future will have a high working population, new businesses, good for the economy
Ageing population problems in MEDCs
Japan
- normally an ageing population, they don’t work and they have to be provided with pensions, medical care and social support, this removes them from more productive jobs within the economy
- in future there will not be a lot of working class people (20-40)
- low birth rate
- but people in Japan do work till an old age so they still contribute to society
- but pensions in Japan are low and 20% under the poverty line, elderly homeless
How Japan’s population can be managed
-increase birth rate, reforms, encourage immigration, offer part time jobs for elderly, encourage having more children; parents can receive 8 weeks paid leave from work, shorter working hours, more time off
Case study: Impact of HIV and AIDS
Botswana
- 2nd highest rate of HIV
- only 18% of Botswana married as some men are polygamous
- lack of doctors and nurses
- poverty led young women to become prostitutes which increased the spread
- many people can get it
- life expectancy decreasing
- most affected group is within working class which effects economy
- children have become orphans because their parents died from it
- some children live with the disease as they contract it in utero
- solutions: condoms distributed, government awareness, routine testing, some companies provide free health care
Case study: Managing population growth
China’s one child policy
- families only allowed one child, started it due to widespread famine, punishment for not following the policy
- impact: birth rate has fallen however many human right activists have rallies against it
- due to preference for boys, many female babies have ended up homeless or in orphanages and some killed
- gender balance has become distorted; more men than women
- fewer people of working age
Migration
Is the movement of people from one place to another
Internal migration
Moving within a country
International migration
Moving from one country to another
Voluntary migration
You chose to move
Forced migration
Forced to move due to war, famine, natural disasters, etc
Permanent migration
No intention of going back
Temporary migration
Moving for a short amount of time
