Population (achieve) Flashcards
Methods of data collection
Census is a survey carried out every ten years to gather population data.
Census: Each householder is asked to complete a detailed questionnaire about the number of people living in their home, their age, gender, employment, home and languages spoken.
Scottish Household Survey is a continuous survey based on a random sample of the population which is cheaper than carrying out a full census Civil registrations of births, marriages and deaths keep an up to date count of the population.
Sampling – Population surveys are conducted to gather social and economic data, and can be conducted at regional, national or international levels.
Government records: information on migration may be gathered from visa applications or Borders Agency.
Data from electoral roll and NHS records allows population data to be updated in between census collection.
In China National Population Sample Surveys have been conducted annually, with 1% of the population being asked to complete the form.
Problems of data collection
Language barriers – countries with many official languages have to translate their census forms and employ enumerators who can speak multiple languages. For example, Nigeria has six major languages and hundreds of unofficial languages requiring more enumerators.
Literacy levels – many people can’t read and write, and therefore are unable to complete the forms, or might make mistakes unintentionally.
Size of the population: the sheer size of some populations make it very difficult to conduct a census, eg in China and India.
Inaccessibility: The poor infrastructure and difficult terrain, for example in the Amazon Rainforest, may make it difficult for enumerators to distribute census forms.
Wars/civil wars: Conflict can make it too dangerous for enumerators to enter, or for data to quickly become dated.
Cost: Undertaking the census is a very expensive process, even for developed world countries. In developing countries, there may be higher priorities for spending, including housing, education and health care.
Migration: Rapid rural to urban migration, can make it difficult to gather accurate population data as data will become outdated very quickly.
Homelessness: Many people in developing countries may be living in shanty towns, eg Dhararvi, or are homeless, so have no official address making it difficult to count them.
Fear of deportation: People who are illegal immigrants are unlikely to complete a census for fear of deportation, leading to inaccurate data.
Nomadic people: Large numbers of migrants, eg the Tuareg, Fulani or Bedouin, or shifting cultivators in the Amazon can easily be missed or counted twice.
Ethnic tensions and internal political rivalries may lead to inaccuracies, eg northern Nigeria was reported to have inflated its population figures to secure increased political representation.
Population pyramids
A population pyramid shows the age profile of a country’s population, differentiated in 5-year groups and by gender. The pyramid illustrates graphically what is happening to the population. In many less economically developed countries (LEDC), such as Vietnam, there are fast growing populations with a high birth rate, whereas in more economically developed countries (MEDC) such as Italy, there is an ageing and declining population. The important element of analysing a population pyramid is to evaluate the impact of population changes and what changes will mean for governments and individuals.
Impact of population growth in Vietnam
The higher birth rate means there will be many more children, so significant investment is required in maternity hospitals and immunisation programmes.
It will be necessary to build more schools and train more teachers to support the growing number of young people.
The total population will increase significantly putting additional pressure on services and resources like health.
In many developing countries housing is already overcrowded. This problem is likely to continue, with many people being forced to live in shanty town housing.
There will be a much larger potential workforce which may attract multinational companies to the country.
An increase in the active age group, however, could also result in higher levels of unemployment or underemployment.
Government policies may promote smaller families or encourage emigration to reduce the problems of over-population
With life expectancy increasing, it will also be necessary to invest in health-care to meet the needs of an ageing population in the future
the increase in elderly will lead to an increased cost of pensions to the government and increased tax contributions for the economically- active population
Impact of high birth rate and growing populations
A higher birth rate means there will be more children, so significant investment is required in maternity hospitals and immunisation programmes.
It will be necessary to build more schools and train more teachers to support the growing number of young people.
The total population will increase significantly putting additional pressure on services and resources like health.
In many developing countries housing is already overcrowded and a growing population means that this is likely to continue, with many people being forced to live in shanty town housing.
There will be a larger potential workforce which may attract multinational companies to the country.
An increase in the active age group, however, could also result in higher levels of unemployment or underemployment.
Government policies may promote smaller families or encourage emigration to reduce the problems of over-population.
Impact of declining and ageing populations
The increase in elderly will lead to an increased cost of pensions to the government and increased tax contributions for the economically-active population.
The retirement age may need to be increased and more services for older people provided, such as care homes.
There will be an increased strain/costs on the Health Service to meet the needs of the ageing population for example more hip-replacements or heart medication.
The economically active group gets smaller and has to support a growing dependent population.
A declining population may mean a lower unemployment rate in the future, however a decrease in the economically active population may lead to a skills gap.
Citizens may be encouraged to invest in private healthcare schemes and/or pensions
There may also be more demands placed on adult children to care for elderly parents
A falling birth rate may lead to a decline in demand for services for children such as schools.
Industries which provide products for children - for example toy manufacturers - may suffer
In the longer term, companies may have difficulty recruiting young workers.
Italy is a country experiencing population decline. The UN estimates the Italian population could shrink by as much as a third by the next century. Without ‘replacement migration’, the retirement age would have to be raised to 77 to maintain the ratio of four workers to every pensioner.
Migration – push and pull factors
Migration is the movement of population from one area to another.
Migrations can be forced, voluntary, permanent and temporary, regional and international.
Forced migration is where people have no option but to move. This can happen during a war (e.g. in Rwanda or Afghanistan) or a natural disaster (such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti).
Voluntary migration occurs when people CHOOSE to move, this is often for economic reasons for work or for social reasons such as to be closer to family.
If migration takes place WITHIN a country it is said to be national or regional. If the migrant or migrants cross borders it is said to be international migration
A PUSH factor is any event or factor that makes somebody move FROM a place. A PULL factor is a feature that makes some body want to migrate TO a place.
Push factors
Unemployment
Lack of services
Poverty
Crop failure
Drought
War and civil unrest
Hazards (like an earthquake)
Pull factors
Potential for finding work
Better provision of services, eg the NHS
Greater wealth
Fertile land
Ample food supplies
Better safety and security
Lack of natural hazards
Friends and family live there
Economic migration
Economic migration is when people choose to move to improve their standard of living by gaining a better paid job.
Economic Migration in the EU
When Poland and seven other Eastern European countries joined the EU in 2004, the UK received many economic migrants.
There were 500,000 workers from Eastern Europe in 2009.
Some came for seasonal jobs, such as vegetable and fruit picking and working in restaurants.
More qualified migrants applied for medical or education jobs.
By 2019 the number of European nationals working in the UK was an estimated to be 2.24 million.
In 2019 there were an estimated 1.35 million non-EU nationals working in the UK, 116,000 more than a year earlier. The level is at a record high.
The changes brought about by Brexit will make it more difficult for European and non-EU nationals to work in the UK when Britain leaves the EU.
Example - Poland
PUSH FACTORS
Not enough jobs with very few opportunities for example in 2014 the unemployment rate in Poland was around 14%.
Low paying jobs resulting in a low standard of living for example poor quality housing.
State benefits were very low compared to Scotland and the UK and also the healthcare in Scotland is free at the point of delivery.
Due to increased mechanisation/privatisation of farms rural unemployment rose sharply.
PULL FACTORS
Due to Poland joining the European Union, this allowed people to move freely with unlimited migration.
Immigrant Polish workers earned wages five times greater than they could get at home.
The exchange rate meant that the sterling conversion into zloty was favourable and meant that people could send money back to family members in Poland.
There were plenty of available jobs in parts of the economy such as in construction and trades such as plumbers and electricians.
Better provision of services, eg the NHS
The number of Poles living in the UK meant that communities of friends and family were established – this became a pull factor.
Forced migration
Forced migration is where people have no option but to move. This can happen during a war (eg, in Rwanda or Afghanistan) or a natural disaster (such as the 2010 earthquake in Haiti).
For political dissidents (people that stand up to the government) remaining in their own country would be a threat to their safety. Many dissidents are imprisoned or killed. Often, seeking political asylum in a foreign country is the only way to survive.
Refugees
A refugee is a person living outside their own homeland as a result of war, famine or persecution.
Many refugees from Syria moved to other countries to escape the Syrian Civil War. The Syria crisis has accelerated more dramatically than any crisis on earth, and Syrians continue to be the largest forcibly displaced population in the world (6.7 million refugees).
Many refugees from Sudan moved to Chad to escape the conflict and lived in refugee camps.
Many refugees from the Darfur region of Sudan have migrated to the neighbouring country Chad, because of the civil war.
Kakuma (Kenya) Kakuma refugee camp, in north western Kenya, is the largest refugee camp in the world.
The average length of time that refugees spend in camps is 17 years.
Impact of Forced Immigration
Refugees often live in cramped and unsanitary conditions, and many have lost family members in the conflict or from disease.
Water is scarce and most people rely on aid agencies for food, shelter and medicine.
A large share of refugees are not in camps and have fled into urban areas, beyond the reach of direct assistance from the UN and other donors.
Roughly 70 per cent of refugees are estimated to be hosted in local communities, resulting in enormous strain on public resources.
Aid efforts are often hampered by government of the receiving country and so refugees die of disease, starvation and malnutrition.
Competition for scarce resources leads to tensions with the native community.
Deforestation - as refugees seek wood for fuel and for shelter.
Overgrazing - by the cattle, sheep and goats brought by the refugees.
Water pollution - since proper sanitation systems are often not available.
