Population Change Flashcards
What is natural increase and natural decrease?
Natural increase - the birth rate exceeding the death rate
Natural decrease - the death rate exceeding the birth rate
What is the birth rate and the death rate?
Birth rate - the number of babies born per 1000 people per year
Death rate - the number of deaths per 1000 people per year
What is the demographic transition model?
The DTM is a model that explains birth and death rate patterns across the world and through time. It shows the link between demographic and economic changes.
Name an example for each of the 5 stages of the DTM
Stage 1 - traditional rainforest tribes Stage 2 - Afghanistan Stage 3 - Brazil Stage 4 - USA Stage 5 - Germany
What are the four major factors that affect population growth?
- Agricultural change: technology has been developed which improves yields and reduces labour. This frees some workers and creates rapid economic growth.
- Urbanisation: one major reason for migration is better educational opportunities. This means child labour is of less importance in cities so population goes down
- Education: as education is given a higher importance, children become an economic disadvantages. Many parents in poorer countries see education as their kids best chance in life so will put all efforts into less children rather than more.
- Emancipation of women: as women get more freedom with their work, more women start to put their career first and therefore have less children.
What is an NIC and name some examples of them?
An NIC is a Newly Industrialising Country
Examples include the Asian Tigers - Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan
+ Malaysia, the Philippines and China
What is a population pyramid?
A population pyramid is a type of bar graph used to show the age and gender structure of a country, city or area. The horizontal axis is divided into numbers of the population and the vertical axis shows age categories.
Describe the shape of a population pyramid for each stage of the DTM
Stage 1: very wide base due to high birth rate. Sides curve in quickly due to high infant and child mortality rate. Short pyramid due to highest death rate.
Stage 2: similar to stage 1 in shape. Death rate falls making the sides slightly less concave. Slightly taller as people start to live longer. Still wide base with high birth rate
Stage 3: the narrowing base shows the decrease in birth rate. Becomes straighter sided. Health improvements allow even more people to live.
Stage 4: this pyramid has become straight sided showing a steady low birth rate. High life expectancy lets most people live into their 60’s or 70’s
Stage 5: the base becomes much narrower as the birth rate reduces significantly. This population is not sustainable.
What did the original One Child Policy entail and what were the consequences if the people didn’t follow it?
Conditions of policy:
- must not marry until their late 20’s
- must have only 1 successful pregancy
- must be sterilized after first pregnancy or abort future babies
- would receive a 5-10% salary rise for adhering
- would get priority housing, pension and family benefits including free education
Consequences of disobeying
- a 10% salary cut was enforced
- the fine imposed was so large it would bankrupt many households
- the family would have to pay for the education of both kids and for health care for the whole family
- second children born abroad are not penalized but may not become Chinese citizens
What are the Granny Police?
The Granny Police were older women if the community entrusted with the task of keeping everyone in line - they kept regular checks on couples of childbearing age, and even accompanying women to contraception appointments to ensure they went to them
What were the problems and benefits of China’s One Child Policy?
Problems:
- women were forced to have abortions as late as the ninth month of pregnancy
- women were placed under tremendous pressure from their families, workplace and their own consciences and feelings
- local officials had power over people’s private lives
- Chinese society prefers boys. Some girls were orphaned or allowed to die in hope of getting a boy the second time around
- Chinese children have a reputation of being spoilt being only children (Little Emperors)
Benefits:
- the famine that was forecast did not happen
- population growth has slowed down enough for people to have enough food and jobs
- increased technology and exploitation of resources have improved standards of living for many
- new industries have lifted many out of poverty
CASE STUDY: Kerala, India
What has Kerala’s policy involved to try and reduce their population?
- improving education standards and treating girls as equals to boys
- providing adult literacy classes in towns and villages
- education people to understand the benefits of smaller families
- reducing infant mortality so people no longer need to have so many children
- providing free contraception and advice
- encouraging a higher age if marriage
- allowing maternity for first two babies only
- providing extra retirement benefits for those with smaller families
- following a land reform policy
What are some of issues with an ageing population?
- Health care: the demand for healthcare increases because more illness occurs with age. The elderly visit their GP more often. The government has to find more funding to support older people and this will have to come from taxes
- Social services: elderly people need other services such as nursing homes, day care centers and people to help them at home. This puts financial pressure on the government.
- The pensions crisis: life expectancy has increased, and in wealthier countries people expect to be able to retire with a pension. As there are more elderly and less working people, taxes have to be increased to compensate for this
CASE STUDY: Frances Solution to Ageing Populations
What are some of the incentives to the people in France?
- 3 years of paid parental leave, which can be used by mothers or fathers
- full time schooling starts at age 3, fully paid by the government
- day care for children younger than 3 is subsidized by the government
- the more children a woman has, the earlier she will be allowed to retire on full pension
What are some push factors from the country of origin and pull factors from the host country?
Push factors:
- horrible government treat their people bad
- wars are raging in their home country and there is a risk of dying
Pull factors:
- economic stability and proper government
- no wars to threaten their lives
- able to support the family they have at home
- a chance to start again and make a new life for themselves
