Population Change

Question 1

What does DTM stand for?

Answer 1

Demographic Transition model

Question 2

What are the features of stage 1 of the DTM?

Answer 2

High birth rates due to a lack of birth control, family planning and poor education. High infant mortality. High death rate and low life expectancy due to poor health care and sanitation. Low population with no increase/decrease.

Question 3

What are the features of stage 2 of the DTM?

Answer 3

Birth rates remain high, a lack of money forces familes to have more children to work land etc.. Death rate falls and life expectancy increases due to improved healthcare and sanitation. The population increases rapidly.

Question 4

What are the features of stage 3 of the DTM?

Answer 4

Birth rates decrease rapidly due to better education, family planning and birth control. The economy has improved and less children are needed to work the farms. Some countries introduce birth control policies e.g. one child. Death rates continue to fall but at a slower rate. Life expectancy increases further. The population still increases but at a slower rate.

Question 5

What are the features of stage 4 of the DTM?

Answer 5

A low birth rate and a low death rate causing a stable, but high population. The birth rate remains so low because more luxuries are available to people meaning they have less money to raise children. An ageing population is caused.

Question 6

What are the features of stage 5 of the DTM?

Answer 6

Birth rates fall again and go below the death rates due to the ageing population, people have more elderly family members to provide for and thus do not have children due to a lack of time or money. death rates remain the same despite advances in healthcare as there are many elderly dying of old age. The population decreases.

Question 7

What is an ageing population?

Answer 7

An ageing population is when there is a larger proportion of elderly people than young people. This acts as a drain on public funds as there are more pensioners to provide for.

Question 8

define population density?

Answer 8

The number of people per square km.

Question 9

define fertility rate?

Answer 9

The average number of children a women aged 15-44 will have.

Question 10

define migration rate?

Answer 10

The difference between the number of people who immigrate into the country and the number of people who emigrate out of the country per 100,000 of the population per year.

Question 11

What is a MEDC?

Answer 11

More Economically Developed Country

Question 12

What is a LEDC?

Answer 12

Less Economically Developed Country

Question 13

What are the problems of stage 5 of the DTM?

Answer 13

There is not enough children to replace the current workforce, this could cause stunted growth in the economy.

A smaller population means less spending and in turn a reduction in economic growth.

There are fewer taxpayers and thus less money is available for services. This problem is compounded by the increased number of pensions and health services required.

Question 14

Give one example of a country in each stage of the DTM?

Answer 14

Stage 1 - none

Stage 2 - Afghanistan, Kenya, Bangladesh

Stage 3 - India, Malaysia, Egypt

Stage 4 - France, Spain, Portugal

Stage 5 - Japan, Italy, Germany

Question 15

Where is the UK in regards to the DTM?

Answer 15

In a transition period between stage 4 and stage 5.

Question 16

What has caused “against the trend” results in population graphs?

Answer 16

The baby boom after World War 2 as families were reunited after years at war.

Question 17

How is the DTM useful?

Answer 17

It gives a good generalized view of how a population changes over time.

It is easy to categorize countries into each stage of the DTM if you know a little but about their birth and death rates.

It allows governments to predict how their population will change and allows them to introduce new policies to aid the transition.

Question 18

What are the limitations of the DTM? Name 3?

Answer 18

It was originally made using data from developed countries such as Japan or European countries. This means that the model may not be valid worldwide as poor countries in Africa may develop differently.

The original DTM did not have stage 5.

Different customs may lead to different changes in population, e.g. the catholic church condemns contraception.

The DTM cannot predict how long each stage will last as this could be different for all countries due to economy and wealth.

It does not consider migration which can increase/decrease population.

Question 19

What are push factors of migration? Give 2 examples?

Answer 19

Factors which make people want to leave the place they live in.

Lack of jobs, poor living conditions, war, political pressures.

Question 20

What are pull factors of migration? Give 2 examples?

Answer 20

Factors which attract people to a new place.

Better living conditions, safety, more job opportunities.

Question 21

What are the social impacts of an ageing population? Give 2 examples?

Answer 21

Increased pressure on public services - greater demand for services such as hospitals. Family members will act as unpaid carers, putting financial and social pressure on them.

Unequal distribution of older people - Resorts attract a large proportion of older people to certain areas, this may lead to these areas having a lack of facilities for the younger community e.g. youth clubs.

The working population may have fewer children children due to the dependence of their older family members and this will compound the problem. (stage 6 of DTM?)

Longer working life - A reduced state pension is caused by an increase in pensioners, forcing some elderly to work beyond the retirement age to make sure they have enough savings.

Question 22

What are the economic impacts of an ageing population? Give 2 examples?

Answer 22

Reduced workforce - caused by an increase in the retired, this could slow, or even stop economic growth.

Increased taxes - The working population is taxed heavier to provide the funds to support the increased number of pensioners.

Spending - The elderly have savings and pensions to spend (the grey pound).

Question 23

What are the social impacts of a youthful population? Give 1 example?

Answer 23

Increased pressure on public services - The demand for schools and childcare is increased.

Rapid population growth - The large numbers of children each have a family, rapidly increasing the population. This can cause overpopulation if there are not enough resources to go round.

Question 24

What are the economic impacts of a youthful population? Give 1 example?

Answer 24

Too few jobs - There are not enough jobs leading to increased unemployment and a greater strain on government funds.

Increased poverty - More people are born into already poor families. Some children may have to work meaning they cannot attend school and cannot break out of the poverty trap.

Question 25

What are the strategies to manage ageing populations? Give 3 examples?

Answer 25

Encouraging larger families - giving parents paid leave when they have a child. This increases the size of the working population which in turn provides more taxes for better pensions and services.

Raising the retirement age - Makes the working population larger which increases the pension fund. It also means people are claiming their pensions for a shorter period of time.

Encouraging the immigration of working-age people - Increases the working population which provides more taxes for pensions.

Increasing health care provision - The large number of elderly in an ageing population puts pressure on the healthcare systems. This will not manage the population change but will improve the health of the elderly.

Question 26

What are the strategies to manage ageing populations? Give 3 examples?

Answer 26

Controlling birth rate - Some overpopulated countries introduce policies which limit the number of children couples can have. For example, China’ 1979 One Child Policy. Estimated to have prevented 300 million births.

Limiting the immigration of younger people - limited immigrants between 15-44 (the reproductive age).

Encouraging family planning and the use of contraception - Governments can offer sex education and free contraception to try to limit the number of children a family has.

Increasing childcare provision - It is possible for countries to invest in more and higher quality childcare, allowing parents to work more instead of caring for their children. This doesn’t stop the population growth but helps to increase the tax money pot.

Question 27

Define sustainable development?

Answer 27

The development and growth to meet the needs of the people today, without hindering the ability of the people of the future to meet their own needs.