Questions p.143 + p. 145 Flashcards
What stage of the demographic transition model do you think Sri Lanka has reached?
I think Sri Lanka has reached Stage 4. By studying the Sri Lankan birth and death rates from the beginning to the end of the 20th centuary, we see that the pattern of rates are similar to the rates described in Stage 3. The birth rate has in around 100 years decreased from 38 to 20, and the death rate from 30.5 to 5. Hence we see a death rate that has for some time ”remained low”, but has not yet showed any signs of increase as it does in Stage 5. The birth rates have not only ”started to fall”, as in Stage 3, but ”levels off” as described for Stage 4.
Explain why less economically developed countries have a rapidly expanding population.
This occurs because a number of reasons:
Having many children is seen as a valuable resource, as the families then have more work help in farms in rural communities, and in the cities, the children can work for money and hence help the families that way.
Having many children ensures that the parents will have someone to take care of them when they’re older.
In some societies many children is a matter of honour, it places a considerate value on couples to have many, especially male, children.
Although the women are responisble for a lot of work, they have relatively low status in society, and even if they often understand how many children their families can support, they don’t have much control of the birthright.
High infant mortality makes parents want to have more children so they make sure at least one will survive.
Lack of family planning.
What problems will this cause? (less economically developed countries have a rapidly expanding population)
Land not able to support its population. Food supplies short - starvation. Must import food, costs a lot of money. Threats against environment: desertification, deforestation + increased use of artificial fertilisers.
Match the 4 population pyramids to the examples shown in Figure 1.
Kenya - Stage 1, India - Stage 2, Argentina - Stage 3 and Sweden - Stage 4.
