Roots

Question 0

UK population structure

Answer 0

In 1931, 7% of population were 65+ and 24% were 16-.

Now 16% are 65+ and 19% are 16-.

Question 1

UK family size

Answer 1

Population rose from 38 million in 1901 to 61 million in 2007.
Overall household sizes has decreased. Many households consist of just 1/2 people.
Increased life expectancy has meant that grandparents live longer.

Question 2

UK migration.

Answer 2

Mobility of UK has increased.

A “South East drift” has resulted in 26% of people living in London and the south east.

Question 3

UK employment.

Answer 3

Decline in traditional manufacturing and job losses in farming has meant that more people have entered “white collar work” such as finance.

Question 4

UK social status.

Answer 4

At the start of 20th century most people were “working class”.
More people are entering higher education and earning more money and so there is greater social mobility.
More and more people are defining themselves as “middle class”.

Question 5

UK ethnicity.

Answer 5

Minority groups now account for 8% of the population. Large scale migration took place in the 50s from former colonies such as India.
Since the Maastricht treaty of 1993, many mor Europeans are entering the country, especially London.

Question 6

What are the reasons for this population change?

Answer 6

Death rate has been falling since the 19th century due to improvements in health etc..
Post war baby boom increased birth rate.
After the 70s, growth has been due to immigration, increasing life expectancy, and slow increases in birth rate.

Question 7

The Grey Challenge: economic cost

Answer 7

Financial provision must be made for the elderly as well as health care
and housing. By 2026 when the 1960s baby boom population reach retirement, this cost
will amount to about £30 billion per year.
There can be housing shortages as many retired people go abroad but still keep their
original house some time after they move.

Question 8

They Grey Challenge: Responsibility and Care

Answer 8

Places emotional burden on the younger population having to
take care of them. More and more people are surviving illnesses such as cancer and
Alzheimer’s.

Question 9

Benefits of a greying population?

Answer 9

Voluntary charity work
Spending money of goods and services
Paying tax
Bringing wisdom to the world

Question 10

Global Greying

Answer 10

Spread of modern healthcare, urban living, education and so on means it
is likely that the rest of the world will experience greying population.
Most OECD countries have an ageing population.

Question 11

How can we analyse population change? National, local and personal

Answer 11

National - UK census data goes back to 1801, with a good level of detail recorded from 1841 onwards.
Local - dating back to the Middle Ages, church records known as parish registers include information about births, deaths marriages etc.
Personal - recollection of family members.

Question 12

Changes in family size and population structure: before the 70s

Answer 12

Population was still growing due to natural increase. Death rate was falling. Took until the 70s to tend the post war baby boom , for the declining birth rate to reach the same level as the death bringing natural increase to a halt. Total population grew from 38 million to 55 million from 1901 to 1971.

Question 13

Changes in family size and population structure: since the 70s

Answer 13

total population has grown more slowly, and the growth has mostly been due to immigration, especially in recent years. Both the death rate and the birth rate have remained low. Birth rate is slowly increasing due to large numbers of migrant women bearing children. Between 1971 and 1977 the population grew from 55 million to 61 million.

Question 14

Internal factor affecting family: migration trends

Answer 14

Post war government slum clearance, redevelopment within cities and new town policies encourage migration since the 50s. New towns include Stevenage and Milton Keynes

Question 15

External factor affecting family (global): Migration trends

Answer 15

Global economic challenges set by NICs like China and South Korea has led to factory closure in northern UK cities such as Manchester and Liverpool. Many young workers migrated to southern England looking for work during the 80s.

Question 16

Internal factor affecting family: employment and changing status

Answer 16

Increased A-level take up encouraged by the government. The expansion of UK universities has allowed a number of children in families to become first generations to gain qualifications needed for middle class occupations.

Question 17

External factor affecting family: employment and status change

Answer 17

In the 80s, the UK government ceased subsidies for industries which had become globally uncompetitive. The government has sought to enhance the UK’s global comparative advantage in areas such as finance and media.

Question 18

Internal factors affecting family: changes to ethnicity

Answer 18

After the Second World War, more labour was needed to help with economic recovery. This led to the recruitment of workers from all over the commonwealth, notably Jamaicans and Indians.

Question 19

External factor affecting family: Changes in ethnicity

Answer 19

Under EU legislation, citizens of other member states, can live and work in the UK. Since 2004, around 600,000 Poles have come to the UK, as well as other EU states.

Question 20

Key concept: Consumption (and consumerism)

Answer 20

Consumption describes the purchase and use of commodities and services, some geographers also write about the consumption of landscape and culture. Consumerism describes the growth of a way of life based around consumption, in which shopping, spending money are all important. UK spending reached 1 trillion pounds in 2006.