UK in the 21st Century Flashcards
In which areas is population density the highest in the UK?
In major cities
Describe the pattern of relief in each of the 4 UK nations.
England - flattest (low relief), especially in SE, within exception of Pennines area
Scotland - high relief (bar central belt of Glasgow and Edinburgh)
Wales - high relief
Northern Ireland - moderate
What does England having flat land mean?
It is ideal for settlement.
The flattest of england’s land is in the midlands and south
What are 4 causes of housing shortages
- Nimbyism - local opposition to new houses
- Green belt protection
- Rising land prices mean landowners want to hold onto their houses in the hope that the value will increase
- More single people
What are 4 effects of housing shortages
- Not enough people can get homes
- Inflation of house prices (with increased mortgage burdens)
- People can’t afford to live in nicer areas
- People living at home for longer
What is natural change?
the difference between the birth rate and death rate (birth rate - death rate)
How has natural change changed since 2001
It has risen overall.
currently at about 200,000 a year
What is net immigration
immigration (inward) - emigration (outward)
How has net migration changed since 2001?
Immigration has risen, emigration has remained constant, so it has increased overall
What currently drives most of the UK’s population increase, natural change or net migration?
both
used to be 3:1 net migration to natural change, but is now about 1:1
In the 21st Century, natural change has been of increasing importance for the UK’s popualtion increase, why is this?
Because immigrants, mostly Eastern Europeans, have had their own children.
What is the demographic transition model?
A model used to describe expected changes to a population over time.
What are the qualities of stage 4 of the demographic transition model.
Birth rate: low and fluctuating
Death rate: low and fluctuating
Natural change: more or less zero
On a UK population pyramid, you see variations in population at certain ages, why is this?
Because of ‘baby booms’, which is linked to the post-war baby boom (as returning soldiers wanted families)
What is the problem with using the demographic transition to describe the UK’s population?
This model doesn’t account for the large net migration into the UK, which has a significant impact on the UK’s population (about 50:50 with natural change).
What does an ageing population mean and what causes it?
An increasing average age in a population
Driven by rising life expectancies and low birth rates
In the UK, the post-WW2 baby boom has also played a factor (as those born in the time are now elderly)
The UK’s increased life expectancy can be attributed to what 4 things
- better healthcare
- earlier detection of medical problems
- better diets
- living standards are improving
What is a dependant population?
The part of a population (generally children and pensioners), who do not work and rely on others for the goods and services they consume
an example includes pensions paid by taxes from the working population.
What is the formula for dependancy ratio?
Children (under 16) + older people (65 and over) ✕ 100 ÷ Working population (16-64)
The dependant population has remained similiar in the 21st century as…
the proportion of children have slightly decreased, whereas the proportion of older people have slightly increased
List three positive impacts of an ageing popualtion.
- relieving childcare/domestic cleaning pressures
- greypound (increased spending on leisure activities)
- lifelines for tourist shops (e.g. fish and chip shops)
List five negative impacts of an ageing population.
- more government money goes towards pensions (65% of state benefits go to over 65s). Leads to pension crisis
- the working age who care and look after elderly will work less and will be paid less
- strain on local NHS services
- healthcare needs increased investment (NHS spending on retired households double that of working age) (local councils with high ageing population need to spend more on healthcare)
- general divide - lack of interaction between age groups leads to misunderstanding and loneliness
List 3 ways the government has responded to challenges of an ageing population.
- Increasing age people must work before recieving state pension form 65 to 68 in 2046 (incentivises people work longer so more tax contribution and less pension costs)
- Encourage elderly to exercise regularly to relieve pressure on NHS
- Allowing more immigration to UK, replacing those who retire (though government is under pressure to change this)
Why do graduates, young professionals and immigrants move to London?
Due to its job opportunities (as a world city) not seen in the rest of the UK.
It has a certain gravity to attract many, that nowhere else in the UK can replicate
In London, why is there a high birth rate and low death rate compared with the rest of the UK?
High birth rate - young migrants having families (child-bearing age)
Low death rate - older population moving out
How does London’s proportion of demographics of age (children, 18-30, working age, elderly) compare to the rest of the UK?
Children - lower proportion
18-30 - significantly higher proportion
working age - lower proprtion
Elderly - significantly lower proportion
How has the ethnic diversity of London changed since 2001?
It has changed from a majority white city, to the second most diverse city in the world (as of 2011) with only 45% being white British, with other groups such as Black, South Asian, white other, mixed, etc. This leads to different ethnicities clustering in different parts of the city (e.g. French in wealthy area South Kensington, West London)
It should be noted that many of those in these other ethnic groups were actually British-born
What is the primary sector? Give examples of it
The extraction of raw materials
farming, fishing, mining, etc
What is the secondary sector? Give examples of it
Manufacturing industries
Manufacturers, food production
What is the tertiary sector? Give examples of it
Service sector
Banks, hairdressers, cinemas, supermarkets
What is the quanternary industry?
Sector based on high level information and research
ICT, Consultancy, R&D
How has the UK’s economy changed since 2001? (refer to each sector)
Primary - continued decrease
Secondary - continued (high levels of) decrease
Tertiary - high increase
Quanternary - growing (relatively new sector)
Why have secondary and quanternary sectors changed?
Secondary - due to globalisation, other countries could produce goods cheaper (decline in industry opportunity)
Quanternary - relies on advanced countries with good educational institutions
What is the North-South divide?
The cultural, social and economic differences between the North and South of the UK.