Population Change RevisionBy Diane Stetcu

Key words

Population – the people living in an area

Population distribution – how people are spread out in a place

Population density – the number of people per square km (how crowed an area is)

Densely populated – more than 50 people per km² (crowed)

Sparsely populated – less than 10 people per km²

Why are areas DENSLEY populated?

Flat land (easy to build on)

Mild climate (easy to live in)

Fertile soil

Good education system

Tourist attractions

Good health care

Job opportunities (more money)Easy access to

river or sea

Yellow = physical factors Orange = human factors

So, why are areas sparsely

populated?

Why are areas SPARSELY populated?

Extreme climate; too hot or cold (difficult to live in)

High relief (hard to access)

Lack of water

Poor/no education system

No tourist attractions

Poor health care

No job opportunities

Inaccessible

Yellow = physical factors Orange = human factors

Infertile soil

Factors that determine population change

Infant mortality – the number of babies per 1000 born that die before their first birthday.

Immigrants – a person who moves into an area or country.

Birth rate – the number of births per 1000 people in a year.

Carrying capacity – the maximum number of people that can be supported by the resources and technology of a given area.

Death rate – the number of deaths per 1000 people per year.

Natural change – the birth rate minus the death rate.

Migration – the long-term movement of people.

Emigrants – a person who moves out of an area or country.

Example of natural change

Country Birth rate Death rate Rate of natural change

Swaziland 27.0 30.4 -3.4

Cambodia 25.5 8.2 17.3

Chile 15.0 5.9 9.1

UK 10.7 10.1 0.6

Why do birth and death rates vary as a country develops?Social

• Women are educated about contraception in HICs and would want to focus on their career.

• Also, couples will want smaller families.

• In LICs, they have less knowledge about maternity and women aren’t as likely to continue their education.

Economic

• In HICs, it’s expensive to bring up a child.

• £186,032 to raise a child until they’re 21.

• In LICs, children are considered a financial asset.

• In HICs, children are considered a financial burden.

Medical

• HICs continuously have now treatments for diseases.

• LICs struggle, with people dying from simple diseases.

Political

• China have introduced the One Child Policy to reduce the birth rate.

• Other countries have introduced incentives to increase birth rates, such as Singapore.

Case study: Poland and the falling birth rates

Reasons for a declining birth rate

More young people, especially women, want to continue their education

Women want to work and be independent

Housing shortage

The cost of raising children is increasing

Unemployment didn’t exist during the communist government era

Women don’t want to risk losing their jobs after maternity leave

Now couples are worried to start a family because they don’t have financial security.

Government incentives to increase birth

rates

Improving public kindergarten

More flats are being built

Extend maternity leave

Pays couples for each child they have

Demographic Transition Model

The Demographic Transition Model explanation

Stage 1 – High fluctuating

Stage 2 – Early expanding

Stage 3 – Late expanding

Stage 4 – Low fluctuating

Stage 5 - Decline

What? High birth rate and death rate

High birth rate, falling death rate

High birth rate, falling death rate

Low birth rate and low death rate

Death rate is higherthan birth rate

Why? • No contraception• Religion• Infant mortality• No medical care or

hygiene

• Better hygiene• Better health

care• Improved

education

• Contraception is available

• Women are continuing their education

• Health care is good

• Contraception widely used

• Education is being continued

• Women are very focused on their careers

Where? Rainforest tribes Banglaesh Brazil Japan/UK Germany

Population and precipitation distribution of China

Towards the west of China, it’s sparsely populated. This is because there is less than 50mm of precipitation per year. Kashgar is an example.

In East and South East China, it’s densely populated. Areas such as Shanghai have over 520 people per square mile. This is because there is low relief and high precipitation. Additionally, there’s easy access to sea.

Case study: China’s One Child Policy

Why?

• An economic reform was taking place

• To improve living standards

• In 1979, China had ¼ of the world’s population!

• ⅔ of the population were under the age of 30

• People born in the 1950s and 60s were entering their reproducing years

Case study: China’s One Child Policy (continued)

IncentivesDisincentives

Free education

Cash bonuses

Couples are given a ‘one-child certificate’ package

Preferential housing arrangements

Better child care

Free medical care

Longer maternity leave

Receive heavy fines Could be sacked from their job

Couples are required to pledge not to have more children

Women who have children already are urged to use contraception or undergo sterilisation

“Granny police” monitor child births, how many children couples have, catch out liars

Women with unauthorised pregnancies are pressured to have abortions

Case study: China’s One Child Policy (continued)

Recent changes to the One Child

Policy

In rural areas (approx. 70% live there), a second child is generally allowed after 5 years if the first child is a girl

A third child is allowed in some ethnic minorities and in remote, unpopulated areas

Urban residents and government employees have to follow the policy and is strictly enforced

Exceptions include if the first child has a disability or if both parents work in high-risk occupations such as mining

Case study: Singapore, three or more

Why?

• They feared the economy would collapse

• The population was decreasing after a ‘two is enough’ policy

• They also feared they wouldn’t have enough workers

Case study: Singapore, three or more (continued)

IncentivesDisincentives

3 months maternity leave for mothers

3 days of paternity leave on the birth of the first 4 children

5 days of paid childcare leave a year

More children means a bigger flat/property

$95 for a maid

$6,000 for the 3rd

and 4th child

$3,000 for the 1st and 2nd child

2nd – 4th child has a savings account

Sterilisation isn’t allowed unless you’ve had 3 or more children

Couples with one child or none can only buy a 3 bedroom flat

Case study: Ageing population in Japan

Disadvantages

• Workforce: businesses are struggling to recruit. Many pensioners are having to continue to work. A solution is to encourage migrant labour.

• Pensions: the Prime Minister has introduced reforms which includes the retirement age being increased from 60 to 65 by 2030 and higher pension contributions from employers, employees and the government.

• Health care: Many pensioners are living in nursing homes or care homes now. This is putting pressure on the health budget, more than half goes towards caring for the elderly.

• In 2006, incentives were introduced to promote independent living at home. A health insurance scheme for over 75s were introduced in 2007. It has been nicknamed the ‘hurry up and die’ scheme.

• To shorten hospital admissions, a fee a hospital receives after 100 days goes up.

• One care home has hundreds on the waiting list, not enough staff work there for everyone to be admitted.

Case study: Ageing population in Japan (continued)

Advantages

• The greying yen: the elderly saved money. Now, Japanese pensioners are spending; buying luxury goods, travelling and indulging their taste for expensive food. This benefits their economy.

• In the past, their saved money would go to their children to help look after them at an old age.

• Now, children are doing less of the caring.

• Technology: Japan has a range of gadgets to support the ageing population. It allows young relatives to keep in touch with their elderly relatives.

• This includes an online kettle that automatically sends emails to up to three people when it’s switched on.

• Also, internet-linked sensors that can be attached to fridge doors and bathroom mats.

Population pyramids

LICHIC

Short life expectancy

High birth rate

Long life expectancy

Low birth rate

Key wordsLife expectancy – the average number of years a person is expected to live

Dependent population – the people aged under 15 and over 65 that are relying on the rest of the population to work and pay taxes to ensure a good quality of life (health care, education, etc.)

Economically Active Population – people aged 15-65 who are of working age

Economic Dependency Ratio –the % of people working compared to those people who are not. A high % of people working is good for the economy.