Population: Population Growth and Decline
CIE iGCSE Geography Assessment
| Population | |
| Candidates should be able to:Describe and give reasons for the rapid increase in the world’s population Show an understanding of over-population and under-population Understand the main causes of a change i population size Give reasons for contrasting rates of natural population change Describe and evaluate population policies | Further GuidanceCauses and consequences of over-population and under-population Have birth rate, death rate and migration contribute to the population of a country increasing or declining Impacts of social, economic and other factors (including government policies. HIV/AIDS) on birth and death rates |
| Case Study required for 1.1A country which is over-populated A country which is under-populatedA country with a high rate of natural population growth A country with a low rate of population growth for population decline | |
| Case study | Case study |
| a) A country which is overpopulated causes and consequences)b) A country which is underpopulated (causes and consequences)c) A country with a high rate of natural population growth (causes and consequences) d) A country with a low rate of population growth (or decline) (causes and consequences) | a) Nigeriab)Australiac)Nigerd)Japan a) & b) – Resources and the country’s ability to cope and or use these resources. c) & d) – Reasons for BR and DR being high or low. |
Definitions and Key Vocabulary
Population growth: the increase in the number of individuals in a population.
Birth rate: the number of live births per thousand of population per year.
Death rate: measure of the number of deaths (in general, or due to a specific cause) in a particular population, scaled to the size of that population, per unit of time.
Population policy: A population policy may also aim to modify the distribution of the population over the country by encouraging migration or by displacing populations.
Carrying capacity: The carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment
Varying growth rates across the world
- Population growth tends to be higher in LEDCs.
- By 2100, the population of 35 LEDCs such as Uganda and Somalia are expected to to triple. In contrast, the population of most MEDCs is expected to stay the same.
- Population growth is relative to available resources in the country.
- Population growth depends on the carrying capacity of the country.
- Population growth depends on population distribution within the country.
Natural Population Growth
| Causes | Consequences | |
| Social | Families in LEDCs tend to have more children as they can help provide an income and can look after parents as they age.Birth rate higher than death rate Migration of people High fertility rate Lack of education Lack of access to contraceptives | Housing standard decreases as towns and cities become more crowdedPeople have less resources as they need to be shared out between more people. Easier spread of diseases and lack of sanitation. |
| Environmental | Liveable climate | Ecosystems may be affected by a large influx of people into an area. |
| Economic | Low GDP per capita (more children for more income) | GDP may decrease |
Natural Population Decline
| Causes | Consequences | |
| Social | Families are more focused on careers, so only have one or two children. Children are sent to school which is expensive. Low fertility rate. Access to contraception and family planning. Death rate higher than birth rate. Conflict and war. Disease | More stress on the working population as the dependent population decreases. Taxes increases so the government can afford pensions, which may cause people to emigrate. |
| Environmental | People may emigrate if the climate in a country is to extreme. | |
| Economic | Inflation and hyperinflation may cause people to emigrate. | Taxes increases so the government can afford pensions |
Population policies
| Population Policies | Singapore’s “Stop at Two” |
| Introduced in 1979 by the communist government. Introduced as China realized there was not enough resources or jobs to accomodate for the rising population. Families with one child are eligible for government benefits such as healthcare. Families with more than one child can be punished with fines. | Introduced in the 1960s and punished families for having more than two children. Families with more than two children were disadvantages as their children were banned from top schools and were fined. This policy was almost too successful and he population started to decline after 20 years. |
High rate of natural population growth – Niger
Background:
- Niger is a country in western Africa with a population of 17 million.
- The average lifespan is 54 years.
- Niger’s main industries are agriculture.
Causes:
- Death are falling – improvements in medicine, food supply and water supply as well as more doctors per capita have made the death rate fall.
- Babies are role frequently vaccinated and people are educated on disease and the spread of disease.
- Lack of family planning.
Consequences:
- Resources may be scarce for rural communities.
- Space for living – standard of living may decrease.
Low rate of natural population growth (decline) – Japan
Background:
- Japan is an MEDC in asia with a population around 126 million.
- It has an average lifespan of 80 years (one of the highest in the world)
Causes:
- Birth rates are falling – not enough families are having children in Japan meaning that pressure is out on the work force to produce pensions for the large elderly population who are unable to work.
- People choose their career over starting families.
Consequences:
- Taxes increase for the working population to provide pensions.
Too many elderly people – not enough facilities.
Still got a question? Leave a comment
Leave a comment