Population

Population Revision Notes * Population distribution is how a population is spread (distributed) over an area of land. * Population density is the average number of people living in an area, given as people per square kilometer.
The equation is Population Density = * The terms densely populated and sparsely populated are used to refer to areas with high and low population densities. * The term population density refers to the average number of people in the area and tells is nothing about where in that area people live. * The ideal population density gives and optimum population. * Optimum population is about the ideal number of people that can be supported by the resources available. * Overpopulation: too many people to be supported to a satisfactory level by the available resources. * Under population: too few people to make the most of the available resources. * Optimum population: the number of people that an area can support in a way that allows them to have a sustainable standard of living. * In exams it is common for you to be asked about the GLOBAL distribution. Look for patterns, and talk about continents, countries and hemispheres. More specifically talk about WHY a population has been spread in this way
Reasons for high or low population densities
The world population is affected by both physical and human factors. Positive factors encourage people to live in a place which negative factors discourage settlement. Positive | Negative | Relief: Low lying, flat areas will bring in settlement. Flat land is likely to have a deep soil layer. For example, The Nile Delta. | Relief: Rugged high mountains are very hard to settle on, e.g. the Himalayas | Water: A fresh water supply will encourage settlement. E.g. UK | Water: Areas where water supply is inconsistent or in short supply have difficulty obtaining settlement | Climate: A temperate (Mild) Climate avoids extremes and encourages settlement | Climate: Harsh climates will discourage settlement, for example the Australian outback | Vegetation: Temperate areas have easily manageable vegetation | Vegetation: Vegetation such as that found in the Amazon rainforest can be a very physical barrier to settlement. | Soils: Silt enriched fields will be able to hold a larger yield and therefore hold a larger population | Soils: Unproductive damaged soils will not encourage settlement | Pests and Disease: A country will sufficient finance can eradicate disease causing pests | Political Factors: Some countries have very little investment and poor settlement other factors include economic factors, communications and natural resources | Political Factors: A high wealth country with large investment will encourage settlement | Poor trade links and markets. Poor infrastructure.Limited job opportunities. | Economic Factors – large rich markets for trade. Good infrastructure. (Rails, roads, and services.) Skilled labour force. | Some groups of people prefer to be more isolated e.g. Scandinavians |

Population Growth
Death Rate
The number of death per thousand of the population per year

Birth Rate
The number of live babies born per thousand of the population per year - E.g. (23 … out of 1000)
The world’s population is growing rapidly. Between the years 1500 – 2000, the population has been rising at an exponential rate. There are two things that affect the population size of the world, or a country.

Exponential Growth – a rate of increase that quickly doubles. * Natural change: this is difference between birth rate and death rate. It tells you by how much the population will be growing per thousand of population per year. So Birth rate - Death rate = Natural Change * When the birth rate is higher than the death rate, more people are being born than are dying. Therefore the population grows – natural increase. If the death rate is higher than the birth rate, it’s known as natural decrease * The population size of a country is also affected by migration – the movement of people from one area to another area. * Natural change as stated earlier is the difference between births and deaths. For the population to increase births must exceed deaths. You will need to know the factors that affect birth rate and death rates. This can be studied effectively through the demographic transition model. The Demographic Transition Model describes population growth. * The population of a country changes over 4 stages of the DTM. In this diagram, there is a fifth stage which shows population decline in some MEDC’s like Germany and Switzerland.

1. Total population is low but it is balanced due to high birth rates and high death rates.
3. Total population is still rising rapidly. The gap between birth and death rates narrows due to the availability of contraception and fewer children being needed to work - due to the mechanisation of farming. The natural increase is high.

2. Total population rises as death rates fall due to improvements in health care and sanitation. Birth rates remain high.

4. Total population is high, but it is balanced by a low birth rate and a low death rate. Birth control is widely available and there is a desire for smaller families.
5. Total population is high but going into decline due to an ageing population. There is a continued desire for smaller families, with people opting to have children later in life.
As a country passes through the demographic transition model, the total population rises. Most LEDCs are at stage 2 or 3 (with a growing population and a high natural increase). Most MEDCs are now at stage 4 of the model and some such as Germany have entered stage 5.

Population Structures

Population structures are the number of males and females in different age groups.
Population pyramids show the structure of a population, comparing relative numbers of people in different age groups. Population Pyramids differ between LEDC’s and MEDC’s.

The sructure of a population is determined by the proportion of males and females and the proportion of people in different age groups.
There are demographic terms used to describe populations: * HIGH BIRTH/DEATH RATE: indicaties an LEDC. More kids are born in LED’c becuase less birth control is used. This is due to cultural and religious prssure, lack of contraception or lack of education.
INFANT MORTALITY RATE: number of babies dying before thye are one year old, per thousand people. An high infant mortality rate indicated an LEDC because health care is ussualy worse there.
LIFE EXPECTANCY: is the average number of years a person can expect to live. High life expactancy indicates a good healthcare system and an MEDC.
ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE: applies to people betwwen 16 and 64 years old (capable of earning a living.) A high proportion of economically active people indicated high earning power-an MEDC.
DEPENDANTS: are people of non-working age supported by the economically active. A high number of young dependents indicate a high birth rate (LEDC). A high number of elderly dependents indicated a long life expectancy (MEDC). * Managing Population Growth * Economic
1) There aren’t enough jobs for the number of people in the country so unemployment rises
2) There’s increased poverty because more people are born into families that are already poor and have no jobs
3) More young people working means staff with short hours
Social
1) Services like healthcare and education can’t cope with the rapid increase
2) Children have to work to help support their large families
2) There aren’t enough houses for everyone, so people are forced to live in makeshift houses
4) There are food shortages if the country can’t grow or import enough food
A large population has many effects. These all impact the country that has the growing/large population so obviously they then have to deal with it.

Political
1) Most of the population is made up of young people so the government focuses on policies important to the young.
2) There are fewer older people so pensions become less important to the government
3) The government has to make policies to bring population growth under control

Growth Management
Countries need to control rapid population growth and they also need to develop in a way that’s sustainable. This means developing in a way that allows people today to get the things that they need but without stopping people in the future from getting what they need. Here are examples of population policies.
Immigration Laws
Immigration laws aim to control immigration (people moving to a country and living there permanently)
Governments can limit the number of people that are allowed to immigrate. They can also be selective about who they let in. E.g. they can let in fewer people of child bearing age, and few women. This means fewer children and therefore a slower growth.
This helps towards sustainable development because it slows down population growth rate.
Birth Control Programmes
Birth control programmes aim to reduce the birth rate.
Some governments do this by having laws about how many children couple are allowed to have (china). They can also help couple plan (and limit) how many children they have by offering free sexual education and free contraception.
This helps towards sustainable development because it means the population won’t get much bigger. There won’t be many more people using up resources today, so there will be some left for the future generations.

Ageing Populations
Social Impacts
1) Health care services are stretched
2) Demand for unpaid family carers
3) Less children as there’s less money as they spend it on their older relatives
4) Pensions are lowered

Economic Impacts
1) Taxes would go up because there are more pensions to pay for
2) The economy would grow more slowly, as less money is being spent on things to help the economy grow; instead it’s being spent on retirement homes
The population structure of an ageing population has older people than younger because few people are being born, and more people are surviving to old age. Countries with an aging population are usually the richer countries in Stage 5 of the DTM (demographic transition model). Older people (over 65) are supported by working population they’re dependent on them. So in a country with an aging population there are a higher proportion of people of people who are dependent. This has economic and social impacts, which can affect a country’s future development.

Strategies to cope with an ageing population
1) Encouraging larger families, e.g. in Italy, women are offered cash rewards to have more children. This increases the number of younger people to support the older ones.
2) Encouraging the immigration of young people from other countries. This increase the working population so there are more people paying taxes to support the ageing population
3) Raising the retirement age – people will stay in work longer and have a shorter pension, and will keep contributing to state pensions
4) Raising taxes for the working population – this would increase the amount of money available to support the ageing population.

These strategies help towards a sustainable development as the help reduce the impacts of ageing.

* Migration * Migration is the movement of people from one area to another either permanently, or temporarlily. * The reason why people migrate can be social, economic, political or enviromental and there are ussualy pull and pull factors at work. * Migration impacts on the place left behind, and on the place where migrants settle. * There are two different types of migration. * Internal Migration – when people migrate within the same country or region. * International Migration – when people migrate from one country to another. * EMIGRATION is when someone leaves a country. * IMMIGRATION is when someone enters a country.

Migration Impacts | Positive Impacts | Negative Impacts | Source country | Reduced demand on services.Money is sent back to the source country | Labour shortage – working age people leaveSkills shortage – skilled people leaveAgeing population – young people leave | Receiving Country | Increased labour force More taxes paid | Conflict caused by competition for jobsIncreased demand for servicesMoney sent to the source country |

* CASE STUDY: UK’s Ageing Population MEDC * Ageing population caused by: * People living longer because of advances in medicine and improved living standards. * Lots of babies were born in the 1940’s to 60’s periods called the ‘baby booms’. Those born then are retiring now creating a ‘pensioner boom.’ * Since the 1970’s number of babies born has fallen. With fewer young people in the population the proportion of older people goes up. * Problems with this: * More elderly people are living in poverty - the working population isn’t large enough to pay for a decent pension, and many people don’t have other savings. * Even though state pensions are low the government is struggling to pay it. The taxes paid by people in work aren’t enough to cover the cost of pensions and as the population ages the situation is getting worse. * The health service is under pressure because older people need more medical care than younger people. * * Strategies to influence Population Change in the UK * Encourage immigration of young people to the UK – the UK has allowed immigration of people from countries that joined the EU in 2004. This increases the number of people paying taxes which helps to pay for the state pensions. * Raise the retirement age – it is currently 65 for men and 61 for women. This is going to change in stages so that it will be 68 for everybody. People will have to work longer, so there will be more people paying tax and fewer claiming a pension. * Encourage people to take out a private pension