Population
Population
Population
Explosion
Population Growth
Exponential growth produces a
line that becomes steeper over
time, taking the shape of a J
DEATH RATE
The number of deaths
per thousand
per year
Stage 1
Stage 2
Example Afghanistan
Stage 3
Example Brazil
Stage 4
Growth rate
Slowing down
Stage 5
Natural
decrease
Population structure is
the % of the population in
each age category.
A population pyramid
shows the proportion of
males and females in
each age group.
A large number of
children and young
people
Low life
expectancy
High birth
rate
High death
rate
High infant
mortality rate
More elderly
women than men
Many elderly
people
The population
pyramid of an
MEDC has a
more
rectangular
shape
Long life
expectancy
Low death
rate
Improved technology
improves yields &
saves labour
Agricultural
change
Urbanisation
Workers freed up to
work in industry
migrated to towns
Factors affecting
population growth
Education improves
standard of living
More women
participate in paid
work
Education
Children
become an
economic
disadvantage.
Fewer children
mean more
opportunities for
each one.
As a country
develops &
education improves,
opportunities for
girls increase.
Emancipation of
women
women choose
not to have
children
Larger
families
become
uncommon
LEDCs
A - Free contraceptives
B - No policy e.g. Saudi Arabia
C - Sterilisation may be
compulsory
D - Some family planning &
education
E - Strict policy supported by
punishment e.g. China
F - Money and other rewards
for small families
What changes have been made to the policy in the 1990s and
2000s?
27 / 7 / 2009
Encourage a
higher birth rate to
increase the counties
population
Advertising e.g.
The Shetland Isles
Accepting
immigrants
How to
increase a
countries
population
Tax incentives
High family
allowances
Ban
contraceptives
Crches at place
of work
Awards for
super mums
e.g. in France
The problems of an
ageing population are
similar in both the UK
and Sweden, BUT their
strategies to cope with
an ageing population
are very different.
PROBLEMS:
HEALTH AND FITNESS an ageing population leads to an increase in
degenerative diseases such as cancer, heart disease, arthritis and
dementia.
HOUSING - many elderly people have specific housing needs, such as
homes without stairs or wider doorways to accommodate wheelchairs.
INCREASING CARE NEEDS - most elderly people need increasing levels
of care over time. They may eventually move into sheltered
accommodation or nursing homes.
PENSIONS - as more and more people live longer lives, they will claim
their state pensions and other benefits for longer.
FEWER WORKERS - as the UKs population continues to age there will
be a smaller and smaller working population and a larger dependent one.
These problems will eventually affect the countrys economy and its future
development. Less income tax from a smaller working population will reduce
its ability to pay for the increasing demands of healthcare, pensions etc.
Who migrates?
What type of work do they do?
What benefits do the eastern Europeans bring to the UK?
What problems are created?
What is likely to happen in the future?
An elderly population
left behind
Language difficulties
Migrants put a strain
on resources e.g.
schools and health care
Reduces pressure
on jobs
Loses people of
child bearing age
so the birth rate
declines
Overcomes job
shortages
Migrants prepared
to do dirty, unskilled
jobs
Cultural benefits e.g.
Indian restaurants and
The Notting Hill Carnival
Could increase the
number of skilled
workers e.g. doctors
POLITICAL
religious, political
or racial persecution
civil war
NATURAL
environmental disasters
such as floods, drought,
earthquakes and
volcanic eruptions.
1/3 of immigrants
into the EU claim
to be a asylum
seekers
Some economic
migrants have claimed to
be asylum seekers
believing this would give
them a better chance of
staying in the EU.
...... people who are at risk if they stay in their own country.
They become refugees when they settle in another country.
Sweden is
particularly
generous to
asylum seekers.
By 2007, 70,000
Iraqis lived there
The Netherlands,
Germany, Greece,
Belgium and the
UK have given
homes to another
70,000