Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
LDC: least developed country (48 of these)
LIC: low income country
HIC: high income country
NEE: newly emerging economy
Linking between Climate change, development and nutrition, and food supply
• CC = reverse social and economic development as more flood events + pro-
longed rainy seasons - food insecurity, malnutrition, water-borne diseases
• CC longer drought periods = less development - crops have less rainfall and
river levels drop, less irrigation, girls pulled out from school to help families
get water, uneducated future economically active population
• CC = less arable land = food insecurity, increase migration
Population density: the average number of people living in a specified area,
usually expressed as the number of people per square kilometre
1
,Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Stage 1: Early fluctuating Stage 5: Ageing population
High BR Decrease in BR
High DR Increase in DR
Example: Amerindian Tribes Example: Latvia
Stage 2: Early expanding
High BR
Falling DR
Example: Afghanistan
Popu- la-
Stage 3: Late expanding tion dis-
Falling BR tribu-
Low DR
Example: Brazil (abortion practically il-
legal as Roman Catholic)
Stage 4: Late fluctuating
Low BR
Low DR
Example: UK
tion: the pattern of where people live. This can be considered at all scales from
local to global, in an area or a country.
Reasons for Population increase Reasons for Population decrease
Improvements in healthcare (reduce death Improvements in technology (less jobs due to
rate) tractors etc.)
Improvements in technology (reduce death Low global income
rate)
Higher global income (increased money for World wars
children)
Fertility rate increase (more births) Natural disasters
Immigration Increased contraception (reduce fertility rate)
2
,Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Reasons for Population increase Reasons for Population decrease
France’s government policy (advantages to 3 China government policy
child families)
High infant mortality rate Urbanisation
Mechanisation of industries
Famine
Disease (tsetse fly invasion in South Africa)
Genocide (1970s Cambodia)
Emancipation of women
Low infant mortality rate
The Demographic Transition Model
Strengths of the Demographic Transition Weaknesses of the Demographic Transi-
Model tion Model
Good for people living in the UK as is based Birth rates in ex Soviet Union countries (e.g
on societies which have industrialised over Latvia) have fallen below the DR. Stage 5
the last 200 years which relates directly to added in retrospect
the UK
Other developed countries (e.g France and Model assumes that in time all countries pass
Japan) have followed almost exactly the same through the same 4 stages, but is unlikely
demographic pattern that some African countries will ever industri-
alise
It is simple to understand, dynamic and Model assumes that stage 2’s fall in DR was a
changes over time so can be adjusted for fu- consequence of industrialisation. However,
ture changes initially industrialisation meant the DR rose in
the British Isles as the condition were unsani-
tary
NEEs have followed a similar pattern, but pro- In many countries (e.g Brazil) decrease BR in
gressed father than the British Isles Stage 3 due to religion and political opposi-
tion.
Easily and universally applied NEEs (e.g Malaysia) develop faster so have a
squashed timeline
Used to compare stages of demographic de- Emigration growth countries (e.g Australia)
velopment skipped early stages
Used by demographers to make predictions Some African countries have rising DR from
about future change HIV which look like Stage 5. In Zimbabwe 17%
of adults suffer from HIV.
Does not account for:
- Migration and its impact on birth rates
- Government policy which may influence
birth rate e.g China
- War and other conflicts which will impact
the death rate
- The impact of major disease pandemics on
death rates, for example HIV/AIDs
3
, Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Strengths of the Demographic Transition Weaknesses of the Demographic Transi-
Model tion Model
- Environmental limitations placed on future
economic development, for example, mea-
gre resources, harsh climatic conditions,
natural disasters.
Demographic Dividend
= the accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a coun-
try’s birth and death rates, and the subsequent change in the age structure of
the population
Fewer births = young dependents decline so less people to support = rapid
economic growth
Fertility must decline for countries to attain the DD. 1st step = transition from
high to low BR + DR (= demographic transition)
Factors necessary to achieve DD: family planning, child health, education, gen-
der equality
Population Pyramids
0-19 years: youthful dependents
20-64: economically active (should be around 50%)
65+ : elderly dependants
Dependency ratio = (YD + ED) divided by EA, x 100 = …%
EA should be approx 50% as 50% of the population earning can provide for the
50% not earning.
Why are population pyramids useful?
- Show past changes in population
- Be used to predict short-term and long-term fixture changes in population
- Show the effects of war/diseases and famine
- Indicate life expectancy
- Give an idea of the stage of demographic transition
- Show effects of migration on a population structure (including the age and
gender of migrants)
4
LDC: least developed country (48 of these)
LIC: low income country
HIC: high income country
NEE: newly emerging economy
Linking between Climate change, development and nutrition, and food supply
• CC = reverse social and economic development as more flood events + pro-
longed rainy seasons - food insecurity, malnutrition, water-borne diseases
• CC longer drought periods = less development - crops have less rainfall and
river levels drop, less irrigation, girls pulled out from school to help families
get water, uneducated future economically active population
• CC = less arable land = food insecurity, increase migration
Population density: the average number of people living in a specified area,
usually expressed as the number of people per square kilometre
1
,Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Stage 1: Early fluctuating Stage 5: Ageing population
High BR Decrease in BR
High DR Increase in DR
Example: Amerindian Tribes Example: Latvia
Stage 2: Early expanding
High BR
Falling DR
Example: Afghanistan
Popu- la-
Stage 3: Late expanding tion dis-
Falling BR tribu-
Low DR
Example: Brazil (abortion practically il-
legal as Roman Catholic)
Stage 4: Late fluctuating
Low BR
Low DR
Example: UK
tion: the pattern of where people live. This can be considered at all scales from
local to global, in an area or a country.
Reasons for Population increase Reasons for Population decrease
Improvements in healthcare (reduce death Improvements in technology (less jobs due to
rate) tractors etc.)
Improvements in technology (reduce death Low global income
rate)
Higher global income (increased money for World wars
children)
Fertility rate increase (more births) Natural disasters
Immigration Increased contraception (reduce fertility rate)
2
,Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Reasons for Population increase Reasons for Population decrease
France’s government policy (advantages to 3 China government policy
child families)
High infant mortality rate Urbanisation
Mechanisation of industries
Famine
Disease (tsetse fly invasion in South Africa)
Genocide (1970s Cambodia)
Emancipation of women
Low infant mortality rate
The Demographic Transition Model
Strengths of the Demographic Transition Weaknesses of the Demographic Transi-
Model tion Model
Good for people living in the UK as is based Birth rates in ex Soviet Union countries (e.g
on societies which have industrialised over Latvia) have fallen below the DR. Stage 5
the last 200 years which relates directly to added in retrospect
the UK
Other developed countries (e.g France and Model assumes that in time all countries pass
Japan) have followed almost exactly the same through the same 4 stages, but is unlikely
demographic pattern that some African countries will ever industri-
alise
It is simple to understand, dynamic and Model assumes that stage 2’s fall in DR was a
changes over time so can be adjusted for fu- consequence of industrialisation. However,
ture changes initially industrialisation meant the DR rose in
the British Isles as the condition were unsani-
tary
NEEs have followed a similar pattern, but pro- In many countries (e.g Brazil) decrease BR in
gressed father than the British Isles Stage 3 due to religion and political opposi-
tion.
Easily and universally applied NEEs (e.g Malaysia) develop faster so have a
squashed timeline
Used to compare stages of demographic de- Emigration growth countries (e.g Australia)
velopment skipped early stages
Used by demographers to make predictions Some African countries have rising DR from
about future change HIV which look like Stage 5. In Zimbabwe 17%
of adults suffer from HIV.
Does not account for:
- Migration and its impact on birth rates
- Government policy which may influence
birth rate e.g China
- War and other conflicts which will impact
the death rate
- The impact of major disease pandemics on
death rates, for example HIV/AIDs
3
, Tori McAlister Population Notes Geography
Strengths of the Demographic Transition Weaknesses of the Demographic Transi-
Model tion Model
- Environmental limitations placed on future
economic development, for example, mea-
gre resources, harsh climatic conditions,
natural disasters.
Demographic Dividend
= the accelerated economic growth that may result from a decline in a coun-
try’s birth and death rates, and the subsequent change in the age structure of
the population
Fewer births = young dependents decline so less people to support = rapid
economic growth
Fertility must decline for countries to attain the DD. 1st step = transition from
high to low BR + DR (= demographic transition)
Factors necessary to achieve DD: family planning, child health, education, gen-
der equality
Population Pyramids
0-19 years: youthful dependents
20-64: economically active (should be around 50%)
65+ : elderly dependants
Dependency ratio = (YD + ED) divided by EA, x 100 = …%
EA should be approx 50% as 50% of the population earning can provide for the
50% not earning.
Why are population pyramids useful?
- Show past changes in population
- Be used to predict short-term and long-term fixture changes in population
- Show the effects of war/diseases and famine
- Indicate life expectancy
- Give an idea of the stage of demographic transition
- Show effects of migration on a population structure (including the age and
gender of migrants)
4
