Geography-Population Dynamics

Different countries are facing different population changes.

Some are facing population increase (Where the number of live births exceeds deaths) for example, Senegal.

Some are facing a population balance (Where births and deaths are almost equal) for example, Denmark.

Some are facing a population decline (Where the number of live births is less than teh number of deaths) for example, Japan. 

Birth rate: Number of babies born alive for every 1000 people in one year

Death rate: Number of people who die for every 1000 people in one year.

Natural increase: The number of peope added to, or lost from the population for every 1000 people in one year.

Birth rates and death rates vary greatly between countries. Some causes: level of development, religious views, policies of the government. Birth rate can be affected by availability and attitudes towards contraception. Death rates can be affected by level of access to health care. 

Stage 1-High Stationary: Death rate: High diseases, famines, conflict, lack of clean water, poor medical care Birth rate: High lack of birth control, low age of marriage for women, children may work which adds to family income. Rate of natural increase: LOW, population stays low as high death rate cancels high birth rate. UK position: UK in stage 1 before 1760. Examples: Few in stage 1 today, few remote tribes in tropical rainforest perhaps.

Stage 2-Early Expanding: Death rate: Falling Improved medicine, cleaner water, better food, improved sanitation Birth rate: High same reasons as stage 1. Rate of natural increase: High Total population increases rapdily as less are dying, birth rate still high. UK position: Was in stage 2 between 1760 and about 1900. Examples: Some LICs Bangladesh, Niger

Stage 3-Late Expanding: Death rate: Falling continued improvement in medical care+sanitation, improving food and diet. Birth rate: Falling women staying in education, getting married later. Delaying having children. Children less likely to work go to school don't contribute to family income. Rate of natural increase: High Grows as birth rates still higher than deaths. Slows down as births fall  UK position: Between 1900-1950 Examples: MICs are in this stage like Mexico

Stage 4-Low Stationary: Death rate: Low High standards of medical care, healthy lifestyles, excellent sanitation services. Birth rate: Low High cost of bringing up children, women choosing to have careers before marriage, good access to birth control Rise of natural increase: Very low/stable with low birth and death rates, little or no natural increase in the population UK position: Been in this stage since about 1950. Examples: Many developed/HICs such as USA, Denmark

Stage 5-Declining: Death rate: Rising Greater proportion of population is elderly so death rate is rising slightly. Birth rate: Very low Remains low due to lifestyle changes, more people choosing to have fewer children later in life. Rise of natural increase: Negative total population begins to decline slowly as higher death rate than birth rate. UK position: Could enter soon. Examples: Some HICs have reached stage 5, Japan, Russia, Germany.

Nigeria:                                                                            Japan:

Total population: 162 million                                        128 million

Birth rate: 40 per 1000                                                    9 per 1000

Death rate 15 per 1000                                                   10 per 1000

Population growth rate: 2.5%                                       -0.1%

Life expectancy: 51                                                        83            

Per capita income (US$) 1,500                                       47,000

Nigeria's population pyramid has a very wide base-youthful population. Borth rates are high but because life expectancy is low, death rates are high too. 

In Japan the base of the pyramid is very narrow indicating few children are being born. Japan has a 'top heavy' pyramid withg many people of retirement age - an ageing population

Economic growth: 

In Japan, children are sen as a 'cost'. Reduces number born. In Nigeria, children can be an 'asset', they can help on the farm or get a street job to boost family income

Migration:

Migration can boost population. In UK immigration increased population by 2.4 million between 1990-2010. Japan-immigration is very low so does not help offset ageing population. About 300,000 emigrated from Nigeria in 2012 mostly working age men to seek better jobs in other countries so population may decrease

Conflict: War and conflict oftne lead to a lower number of me in a country.

Health care: Nigeria has poor access to health and clean water meaning more deaths, Japan has excellent health care increasing life expectancy.

Pro-natalist or anti-natalist: Policies may have an influence if they provide incentives either way such as Sweden being pro and China being anti. 

Japan's ageing population:

Japan has oldest population in the world. Japan is also catering the elderly towards disneyland due to the fact that there are not enough children. 

Why is it ageing? 

• People in Japan are living longer. Average life expectancy is 81 for men, 87 for women. Due to a healthy diet and good health care.
• Birth rate has been declining since 1975. partly due to the rise in the average age at which women have their first child due to people choosing their careers over children and contraception.

What does this mean for Japan?

• An increase in the cost of pensions. As they live longer pensions required for longer. Fewer workers and fewer taxes so tax rates increase. 
• Rising number of elderly people living in nursing homes. 
• Increased in the cost of healthcare as more elderly people require medical treatment. 

Mexico's youthful population:

Mexico has a youthful population. Population is growing. The growing number means the area is becoming overcrowded and due to the high population some people may be unemployed. 

Why is the population growing?

• There's a low death rate and more babies are being added to the population, people are living longer and there's a healthier, youthful population resulting in a low death rate as most children are surviving. 
• Birth rate is falling due to contraception but there is still a large percentage of young people. Population will still increase as Mexico is developing.

What does this mean for Mexico?

• Large youthful population requires an increase in school places so more stress on economy.
• Large numbers are unable to find work, more migrate so less taxes for the government. 
• Growing manufacturing industry, expected to overtake UK economy. 
• Abortion has been legalised due to high birth rate, also to an attempt to reduce numberof abandoned children. 

China's population:

China has an anti-natalist policy in the form of a one-child policy. China has a population fo 2 billion and due to this it needs to manage it. Couples who only have one child recieve financial rewards and welfare benefits. 

What is the policy?

• Ethnic minorities are exempt from the policy.
• Men have to be over the age of 22 and women over the age of 20 in order to be granted permission to have a child.
• Parents who follow the rule recieve a certificate and extra money when they retire.
• Two babies are permitted in rural areas or if the first is female.
• Breaking the rules results in a heavy fine.

Since then the policy has been relaxed to allow for 2 children to be born. 

Impacts of the policy:

• Policy has been successful in preventing 300 million birhts
• There is now a serious imbalance of emn to women. Couples often use illegal methods to ensure that their one child is a boy. Unwanted baby girls have been abandoned. 
• Some people now believe that China's rapidly growing economy will not have enough skilled and well-educated workers to keep it going. Number of young people starting to work will drop as the population ages. 
• Babies born under the one child-policy will have two parents and four grandparents to look after as they reach old age.
• One-child policy is often presented as a cure-all for rapid population growth. Chinese fertility rate had already fallen to 2.7. 
• In future the policy may have to be relaxed. 

Sweden's pro-natalist policy:

Sweden is attempting to increase the population of young people due to it being ageing. 

The government have introduced a range of benefits to encourage couples to have more children. 

Paternal leave: Available for 13 months at 80% of earned income. 

Speed premium: An extra payment if there are less than 30 months between children.

Cash Child Benefit: Currently 900 euros per child per year.

Sick child care: 120 paidd ays per child per year

All day child care and all day schools: Enabling parents to work full time.

By 2012, Sweden's fertility rate had increased slightly to 1.7. 

Open-door: When a country encourages migrants to move in, often for economic reasons. UK must follow open-door for migrants coming from the EU.

Quota: Where a country sets limits on the number of legal migrants that its prepared to allow in each year

Skills tests: Tests which are used to assess qualiications and skills that potential immigrants to have to see if they will match the jobs and skills that are needed in a country. There are five tiers:

Tier one: Highly skilled: Includes entrepreneurs, top scientists and business people. Have best opportunity to stay permanently in the UK. System regars as having potential to earn most money

Tier two: Skilled with job offer: People with qualifications or important work-related experience Employees required to sponsor an individual 

Tier three: Low skilled: Jobs in hospitality, food and processing and agriculture. Tier is not open to people outside the EU

Tier four: Students: For fee-paying students from overseas who are issued a student via from their place of study

Tier five: Temporary workers: Mainly for professional sports people or musicians who want to work in the UK for a specific limited period of time

Immigration

The UK is experiencing major changes in immigration. More people are migrating to the UK due to the benefits and as refugees to escape war-torn lives. For example, people from Poland are migrating to Peterborough, England. 

Why are they migrating to the UK?

• Wages in Poland are poor, move to the UK in an attempt to find a better life for themselves and family.

The migration has some benefits and drawbacks to both the host (England)  and the donor (Poland) countries.

Negative impacts on the donor:

• Less people working in their own country meaning the government gets less money from taxes.

Positive impacts on the donor:

• Females are benefitting as they can do better jobs which would normally be filled my men. This means people are still doing jobs and women are fulfilling some of these roles.

Positive impacts on host:

• Polish migrants are hardworking people and they generate lots of money for the government. 
• They do jobs which needs to be done which the native population (English) would not want to do.
• They're never late meaning their work ethic and working day is maximised so the company benefits.
• They always ask for new jobs once they have finished the previous one so the time spent working is at it's maximum. 

Negative impacts on host:

• Employeers worry if Polish workers will leave Britain as the jobs will not be done so business suffers.
• Cultural differences have led to issues such as where to put the rubbish out and when to do it.
• Schools can't cope with new children because of how many are arriving and it may lead to language barriers.
• It puts strain on welfare and healthcare systems
• Immigrants can become subject to discrimination.