Population Change

Factors of population size:

Birth rate- number of babies born per thousand of the population per year.

Death rate- number of deaths per thousand of the population per year.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM):

Stage 1: High birth rate/High Death rate/No population growth/Low Population size.

Stage 2: High birth rate/Falling Death rate/High Population growth/Increasing Population Size.

Stage 3: Falling Birth Rate/Falling Death rate/High Population growth/Increasing Population Size.

Stage 4: Low Birth Rate/Low Death Rate/No Population Growth/High Population Size.

Stage 5: Falling Birth Rate/Low Death Rate/Decreasing Population Size.

Stage 1: Ethiopia/Niger

• High Birth Rate because no use of contraception and high infant mortality rate.
• High Death Rate because of poor healthcare.
• Population Structure is mostly young people due to low Life Expectancy.

Stage 2: Sri Lanka/Bolivia

• High Birth Rate because no use of contraception and children working on farms.
• Falling Death Rate because of improved healthcare.
• Population Structure- more young people than old people but still low Life Expectancy.

Stage 3: Uruguay/China

• Rapidly Falling Birth Rate due to women working and better education. Manufacturing economy and less children needed to work. Use of contraception increases.
• Falling Death Rate due to medical advances.
• Population Structure- higher Life Expectancy

Stage 4: Canada/USA/UK

• Low Birth Rate due to urbanisation, improving wealth, less money for children.
• Low Death Rate due to first class healthcare.
• Population Structure- High Life Expectancy so an ageing population.

Stage 5: Germany

• Falling Birth Rate because less money for children due to dependant elderly relatives.
• Low and Fluctuating Death Rate.
• No Population Growth as it is a decreasing population.
• Population structure- more old people than young people.

Social Impacts:

• Lack of access to healthcare or education.
• Children have to work and so miss out on education.
• Not enough houses so they live in settlements and makeshift houses.
• Food shortages.

Economic Impacts:

• Aren't enough jobs so unemployment increases.
• Increased poverty due to poor birth circumstances.

Political Impacts:

• Young Population means government policies focuses on young people.
• Fewer older people meaning government lacks focus on policies for older people.
• Government makes policies to get population growth under control.

Sustainable Development- developing in a way that allows people today to get things they need without stopping people in the future from getting what they need.

Birth Control Programmes:

• Aim to reduce birth rates.
• Some governments have laws on the number of children couples can have.
• Governments offer free contraception and sex education.
• Means population won't increase helping sustainable development.

Immigration Laws:

• Aims to control immigration.
• Governments can limit the number of people emigrating.
• Governments can be selective on who can get in, fewer children = fewer people.
• Slows down population growth rate.

Birth Control Programme:

• One-child Policy was introduced in 1979.
• All couples are strongly encouraged to have only one child.
• One-child couples are given benefits like longer maternity leave, better housing, free education.
• Couples are fined part of their income if they have more than one child.
• In rural areas, couples are allowed to have a second child if the first is a girl, or is disabled.
• If one parent is disbaled or if both parents are the only child, they are allowed to have 2 children so they are enough people to look after their parents.

Effect:

• Policy prevented 400 million births.
• The fertility rate dropped from 5.7 (1970) to 1.8 (2017).

One-Child policy helps toward sustainable development because of slower population growth.

Ageing Population- a population that has a high proportion of older people.

• More older people than younger people because lower birth rate and higher life expectancy.
• Ageing population countries are in the Stage 5 of the DTM.
• Older people are supported by a working population and dependant on younger people.

Economic Impacts:

• Increased taxes to support state pensions of the ageing population.
• Slow growth of the economy due to funding for older people.

Social Impacts:

• Healthcare services are under increased pressure to take care of an ageing population.
• May lead to a lower birth rate because of dependant older relatives.
• Higher retirement age due to inabilty to get a state pension.

In 2005, 16% was over 65. In 2041, 25% will be over 65.

Causes of Ageing Population:

• Increasing Life Expectancy due to medical advances and improved living standards.
• Decreasing Birth Rate due to improved wealth and the 'pensioner boom'

Effects of Ageing Population:

• More elderly people living in poverty due to small working population.
• Government is struggling to get enough taxes to pay for state pensions.
• NHS is under increased pressure to cope with an ageing population- average hospital stay is 13 nights for people over 75.

Strategies for Ageing Population:

• Raising the retirement age- by 2046, the retirement age will be 68.
• Encourage immigration of young people to the UK. 80% of immigrants EU countries under 34
• Encourage the use of private pensions.

Immigration- people moving into an area.

Emigration- people exiting an area.

Push Factors- things in the source country which makes them decide to move.

• Unemployment Levels.
• Poor Standard of Living
• War/Natural Disaster

Pull Factors- things in the recieving country that attracts them to move.

• Employment Opportunities.
• Better Standard of Living
• Economic migrants move from poor places to richer places. .

Positive Impacts on Source Country:

• Reduced demand on services.
• Money is sent back by emigrants.

Positive Impacts on Recieving Country;

• Increased labour force.
• Immigrants pay taxes that help to fund services.

Negative Impacts on Source Country:

• Labour shortage and Skills Shortage.
• Ageing Population - high proportion of older people left in the country.

Negative Impacts on Recieving Country:

• Increased Competition for jobs - lead to tension and even conflict.
• Increased demand for services- healthcare and education.

Polish Push Factors and Impacts:

• High unemployment rate - 19%.
• Low average wages - 1/3 of average EU wage.
• Housing Shortages - 300 houses per 1000 people.
• £3bn sent home from abroad in 2006.
• Shortage of workers, slowing growth of economy.
• Poland population fell by 0.3% between 2003 and 2007.

British Pull Factors and Impacts:

• Ease of migration- unlimited migration in 2004.
• More work and higher wages.
• Good exchange rates.
• Increased population in UK.
• Boosted the economy.
• Most of the money was sent back to Poland.