Population structure and control

Question 1

Define demography

Answer 1

Study of people or populations

Question 2

What is a population pyramid?

Answer 2

A population pyramid shows the age and sex structure of the country. It is a type of graph that is divided into males and females and then age groups.

Question 3

Features of a population pyramid

Answer 3

• The young dependents (0-15) who are placed at the bottom of the pyramid
• The economically active (16-65) in the middle of the pyramid
• The old dependents (>65) at the top of the pyramid
• 2 types: pyramid shaped or rocket shaped:
• Pyramid:
  + Wide bottoms
  + Narrow tops
• Rocket:
  + Narrow bottoms
  + Broad tops
• Dependency ratio: The ratio between the amount of dependents (old and young) and the economically active.

Question 4

Define census

Answer 4

An official count of the pop carried out at regular intervals

Question 5

Define ageing population

Answer 5

• This is when the proportion of old dependents is increasing. This happens because life expectancy increases, but also because birth rates start to fall.
• Usually stage 5 in DTM

Question 6

Problems of ageing pop

Answer 6

• There may be a shortage of workers (not enough economically active)
• If there is a shortage of workers there are less tax payers and the government receives less money
• In many countries retired people can claim pensions off the government. If there are a lot of old people this can be very expensive.

Question 7

Advantages of ageing pop

Answer 7

• Less need to spend money on schools
• Older people are less likely to commit crimes
• Old people tend to travel less (no commuting) so congestion and pollution might reduce.

Question 8

Solutions

Answer 8

• Increase the retirement age
• Increase the amount of tax charged to economically active
• Have a pro-natalist policy so that birth rates and the number of young people increase

Question 9

Problems and advantages of too many young people

Answer 9

• Advantages:
  + Potentially large workforce in the future => more tax and GDP
• Problems:
  + Child care has to be provided so that parents can return to work.
  + Governments need to pay so that young people can go to school
  + An increase in the dependency ratio

Question 10

Solutions to too many young people

Answer 10

• Anti-natalist policy
• Increase family planning. Make contraception available and affordable
• Ensure females are educated

Question 11

Problems and advantages of having too little young people

Answer 11

• Advantages:
  + Reduced dependency ratio
  + Reduced education and medical costs
• Problems:
  + Less consumers and taxpayers in the future
  + Closure of child related services => loss of jobs

Question 12

Solutions to too little people

Answer 12

• A pro-nalalist policy to increase birth rates.

- Subsidised childcare and education to encourage more families to have more children.

Question 13

Define replacement rate

Answer 13

The number of children each couple has to have to maintain a country’s population. The replacement rate is about 2.1 - two to replace the couple when they die and then 0.1 for children who might die in infancy or who are infertile

Question 14

Reproductive age range

Answer 14

The age that females normally have babies. Biologically this can be anytime between puberty and menopause but is more likely to be between 18 and 35