Theme 1a Population dynamics

Question 1

Reasons for recent rapid population growth in the world (population explosion)

Answer 1

1. Improved medical care (vaccinations, hospitals, doctors, new drugs, scientific inventions)
2. Improved sanitation and water supply
3. Improvements in food production (quality and quantity)
4. Improved transport - moving food, doctors,…
5. Decrease in child mortality

Question 2

Origins of HIV/AIDS

Answer 2

HIV 1 - arose in Central Africa
HIV 2 - arose in West Africa

Question 3

Brief description of HIV

Answer 3

• Mostly occurs in women
• When women give birth, they infect the child, but with antiretroviral treatment, death rates for infants remain low
• Death rate of mothers results in a higher orphan generation (year 2000, 600000 orphans)
  => Due to countries being poor, there is a lack in state welfare
  => Resulting in poverty and lack of education

Question 4

High death rates in LEDCs are caused by (can use the opposite to argue for low death rate in HICs) ?

Answer 4

1. Poor health care, few hospitals, doctors, nurses and clinics
2. Poor sanitation, hygiene or lack of toilets and dirty places
3. Poor access to safe/clean water leads to waterborne diseases
4. Limited food supplies result in malnutrition and starvation
5. HIV/AIDS
6. Natural disaster/drought/floods

Question 5

Birth rates are low in MEDCs because (Can use the opposite to argue for high birth rates in LICs) ?

Answer 5

1. Availability of contraception/abortion/ family planning
2. Well educated population (family planning/contraception
3. Women have careers and are educated
4. Traditionally small families
5. Expense of bringing up children
6. Availability of pensions => don’t need children to look after in old age

Question 6

Population distribution and density factors

Answer 6

• Human: better housing opportunities, education, health, entertainment, retirement areas
• Physical: relief (for farming, defence) , climate, water supply, resources
• Economic: ports, transport links, industrial areas, tourist areas, money available for high-tech industries

Question 7

How to calculate dependency ratio

Answer 7

Dependency ratio= non-economically active / economically active x 100%

Question 8

Describe the population pyramid for an LIC country

Answer 8

Overall shape: pyramid => LIC & high DR
- Wide base => high/increasing BR
- Steep/concave sides => High DR
- Low and narrow top => Low life expectancy and high DR
- Less dependency since there are few old people and children have to work anyway

Question 9

Describe the population pyramid for a HIC country

Answer 9

• Narrow base => low/decreasing BR
• Vertical/bulging sides => low DR
• High & wid top => long life expectancy and low DR
• Highest dependency ratio as there as working population has to support young and lots of old people

Question 10

Describe the population pyramid for a MIC country

Answer 10

• Normal base => constant BR
• Wide/bulging middle => lots of economically active and experienced workers
• Low & narrow top => low life expectancy (still higher than LICs) and high DR

Question 11

What are the consequences of over-population ?

Answer 11

1. Increased levels of pollution
2. Increased crime rates
3. Increased unemployment/underemployment
4. Increased levels of food & water shortages
5. Increased pressure on services e.g hospital

Question 12

What are the consequences of underpopulation ?

Answer 12

1. Fewer people pay taxes => higher taxes
2. Underused resources => waste
3. Shortage of workers
4. Lower levels of exports & production => affects the wealth of an area
5. Fewer customers for products

Question 13

Causes of over population ?

Answer 13

• Large, rapidly-growing population (birth rate larger than death rate)
• Lack of resources (resources exhausted)
• Temperate climate => attract many people
• Large amounts of inward migration e.g for work

Question 14

Causes of under population ?

Answer 14

• Low birth and fertility rates
• Emigration to work in urban areas (higher paid)
• Regular natural disasters occur (extreme weather)
• Famine (poor condition for agriculture & farming)
• Areas that are remote & difficult to access => hard to build settlement

Question 15

What are the 2 main ways in which a population can change ?

Answer 15

• Migration
• Natural population change

Question 16

How can migration leads to population change ?

Answer 16

• Can cause the population to increase/decrease due to emigration or immigration
• Net migration: the difference between the number of people moving in the country (immigrants) and the number of people leaving the country (emigrants)
  => affect population size

Question 17

What is natural change ?

Answer 17

Natural change in population is calculated by subtracting death rate from birth rate

Question 18

When will natural increase and natural decrease happen ?

Answer 18

• Combination of decreasing death rate & high birth rate => rapid natural increase
• Natural decrease happens when birth rate is lower than death rate

Question 19

What are the social factors that affect birth rates&fertility rates ?

Answer 19

1. Infant mortality rate high => fertility rate high for to ensure some children survive to adulthood
2. Education, higher levels of education => lower fertility rates as women have career
3. Religion, religious beliefs can influence how many children a woman has
4. Healthcare, the availability of contraception & family planning

Question 20

What are the economic factors affect the birth rates&fertility rates ?

Answer 20

1. Cost of having children; high costs => reduce the number of children a woman has
2. Lack of pensions => children are needed to care for elderly parents => increase fertility rate
3. Contribution to family income, children work to contribute to family income (LEDCs) => more children needed

Question 21

What are the political factors affecting birth rates & fertility rates and give examples ?

Answer 21

1. Pro-natalist policies, encourage women to have children => increases fertility rate
   e.g France, Sweden, Russia, Singapore (after 1987)
2. Anti-natalist policies, encourage women to have fewer children & decreases fertility rate
   e.g India, Taiwan, Singapore (1972-1987)

Question 22

What are population policies and why do government need them ?

Answer 22

These policies attempt to either reduce/increase population size
+ Government do this to try & achieve balance between population and resources

Question 23

Explain why some areas with high population density may not be overpopulated (can use the opposite to argue for why some areas with low population density may be over-populated)?

Answer 23

• Much of the area could be habitable => easier to build houses & farms
• Temperate climate & enough rainfall => good for farming & agriculture is productive
• Have many/enough services (healthcare, education) => can support large population
• Enough farmland => enough food
• Resources are easily accessible