Factors affecting population growth
- Birth rate - the number of births per 1000 people. A country with 30 births per 1000 people has a birth rate of (30/1000) x 100 = 3%. A young population and high fertility rate may cause birth rates to be high
- Life expectancy - the number of years an average person in a country is expected to live. In Japan it's over 85 years while in the Central African Republic its around 53 years!
- Infant mortality - this is the average number of babies dying before they reach one year old
- Fertility rate - the average number of children a woman of child-bearing age is expected to have in her lifetime.
- Death rate - the number of deaths per 1000 people . To get the percentage that this represents you must divide by 10 (which works out to be the same as the formula given for birth rate above). The age of the population and availability of health care impacts a country's death rate
- Natural increase - this is the difference between the birth and death rates. If the birth rate of a country is 30 per 1000 people and the death rate is 10 per 1000 people then the natural increase is 20 per 1000 people or 2% (when the fraction is multiplied by 100).
- Migration - this is the movement of people (usually permanently) from one area to another. These people are referred to as migrants. When people move away (out-migration or emigration) it can cause a decrease in population. When migrants come into a country (in-migration or immigration) it increases population growth.
- Overpopulation - refers to a situation where a country's resources are unable to meet the needs of its existing population. Countries facing such challenges are often forced to adopt anti-natal policies such as mandatory birth control to curb population growth, such as the two-child policy in China.
- Under-population - refers to a situation where a country's resources are underutilized because there are insufficient people living in the area. France and Denmark are countries that have implemented policies to encourage people to have more children.
- Optimum population - refers to an ideal situation where the needs of the existing population are adequately met and there is maximization of resources' use.
Copy and complete the table below for homework. Solutions will be uploaded next week Thursday 11th June 2020.
Solutions:
Brazil: NI 18 per 1000
France; DR 10 per 1000
UK: BR 14 per 1000
Mexico: 22 per 1000
India: DR 10 per 1000
Japan: DR 8 per 1000
Countries with rapidly increasing populations include Bangladesh, India, Mexico and Brazil.
Countries with very small population growth rates include the UK, France and Japan.
Brazil: NI 18 per 1000
France; DR 10 per 1000
UK: BR 14 per 1000
Mexico: 22 per 1000
India: DR 10 per 1000
Japan: DR 8 per 1000
Countries with rapidly increasing populations include Bangladesh, India, Mexico and Brazil.
Countries with very small population growth rates include the UK, France and Japan.