10 Family Size, Sex Ratio and Ageing
Trends in family size (3) - correct answer-- Fertility rates are dropping (most women have
less than 3 children)
- 100 years ago, the average family in Europe consisted of 2 parents and 6 children as well
as grandparents
- Large familes are only found in some regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Reasons for decreasing family size (3) - correct answer-1. Migration from periphery to core
(parents work long hours and have to travel long distances so they may not have time for
marriage/lots of children. child care is also expensive) (eg. Japan - 60% of the population are
single)
2. Divorce is more common/socially acceptable (creates single parent households)
3. Changing views on marriage (people in HICs may choose to not marry/have kids,
LGBTQ+ rights results in two-person households)
Sex ratio - correct answer-- # of males to females
- Natural ratio is 105 boys to 100 girls
Factors that influence sex ratio (4) - correct answer-1. Sex-selective abortions (boys are
preferred to girls) (during China's one-child policy, rural people preferred boys b/c they could
work on farms and would take care of elderly parents in the future leading to a sex ration of
115 boys to 100 girls) (in India, hospital staff are not allowed to tell the parents the gender of
a fetus after an ultrasound because in some states had a sex ratio of 125 boys to 100 girls)
2. Female infanticide (female children are killed in some parts of the world)
3. Lifestyle (at age 20, the sex ratio is more equal b/c men are dying in accidents/crime) (in
old age, there are more female then males b/c females live longer)
4. Migration (males often migrate to counties to find manual labour work, eg. Pakistani males
migrate to Dubai to work in oil fields, increaing the number of males to females)
Population ageing/greying - correct answer-An increase in the median age of a population in
a region due to declining fertility rates/rising life expectancy
Issue of ageing populations (2) - correct answer-- In HICs (Japan, Australia, Germany), life
expectancy is 80+ so 1/4 of the population is 65+
- Creates a "greying time-bomb" where there is not enough people in the economically active
group to support the old dependents (declining birth rates also impact this)
Causes of an ageing population (3, 3) - correct answer-High life expectancy
1. Good medical care
2. Nutrition and clean water
3. Sanitation and hygiene
Low birth rates
1. Female equality
2. Cost of children
3. Emigration of economically active
Trends in family size (3) - correct answer-- Fertility rates are dropping (most women have
less than 3 children)
- 100 years ago, the average family in Europe consisted of 2 parents and 6 children as well
as grandparents
- Large familes are only found in some regions of Sub-Saharan Africa
Reasons for decreasing family size (3) - correct answer-1. Migration from periphery to core
(parents work long hours and have to travel long distances so they may not have time for
marriage/lots of children. child care is also expensive) (eg. Japan - 60% of the population are
single)
2. Divorce is more common/socially acceptable (creates single parent households)
3. Changing views on marriage (people in HICs may choose to not marry/have kids,
LGBTQ+ rights results in two-person households)
Sex ratio - correct answer-- # of males to females
- Natural ratio is 105 boys to 100 girls
Factors that influence sex ratio (4) - correct answer-1. Sex-selective abortions (boys are
preferred to girls) (during China's one-child policy, rural people preferred boys b/c they could
work on farms and would take care of elderly parents in the future leading to a sex ration of
115 boys to 100 girls) (in India, hospital staff are not allowed to tell the parents the gender of
a fetus after an ultrasound because in some states had a sex ratio of 125 boys to 100 girls)
2. Female infanticide (female children are killed in some parts of the world)
3. Lifestyle (at age 20, the sex ratio is more equal b/c men are dying in accidents/crime) (in
old age, there are more female then males b/c females live longer)
4. Migration (males often migrate to counties to find manual labour work, eg. Pakistani males
migrate to Dubai to work in oil fields, increaing the number of males to females)
Population ageing/greying - correct answer-An increase in the median age of a population in
a region due to declining fertility rates/rising life expectancy
Issue of ageing populations (2) - correct answer-- In HICs (Japan, Australia, Germany), life
expectancy is 80+ so 1/4 of the population is 65+
- Creates a "greying time-bomb" where there is not enough people in the economically active
group to support the old dependents (declining birth rates also impact this)
Causes of an ageing population (3, 3) - correct answer-High life expectancy
1. Good medical care
2. Nutrition and clean water
3. Sanitation and hygiene
Low birth rates
1. Female equality
2. Cost of children
3. Emigration of economically active
