HUMAN GEOGRAPHY TOPIC 1
POPULATION
1. How has world population changed over time?
- Demographers estimate that world population reached 500 million
by 1650.
- Prior to this, world population had grown very slowly since the
Neolithic Revolution (approx 5 million people, 10,000 years ago).
- Since 1650, world population has grown at an increasing rate,
reaching 1 billion by 1800.
- The time taken to reach each subsequent billion has shortened
significantly.
- Highest ever global population growth rate was recorded in 1960’s:
coined the ‘population explosion’ during a period of exponential
growth.
2. What are the key global demographic trends?
- ‘Population explosions’ are temporary - world population growth
rates peaked in the 1960’s.
- Many countries and regions have already experienced ‘demographic
transition’, whereby development leads to a decline in population
growth rates.
- In the 20th century, the world’s population quadrupled in size (1.65
billion in 1900 to 6 billion in 1999).
- Every year 140 million people are born and 58 million die = 82 million
people added to world population (each year).
- Rapid population growth has led to increased demand for resources:
this will become an increasing challenge in the 21st century.`
3. What are the key components of population change?
- Countries experience population change due to natural change and
migration.
- Globally, only natural increase accounts for population growth.
- Absolute and relative natural increase/change:
+) Absolute natural increase/change: the actual change in population
as a result of the difference between the number of births and deaths
, +) Relative natural increase/change: is expressed as a rate per 1000
people.
- There are two factors that influence the rate of natural increase.
These are:
+) (Crude) Birth rate
+) (Crude) Death rate
- Typically, these figures are calculated for each year, so that changes
in a country’s demographics can be observed over time.
4. How is natural increase calculated?
- Birth rate = the number of live births per 1000 of the population per
year
- Death rate = the number of deaths per 1000 of the population per
year
- Natural increase = is given as a percentage, and is calculated by
dividing the natural increase by 10
5. What is fertiliy rate and how does it affect the population?
- Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction
following the onset of sexual maturity.
- The fertility rate is the average number children born by a female
during her life.This is typically expressed as the measure, ‘Children
per woman’.
6. What explains the change in fertility (number of children women have)?
- The following factors can all cause changes in levels of fertility
1. Empowerment of women: Increasing levels of education of
women has led to declining fertility in almost all high and middle
income countries.
2. Women’s labour force participation: The increasing labour force
of women means they are likely to have fewer children whilst they
work and pursue careers of their choice.
3. Increasing well being and status of children: Improving health of
children, a reduction in child labour and rising costs associated
, with caring for children has led to women having fewer children in
many countries.
4. Increasing prosperity and transformation of the economy:
Development leads to a reduction in fertility levels, through
improved education and healthcare and changes to economic
structures.
5. Culture and norms: It was once normal for women to have
between 5-8 children. This is no longer the case in many countries,
where smaller families are more desirable.
6. Religion and fertility: Whilst there is limited evidence that
religious people tend to have more children, there is a weak
relationship between religion and fertility in most countries.
7. Family planning: The ability for women or families to determine
the number of children they have has helped reduce the number
of unwanted pregnancies and drive down fertility rates.
8. Contraception: Methods of contraception give parents the chance
to get the actual fertility closer to their desired fertility.
9. Government policies: In some countries, governmental policies
have targeted increasing or decreasing fertility rates, with mixed
success. An example is China’s One Child Policy.
7. What will happen to global fertility rates and global population change in
the future?
1. The global fertility rate is expected to be 1.9 births per woman by
2100, down from 2.5 today.
2. The world’s median age is expected to increase to 42 in 2100, up
from the current 31 – and from 24 in 1950
3. Africa is the only world region projected to have strong population
growth for the rest of this century.
4. Europe and Latin America are both expected to have declining
populations by 2100.
5. The population of Asia is expected to increase from 4.6 billion in
2020 to 5.3 billion in 2055, then start to decline.
6. In the Northern America region, migration from the rest of the
world is expected to be the primary driver of continued
population growth.
POPULATION
1. How has world population changed over time?
- Demographers estimate that world population reached 500 million
by 1650.
- Prior to this, world population had grown very slowly since the
Neolithic Revolution (approx 5 million people, 10,000 years ago).
- Since 1650, world population has grown at an increasing rate,
reaching 1 billion by 1800.
- The time taken to reach each subsequent billion has shortened
significantly.
- Highest ever global population growth rate was recorded in 1960’s:
coined the ‘population explosion’ during a period of exponential
growth.
2. What are the key global demographic trends?
- ‘Population explosions’ are temporary - world population growth
rates peaked in the 1960’s.
- Many countries and regions have already experienced ‘demographic
transition’, whereby development leads to a decline in population
growth rates.
- In the 20th century, the world’s population quadrupled in size (1.65
billion in 1900 to 6 billion in 1999).
- Every year 140 million people are born and 58 million die = 82 million
people added to world population (each year).
- Rapid population growth has led to increased demand for resources:
this will become an increasing challenge in the 21st century.`
3. What are the key components of population change?
- Countries experience population change due to natural change and
migration.
- Globally, only natural increase accounts for population growth.
- Absolute and relative natural increase/change:
+) Absolute natural increase/change: the actual change in population
as a result of the difference between the number of births and deaths
, +) Relative natural increase/change: is expressed as a rate per 1000
people.
- There are two factors that influence the rate of natural increase.
These are:
+) (Crude) Birth rate
+) (Crude) Death rate
- Typically, these figures are calculated for each year, so that changes
in a country’s demographics can be observed over time.
4. How is natural increase calculated?
- Birth rate = the number of live births per 1000 of the population per
year
- Death rate = the number of deaths per 1000 of the population per
year
- Natural increase = is given as a percentage, and is calculated by
dividing the natural increase by 10
5. What is fertiliy rate and how does it affect the population?
- Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction
following the onset of sexual maturity.
- The fertility rate is the average number children born by a female
during her life.This is typically expressed as the measure, ‘Children
per woman’.
6. What explains the change in fertility (number of children women have)?
- The following factors can all cause changes in levels of fertility
1. Empowerment of women: Increasing levels of education of
women has led to declining fertility in almost all high and middle
income countries.
2. Women’s labour force participation: The increasing labour force
of women means they are likely to have fewer children whilst they
work and pursue careers of their choice.
3. Increasing well being and status of children: Improving health of
children, a reduction in child labour and rising costs associated
, with caring for children has led to women having fewer children in
many countries.
4. Increasing prosperity and transformation of the economy:
Development leads to a reduction in fertility levels, through
improved education and healthcare and changes to economic
structures.
5. Culture and norms: It was once normal for women to have
between 5-8 children. This is no longer the case in many countries,
where smaller families are more desirable.
6. Religion and fertility: Whilst there is limited evidence that
religious people tend to have more children, there is a weak
relationship between religion and fertility in most countries.
7. Family planning: The ability for women or families to determine
the number of children they have has helped reduce the number
of unwanted pregnancies and drive down fertility rates.
8. Contraception: Methods of contraception give parents the chance
to get the actual fertility closer to their desired fertility.
9. Government policies: In some countries, governmental policies
have targeted increasing or decreasing fertility rates, with mixed
success. An example is China’s One Child Policy.
7. What will happen to global fertility rates and global population change in
the future?
1. The global fertility rate is expected to be 1.9 births per woman by
2100, down from 2.5 today.
2. The world’s median age is expected to increase to 42 in 2100, up
from the current 31 – and from 24 in 1950
3. Africa is the only world region projected to have strong population
growth for the rest of this century.
4. Europe and Latin America are both expected to have declining
populations by 2100.
5. The population of Asia is expected to increase from 4.6 billion in
2020 to 5.3 billion in 2055, then start to decline.
6. In the Northern America region, migration from the rest of the
world is expected to be the primary driver of continued
population growth.
