GEO- Population Change intro

Geography

Health- The control of disease, birth control, infant mortality rates, diet and malnutrition, the number of doctors and nurses, sexual health and sanitation. 

Death rate- improvements in health care, sanitation and diet have led to a drop in rate of child mortality and reduce the need for large number of children as forms of security for the future.

Population Change

The population of an area changes due to natural change as well as migration.

Ø  Birth Rate- a measure of an areas fertility. The n umber of live births per 1000 people in one year

Ø  Death Rate- The number of deaths per 1000 people in one year.

Ø  Life Expectancy- the average number of years from birth that a person can expect to live

Ø  Longevity- the increase in life expectancy over a period of time. It is direct result of improved medical provision and increased levels of economic development. People live longer and this creates an older population.

Ø  Natural Change- the change in size of a population caused by the interrelationship between birth and death rates. If birth rate exceeds death rate, a population will increase. If death rate exceeds birth rate, a population will decline.

Causes of population growth

Several different factors cause the growth in the worlds population:

           Education- Health education, the age at which compulsory education finishes, female education, levels of tertiary education and literacy levels.

           Social provision- clean water supply, the amount of care for the elderly, availability of radio and other methods of communication and media.

           Culture- Religious attitudes to contraception (Catholics are strongly against it), status gain from having children, the role of women in society and sexual morality.

           Political- taxation of support services, strength of the economy, impact of war and conflicts and the access of healthcare as well as contraception.

           Environmental- frequency of hazards, the environmental conditions that can cause/breed disease.

Changes in population characteristics

Fertility- the number of live births per 1000 women aged 15-49 in one year. It can also be written as the average number of children each women in a population will bear.

Infant Mortality rate- the number of deaths of children under the age of one expressed per 1000 live births per year.

In most parts of the world fertility exceeds both mortality and migration therefore it is the most important determinant for the world population growth. Its importance has increased over time due to the fall in mortality rates worldwide.

Why do fertility rates vary?

           Tradition- in some traditions high rates of reproduction is advised, therefore the cultural expectation exceed the wishes of women. Fertility among young women aged 15 to 19 presents a special concern as these women lack the physical development required when having a child as well as the social support, but it also restricts a women’s chance of having an education and a career.

           Education- Female literacy is a key to lower fertility. With education comes the knowledge of contraception, more opportunities for employment and wider choices. Contraception is becoming more used in developing countries to help women avoid unwanted pregnancies and to lower birth rates. Obstacles such as the lack of funds and supplies, and the lack of comprehensive programmes to educate couples with their choices, are significant barriers.

           Age Structures- Young age structures lead to developing countries far outpacing developed countries in population growth.