Flashcards · 0680 · Topic 7

Human population flashcards

12 cards on Topic 7, subtopics 7.1 to 7.3. Pick a subtopic or study them all.

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What is population density, and how is it calculated?: The average number of people per unit area, usually per km². Density = total population ÷ area. It is an average and hides differences within a country.
Why are some areas densely populated and others sparse?: Dense: fertile land, reliable water, a mild climate, jobs, trade routes and infrastructure. Sparse: deserts, mountains, ice-covered land and dense forest, where settlement is hard.
What does the shape of a population pyramid show?: Wide base, narrow top: high birth rate and short life expectancy. Straighter sides: lower birth and death rates. Narrow base, broad top: an ageing population.
How do you calculate the dependency ratio?: (Population under 15 + population over 64) ÷ population aged 15-64 × 100. For example, (20,000 + 5,000) ÷ 50,000 × 100 = 50.

How do you calculate natural change as a percentage?: Birth rate − death rate (both per 1,000), then divide by 10. For example, 18 − 8 = 10 per 1,000 = 1.0%.
Why are birth rates high in some countries?: High child mortality, children working on farms or supporting parents in old age, limited access to contraception and education for girls, and cultural or religious beliefs favouring large families.
What are the stages of the demographic transition model?: Stage 1: high birth and death rates, stable population. Stage 2: death rate falls, rapid growth. Stage 3: birth rate falls, growth slows. Stage 4: both low, stable. Death rates fall first; birth rates follow.
How do you estimate population doubling time?: 70 ÷ annual percentage growth rate. At 1.4% growth, 70 ÷ 1.4 = 50 years. It assumes the rate stays constant.

Anti-natalist vs pro-natalist policies: Anti-natalist: reduce birth rates, through family planning, free contraception, education for girls and incentives for small families. Pro-natalist: raise birth rates, through child benefit, tax breaks, paid parental leave and childcare.
What were the effects of China’s one-child policy?: Introduced around 1980 and ended in 2015, it slowed population growth but led to a gender imbalance and an ageing population.
How can a country cope with an ageing population?: Raise the retirement age, encourage skilled migration and reform pensions, while planning for more pressure on healthcare.
Why do many experts favour voluntary approaches to lowering birth rates?: Education, especially of girls, and rising wealth reduce birth rates strongly without compulsion, avoiding the ethical problems of strict laws.