4.2 Causes & Impacts of Youthful & Ageing Populations

Question 1

Youthful Population
Example + Facts

Answer 1

Niger
- 50% of Niger’s Population is 14 or younger
- Fertility Rate; 6.8 per woman - highest in the world

Question 2

Causes of youthful population

Answer 2

Religious Beliefs
- 90% of Niger Muslim; procreation encouraged in Islam
- leads to beliefs of higher society

Low Contraception
- 11% in 2018
- due to lack of awareness/education as well as few family clinics
- highest in rural areas

Early Marriage
- 60% of marriages involve children under 16
- leads to child bearing during adolescence
- 50% have kids before 20

Question 3

Issues of Youthful Population

Answer 3

Lack of Education
- not enough teachers for the amount of children being born
- leads to a literacy rate of 35%

Healthcare
- exploding population means not enough doctors
- just 2 per 100,000

Poverty
- 45% below poverty line
- due to lack of education

Urban Sprawl
- leads to deforestation
- 55% loss in forest since 2000

Question 4

Responses to Youthful population

Answer 4

• Contraception made free
• radio programs promoting family planning

Question 5

Ageing Population
Example + Facts

Answer 5

Japan
- Highest life expectancy (84)
- 30% 65 or older

Question 6

Causes of Ageing population

Answer 6

Cost of living
- Hard to raise children when very expensive
- Tokyo top 10 most expensive globally

Age of Childbirth
- Women having hcildren later as they work, have careers etc
- 31 vs 26 in 1970

Diet
- very good due to good education and awareness
- 5% obesity rate

Question 7

Negative Impacts of Ageing population

Answer 7

Education
- Decline in amount
- 400-500 closed per year

Labour Shortages
- 2019 600,000 short
- leads to reduced economic activity

Tax Burden
- 30% 65 or older
- fewer young people to support ageing population so will have to pay more in taxes

Question 8

Positive Impacts of Ageing Population

Answer 8

Increased Wages;
- to combat labour shortages, raise wages
- 44% of big corps hike up wages to attract

Child Care
- Grandparents take up child caring roles
- parents work and contribute more to economy

Raising Retirement Age
- 65 to 70
- relieves future pressure as economically active people increase

Question 9

Why is there High IMR in low development?

Answer 9

Niger
Lack of Clean Water
- 50% have access to basic water
- leads to water born disease, typhoid etc

Lack of Sanitation
- 13% access to basic sanitation services
- open defecation 70% due to this

Healthcare
- 2 doctors per 100,000
- population growing too quick

Question 10

Why is there increase life expectancy in LICs/MICs

Answer 10

Improving Maternal Health
- leads to decrease in child mortality + women dying in childbirth

Vaccination
- stops those at most risk , e.g. elderly getting flu

Clean Water
- widespread
- fewer water born diseases