Changes in population characteristics - chapter 3 Flashcards
What is the BR and DR for African countries?
50 per 1,000 per year.
20 per 1,000 per year.
-why does fertility vary-
How is the relationship of the DR important fertility?
Sub-Saharan African countries - high BR to counter high IM.
9 children to be 95% certain of a surviving adult son.
Improved healthcare/sanitation - drop in child mortality rates.
Have reduced the need for large numbers of children as social security.
USA as the highest MEDC fertility rate of 2.0.
Europe - average of 2 children.
-why does fertility vary-
How does tradition relate to fertility variation?
Intense cultural expectations may override the wishes of women.
E.g. Vietnam 92% women who had 2 children stated that they wished to have no more children.
However in Nigeria, this was only 4%.
How does fertility in women aged 15-19 present a concern?
May lack the physical development/social support needed.
Education may be damaged.
E.g. Chad - 25% adolescent girls have given birth.
-why does fertility vary-
How does education relate to fertility variation?
Education - lowers fertility rates.
Knowledge of birth control, more employment opportunities and wider choices
Increased contraceptive use.
Objective has been achieved in much of Latin America.
Not in sub-Saharan Africa. and parts of Asia/Oceania.
E.g. Rwanda only 10% use family planning.
Brazil 70% use family planning.
Lack of funds and supplies, and comprehensive programmes to educate couples of their choices are significant barriers.
How do young age structures relate to fertility?
Developing countries outpacing developed countries in population growth.
Large populations of young people (Mali - 48%) ensure future population growth despite falling BR.
Due to the ‘youth bulge’ moving through the child bearing years.
Countries with a smaller youth proportion (Japan -14%) face population decline even if births per woman increases.
How does social class relate to fertility?
Fertility decreases from lower to higher classes.
How does religion relate to fertility?
Islam and Roman Catholic oppose contraception.
Tends to lessen with economic development.
E.g. Italian fertility rate is very low (1.3) - but home of the pope.
Some form of contraception taking place there.
How do economic factors relate to fertility?
LEDC’s children are an economic asset - producers.
MEDC’s children are consumers.
Education and childcare is expensive.
Eastern Europe, economic uncertainty causes low fertility rates.
How do political influences relate to fertility?
Some governments want to increase the population e.g. 1930’s Germany and Japan.
Some want to decrease it e.g. China one-child policy.
What is the population explosion?
7 billion people in the world.
Late 20th century - the population was doubling every 30 years - population explosion.
What is India like regarding population growth?
Population - 1 billion.
Going to be the most populous country.
Annual population growth is 0.9%, compared to China’s 0.4%.
Southern Indian states e.g. Kerala, literacy rates are high and fertility rates have fallen.
Impoverished areas e.g. Hindi belt, traditional attitudes prevail as there are large numbers still being born.
India’s fertility has dropped by 50% in the last 30 years.
Where are fertility rates declining, regarding LEDC’s?
East Asia, Caribbean and South America.
Countries - Iran and Turkey.
Religious attitudes - low fertility, the Islamic world fertility is now below replacement level - fewer than 2.12 children per woman.
What is population growth like, regarding MEDC’s?
- what countries are experiencing a population decrease?
Slow population growth.
Italy - predicted population decrease of 4 million by 2020.
Germany - 20% population drop.
Japan - 25% population drop.
Russia - ‘national crisis’ regarding its natural decrease.
What is the ‘Under 2.1 Club’?
The fertility required to maintain the population level is 2.12 children per woman.
Already 50 nations with fertility rates at/below this level.
2016 - 88 nations will be in this category.
China is a member- although its population won’t fall until 2040 due to the time lag.
Why are there very low fertility rates in many east European countries e.g. Ukraine and Romania?
Economic collapse and uncertainty following the end of communist rule has made many women postpone /abandon the idea having children.
Why is the 2.0 fertility in the USA relatively high?
- what effect does immigration have on the USA?
Americans - more religious/optimistic than those in other rich nations - desire for more children.
High US immigration - younger population structure - fertility increase.
How are governments dealing with the issue of low fertility in the MEDC’s? 2
- Japanese government spending £50 million - fertility projects.
- European countries - incentives to increase BR - considerable financial benefits for a third child.
What is the death rate for NIC countries such as Kuwait?
2 per 1,000.
How does infant mortality relate to mortality?
Prime indicator of socioeconomic development.
Sierra Leone - IM 163 per 1,000 live births.
Finland IM - 3 per 1,000 live births.
Areas with high IM rates generally have high mortality rates overall.
How does medical infrastructure relate to mortality?
High medical infrastructure levels = low mortality levels.
VERSA e.g. lack of medical infrastructure/trained professionals.
How does economic development relate to mortality?
LE higher in MEDCs.
Poverty, lack of clean water and poor nutrition etc. increases mortality rates.
Only 58% have access to adequate/improved sanitation facilities worldwide.
Wide rural/urban difference.
Only 25-50% rural residents have access to improved sanitation facilities.
Also lack clean drinking water.
How does incidences of AIDS relate to mortality?
Major mortality effect - especially in sub-Saharan Africa.
40 million have AIDS - 25 million are in Africa.
Zimbabwe - over 20% population is infected.
Out of 7 million sufferers in Asia, 5 million live in India.
Infection rates have started to decline in some countries.
Why has mortality fallen steadily around the world?
Medical advances.
People are more willing to control mortality than they are to control fertility.