Population

Question 1

Demographic Transition Model

Answer 1

• Graphs birth rates, death rates and natural increase
• Demographic means population and transition means change

Question 2

The One child policy

Answer 2

• It was a policy in China in 1979 which was brought in due to the high increase in population.
• It didn’t mean that you could only have only one child it just meant that you could only have one birth
• Once you had had your one birth either the man or woman or both would be sterilized and the woman would have abortions after.
• The policy was abolished in 2015.

Question 3

The demographic transition model stages

Answer 3

• Stage one – Population is low but there are high birth and death rates.
• Stage two – Population begins to increase as death rates fall due to improvements in medicine and sanitation. Birth rates remain high.
• Stage three – Population is still increasing but more slowly now as birth rates fall due to increased access to contraception and family planning, improvements in health education and a general desire for smaller families. Death rate continues to fall but at a slower rate than at stage two.
• Stage four – Population is now high but as birth rates and death rates are now low, the rate of population change is steadier than before.
• Stage five – Population may start to decline at this point due to low birth rates and an ageing population leading to a slight increase in death rates.

Question 4

Population Pyramids

Answer 4

• A wide base to the pyramid indicates a young population.
• Wider bars at the top of the pyramid indicate an ageing population.

Question 5

Anomalies of Population Pyramids

Answer 5

• A longer than expected bar may indicate a large amount of immigration at that age range.
• A shorter than expected bar may be due to war or famine (scarcity of food).