Population Flashcards
(7 cards)
Explain how to gather population data
1st) A census is a servey which is carried out every 10 years
2nd) It’s a detailed questionnare every housholder must complete to state how many people live within their home.
3rd) They must also answer other questions on their social, economic and cultural background.
4th) These provide an up-to-date count on population changes between censuses.
5th) Data can also be collected from the civil registrations of births and deaths recorded by local councils.
6th) The Scottish Household Survey is a continious survey based on a random sample of the population over a 2 year period.
7th) Governments also collect data on migration from visa applications and health data from NHS records.
Explain the difficulties in gathering population data
1st) Cost - in developing countries there may be higher priorities for spending (e.g. healthcare)
2nd) Languages - in countries like Nigeria which has many languages which must be translated.
3rd) Literacy levels - in some countries with little formal education, people will struggle and be unable to complete the form (e.g. Burkina Faso 13%)
4th) Population - the sheer size of some populations will make it difficult to conduct a census (E.g. China)
5Th) Inaccessibility - rainforests, mountains, and deserts make it very difficult to reach within the time frame.
6th) Conflict- can make it difficult for enumerators to reach as, displacement, and high death rates make numbers unreliable.
7th) No legal address - people who live within a developing country may not live in an informal settlement and not have a legal address.
8th) Lying - many do not trust the government and lie to avoid paying additional taxes or to inflate political representatives…
9th)… illegal immigrants may avoid detection and will not complete a census.
10th) Population Movements - nomadic people may be missed or counted twice as they cross international bourders.
Explain the consequences of developing population structures
1st) Total population increase - likely to put additional pressure on services and resources like food and water.
2nd) Housing is already overcrowded - likely to worsen forcing people to live in informal settlements.
3rd) There will be a much larger workforce which may attract potential multinational companies to country.
4th) More in the economically active age group, however, this could lead to higher levels of unemployment or underemployment.
5th) More children will be born, which will require significant investment in maternity hospitals and immunisation programmes.
6th) Which will also lead to a demand in building more schools and trained teachers to support the growing number in young people.
7th) The Government policies may promote to young families or encourage emigration to reduce the overpopulation problem,
8th) As life expectancy increases, the need for investment in healthcare will rise to support the growing number of future old people.
Explain the consequences of developed population structures
JAPAN
1st) More old people => higher pension costs => increased tax contribution for economically active population.
2nd) Retirement age increased to reduce the reliance on services like care homes.
3rd) People encouraged to invest into private health care schemes or pensions.
4th) Lower unemployment but a decrease in the economically active population may lead to a skills gap.
5th) Immigration may be encouraged which could lead to tensions between different cultures or ethnic groups.
6th) Falling birth rates lead to a reduce in the demand for services like maternity wards and results in primary schools closing.
7th) More demand placed on adult children to look after elderly parents and an increased need for robots to do jobs.
8th) Strains on healthcare services to support the needs of older people like hip-replacements and heart medication.
Explain the reason for migration
MEXICO TO USA
1st) Push - high crime rates (e.g. homocide rate of 28 per 100,000 people in Mexica City).
2nd) Not enough job opportunities E.g. in 2004 in Mexico unemployment was on the rise by 10%
3rd) Push - Extreme climate and natural disaster make it difficult to live in Mexica and lowers standard of living.
4th) Pull- better academic opportunities in the USA compared to Mexico (99% literacy rate in USA, compared to Mexico with 86%)
5th) Pull- USA Agricultural labour wages are higher compared to Mexico, so people can send their money back ‘home’.
6th) Pull - USA skills shortage in companies, farming and tourism so more job opportunites.
7th) Friends/family already within the USA sharing positive stories about finding jobs, encouraging migration.
Explain the impacts of migration on a donor country
1st) Emmigrants are working age, so Mexico is left with lots of children and old people (raising dependancy ratio)
2nd) The most educated, skilled and healthy leave which could hinder development (‘brain drain’).
3rd) There will be less tax revenue and more males leaving which could lead to a gender imbalance and then more divorces.
4th) Most migrants are males which will cause a fall in birth rates and then a decline in the population.
5th) Less pressure on resources => better quality housing and healthcare => improved standard of living for those who remain.
6th) Many people send money back to their families meaning more people have money (£5.9 billion per year.)
7th) Returning workers back to Mexico have new skills and can speak English which makes them desirable to employers.
8th) Helps reduce unemployment (dropped to 4.2% from 10%).
