Geography IGCSE - Population

Describe and give reasons for the rapid increase in the world’s population

• Increasing life expectancy → sanitation, accessibility to healthcare + improved tech

• Decreasing death rate → accessibility + cost to healthcare, +improved tech.

• Decreasing birth rate → education on reproduction, integration of women in the workforce

Rate of natural change

natural increase/decrease = birth rate - death rate

Carrying capacity

The largest population that the resources of a given environment can support

Optimum population

The best balance between a population and resources available to it → viewed as the population giving highest average living standards in a country.

Underpopulation

too few people in an area to use the resources available effectively

Overpopulation

too many people in an area relative to the resources and the level of technology available

Causes and consequences of under-population

low birth and fertility rate → underused resources → shortage of workers → lower levels of production + exports → lowers country’s wealth → fewer customer for goods and services

Causes and consequences of over-population

high birth and fertility rate → increase levels of pollution → crime rates → unemployment → food and water shortages → pressures on services (e.g. housing + healthcare)

Main causes of a change in the population size

• birth rate

• death rate

• migration → emigration (entering) or immigration (leaving)

Impacts of social factors on birth and death rate

• Sanitation

• Quality nutrition

• Education on healthy lifestyle

• Accessibility to healthcare (doctors per 1000)

• Cultural expectations

• Infant mortality rates

• Religion

• Resistance to antibiotics

• New infectious agents (eg. MERS, SARS, Ebola)

• Physical environment

• Better education

• Improved nutrition

Impacts of economic factors on birth and death rate

• Extreme poverty level

• Cost of healthy foods

• Cost of health care

• Wealth

• Children in workforce

• Poverty

• Access to sanitation and clean water

• Quality of housing

• Type of occupation

Impacts of political factors on birth and death rate

• Regulation of safety

• Promotion of healthy practices

• Regulation of unhealthy products (eg. cigarettes)

•  Welfare payments

• War

• Type of government (e.g. democracy)

Pro natalist policies

policies with the purpose of increasing the birth rate/fertility rate of an area

Anti natalist policy

encourage people to plan smaller families, lower fertility rates and reduce the number of births

Reasons for rural - urban migration

• more work opportunities

• higher wages

• better living conditions

• Better health care in cities

• Greater educational opportunities

• Bright light perception

International voluntary migration

people chose to emigrate to another country

Forced migration

people having to leave their homes due to factors such as violent conflict, infrastructure projects, natural disasters, or the effects of climate change

impacts on the destination

impacts on the country of origin

impacts on migrants themselves

Describe the social factors influencing the density and distribution of population

Security → high levels of crime discourage people from settling in an area → low population density Low crime rates can encourage people to move to an area → high population density.

Describe the physical factors influencing the density and distribution of population

Relief and landforms → Lowland plains, flat river valleys and deltas and volcanic areas with fertile soil tend to have high population densities
Weather and climate → Temperate areas which experience few extremes of weather and climate → more attracted than areas which experience extremes. 
Soil type and quality → Areas that have rich, fertile soils allowing successful agriculture tend to have higher population densities
Water supply → Water supply is essential for human survival and development → areas which have sufficient water tend to have denser populations.
Raw materials/natural resources → wealth of natural resources such as oil, coal or minerals
Natural threats → affect population density as people may try to avoid areas where pests, threatening animals and diseases

Describe the economic factors influencing the density and distribution of population

• Job opportunities

• Infrastructure

• Accessibility

Describe the political factors influencing the density and distribution of population

• Public services

• War + conflict

• Political decisions