population dynamics

Population density

Number of individuals in a specified area (per km2)

Carrying capacity

Largest number of individuals of a population that an environment can support

Population growth rate

The speed at which a population grows. Given as a %

Immigration

Movement of individuals into a population to live there. Think IN-migration.

Emigration

movement of individuals out of an area to live elsewhere. Think EXIT-population

Death rate

the number of deaths each year per 1,000 people

Birth rate

the number of births in a year for every 1,000 people in a population

Infant mortality rate

the number of deaths of children under one year of age, expressed per 1000 live births.

Natural population change

the gap between birth rate and death rate

Population Change

birth rate - death rate

Net migration

The difference between the level of immigration and the level of emigration

Overpopulation

the number of people in an area exceeds the capacity for the resources and environment to support them at a good standard of living.

Underpopulation

there are more resources available than the population can use effectively

Dependency ratio

The number of people under age 15 and over age 64 compared to the number of people active in the labour force

Malnutrition

lack of proper nutrition

Infrastructure

Fundamental facilities and systems serving a country, city, or area: transportation, communication systems, power plants, and schools

GDP per capita

wealth per person

Social factors

related to health, education, people

Economic Factors

related to jobs, money, economy

Environmental factors

related to impacts to buildings, land, rivers etc.

Ageing population

a population with a rising average age. There will usually be a high % of elderly dependents.

Pension

money paid to a person after they retire

Anti-natal policies

Methods a government uses to reduce population growth e.g. One Child Policy in China

Sparsely populated

few people per square km of land

Densely populated

Too many people per square km of land

Population Pyramid

A bar graph representing the distribution of population by age and sex.

Optimum population

the number of people that, with the balanced available resources, gives the highest possible standard of living

Economically active population

the percentage of the population aged between 15 and 64 who support the dependent population

overpopulation can lead to increased:

• levels of pollution

• crime rates

• unemployment or underemployment

• food and water shortages

• pressure on services such as schools and hospitals

underpopulation can lead to:

• fewer people pay taxes, so higher taxes

• underused resources, waste

• shortage of workers

• lower levels of exports and production, which affects the wealth of an area

The birth rate has remained high mainly in LEDCs due to:

• religious reasons 

• lack of access to family planning and contraception 

• the culture of having larger families, which takes many years to change

• families continuing to have large numbers of children to look after their parents in old age and to help support the family

• an increase in women surviving childbirth

demographic transition model

shows the five generalised stages of population change that countries pass through as they develop

social factors affecting fertility rate:

• infant mortality rate: When this is high, the fertility rate also tends to be high as women have more children to ensure some survive to adulthood

• Education: Higher levels of education lead to lower fertility rates as more women are in formal employment

• Religion: Religious beliefs can influence how many children a woman has

• Healthcare: The availability of contraception and family planning

economic factors affecting fertility rate:

• Cost of having children: In MEDCs the cost of raising children may reduce the number of children a woman has

• Lack of pensions: In LEDCs, children are needed to care for elderly parents as there are no pensions. This increases the fertility rate

• Contribution to family income: In LEDCs, children often work to contribute to family income so more children are needed, increasing the fertility rate

death rate is affected by:

• Quality of, and access to, healthcare

• Natural disasters: famine, drought, etc.

• Diseases such as HIV/AIDS

• War/conflict

overpopulation impacts in Niger:

• literacy rate is 37% - schools become overcrowded

• 41% of people live in poverty - population grows faster than the economy can support, there are lack of resources → poor living conditions which makes it harder to break out of poverty

• 50% of Niger’s population is under 15 - huge demand for education etc. Leads to social unrest if demand is not met.

Why is Japan’s population declining?

• High Child Raising Costs: The average cost of raising a child in Tokyo is: ¥50m

• Work-Life Balance Issues: 70% of women leave work after their first child

• Late Marriages: The average age of marriage in Japan for women is 29 years

government responses to Japans declining population

• Marriage Support: ¥3 billion is invested in marriage consultations and matchmaking

• Childcare: Some kindergarten fees are covered to help families.

• Flexible Work for Parents: Parents with young children can work shorter hours.

Impacts of declining population in Japan

• closing of schools, especially in rural areas: between 2016 and 2021, around 450 schools in Japan had closed down due to a shortage of students

• shortage of workers in low-wage service jobs: In 2023, a government report showed that 70% of small and medium-sized companies in Japan said they faced serious labor shortages, forcing some businesses to shorten hours or close entirely

• abandoned homes: In 2018 Japan found around 8.5m empty homes, accounting for around 13% of all housing

Why is Japan’s population so old?

• High Life Expectancy: Japan’s average life expectancy is 85 years

• Low Birth Rate: Fewer young people increase the proportion of elderly. Only 1.26 births per woman

• limited immigration: In 2021, foreign residents made up only about 2.2% of Japan’s total population. Low immigration limits younger population growth

government responses to Japan’s ageing population:

• Tax Increases: Taxes have increased from 5% to 8%, with plans for 10%, to fund elderly care

• Raising Retirement Age: Some companies are considering increasing retirement age to 70

• in 2019, Japan launched a visa program aiming to bring up to 350,000 foreign workers for over five years to help fill critical job gaps

impacts of an ageing population in Japan:

• shortage of workers in low-wage service jobs: In 2023, a government report showed that 70% of small and medium-sized companies in Japan said they faced serious labor shortages, forcing some businesses to shorten hours or close entirely

• Healthcare Strain: Nearly 12% of government spending will go to healthcare by 2025

• increased pension burden: As more people retire and fewer young workers pay into the pension system, Japan faces a growing financial strain. In 2021, government data showed that pension payouts reached approximately 10% of Japan’s GDP

Anti-natal policy case study:

China’s one child policy

Successes of the one child policy:

• 400m births prevented

• The population growth rate has dropped by more than 10% - people have enough food

• female labour force increased to 63% at the end of the policy

failures of the one child policy:

• The 4-2-1 problem: 1 child will end up supporting 2 parents and 4 grandparents

• Little emperor syndrome: boys were favoured and spoilt as they insured the passing of the family name and were a good source of income → female infanticide

• Sex imbalance: 30 million men are left unmarried = trafficking of women into the country

How the one child policy was implemented:

• Families were fined, which could amount to several years' worth of household income: 160,000 yuan in Beijing

• forced abortions and sterilizations: In 1983 alone, China conducted 20 million sterilizations

• financial incentives to families that followed the rules: preferred housing, better resources like healthcare and education. some families could receive up to 2,000 yuan annually as a direct subsidy for having only one child

Why is the northern territories underpopulated and sparsely populated:

• extreme heat: summer temperatures regularly reach 38C, making farming and outdoor work dangerous and discouraging permanent settlement

• arid land: over 70% of the region receives less than 250mm of rainfall a year, classifying it as a desert and limiting agriculture + water access

• Isolation from major cities: Darwin is over 1,500km away from the next large city, making transport, trade, and communication expensive and limiting economic growth