Unit 1 - Changing Populations

Population distribution

The way people are spread across a given area

Population density

The number of people living per unit area

Crude birth rate

The number of live births per 1,000 people per year

Crude death rate

The number of deaths per 1,000 people per year

Natural increase rate

The difference between birth rate and death rate, expressed as a percentage

Fertility rate

The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime

Replacement level fertility

The number of children needed per woman to maintain population stability

Doubling time

The time it takes for a population to double in size, assuming a constant growth rate

Demographic transition model

A model that describes population change over time through five stages

Pro-natalist policy

A government policy that encourages population growth

Anti-natalist policy

A government policy that discourages population growth

Ageing population

A population with a high proportion of elderly people due to low birth rates and increased life expectancy

Youthful population

A population with a high proportion of young people due to high birth rates

Migration

The movement of people from one place to another

Push factors

Negative conditions that drive people to leave an area

Pull factors

Positive conditions that attract people to a new area

Voluntary migration

When people move by choice, often for economic or social reasons

Forced migration

When people are forced to leave their homes due to conflict or natural disasters

Refugee

A person forced to leave their country due to conflict or persecution

Internally displaced person

Someone forced to move within their own country

Remittances

Money sent back home by migrants working abroad

Malthusian theory

The idea that population grows at a faster rate than its food supply which will cause widespread sufferings

Boserup Theory

The idea that human innovation will allow food production to keep up with population growth

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size an environment can support without significant negative impacts

Demographic dividend

The economic advantage a country experiences when it has a high proportion of working age people

Overpopulation

When a population exceeds the carrying capacity of its environment

Underpopulation

When a population is too small to fully utilize its resources

Dependency ratio

The ratio of dependents (children and elderly) to the working age population