03 - Human Population

Exponential Growth

A rapid increase in population forming a J-curve especially seen in humans over the last 200 years

Demographer

A scientist who studies population size distribution trends and impacts

Natural Capital

The earth’s resources and ecosystem services being depleted by rapid population growth

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of individuals an environment can support without environmental degradation

Birth Rate

The number of live births per 1

Death Rate

The number of deaths per 1

Migration

The movement of people into immigration or out of emigration of specific areas

Population Change

The net difference between births and immigration versus deaths and emigration in a population over time

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman has during her reproductive years

Replacement-Level Fertility

The average number of children about 2.1 needed per woman to replace the parents and stabilize population size

Global TFR Trend

The worldwide decline in total fertility rate from 5 in 1955 to 2.3 in 2022

Child Labor

The role of children as part of the labor force especially in less-developed countries where children haul water gather wood or farm

Cost of Child Rearing

The economic expense of raising children higher in developed countries and estimated at ₱5.4 million per child in the Philippines

Pension System

Government or private retirement benefits that reduce the need for large families in old age security

Urbanization

Population shift from rural to urban areas associated with lower fertility due to access to family planning and education

Women’s Education

Access to schooling for women which correlates with reduced fertility rates

Employment Opportunities for Women

Availability of jobs for women outside the home linked to lower fertility rates

Average Age at Marriage

The mean age women marry or bear first children with older ages associated with fewer children

Legal Abortion

The availability of safe abortion services which lowers unintended births worldwide about 40 million annually

Birth Control

Reliable contraceptive methods enabling women to limit the number and spacing of children

Religious and Cultural Norms

Beliefs and traditions that influence fertility by encouraging or discouraging large families and use of contraception

Life Expectancy

The average number of years a newborn can expect to live a measure of overall health

Healthy Life Expectancy (HALE)

The average number of healthy years a person can expect to live without disability

Infant Mortality Rate

The number of infants dying before age one per 1

COVID-19 Impact

The global pandemic that reversed nearly a decade of progress in life expectancy and HALE

Immigration

The movement of people into a region or country increasing population size

Emigration

The movement of people out of a region or country decreasing population size

Environmental Refugee

A person forced to migrate due to environmental problems such as water shortages soil erosion or resource depletion

Age-Structure Diagram

A graph showing distribution of a population by age groups and sex used to predict growth trends

Prereproductive Age Group

Individuals aged 0–14 who are too young to reproduce

Reproductive Age Group

Individuals aged 15–44 who are capable of reproduction

Postreproductive Age Group

Individuals aged 45 and older normally beyond reproductive years

Demographic Momentum

Continued population growth due to a large proportion of young people entering reproductive years even with low fertility rates

Graying Population

An increasing proportion of seniors age 65 and above due to low birth rates and medical advances

Gradual Decline

A slow decrease in population size manageable with policy adjustments

Rapid Decline

A steep decrease in population size causing severe economic and social challenges