Population Policies and Demographics

Flashcards focused on key vocabulary and definitions related to population policies and demographics.

Population explosion

The rapid population growth of the developing world in the post-1950 period.

Birth rate

The number of live births per 1000 population in a year.

Death rate

The number of deaths per 1000 population in a year.

Rate of natural change

The difference between the birth rate and the death rate, termed natural increase if positive and natural decrease if negative.

Rate of net migration

The difference between the rates of immigration and emigration.

Model of demographic transition

A model illustrating the historical shift of birth and death rates from high to low levels in a population.

Total fertility rate

The average number of children a women has during her lifetime.

Infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of children under one year of age per 1000 live births per year.

Life expectancy at birth

The average number of years a newborn infant can expect to live under current mortality levels.

Depopulation

A decline in the number of people in a population.

Optimum population

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

Under-population

When there are too few people in an area to use the resources available effectively.

Over-population

When there are too many people in an area relative to the resources and the level of technology available.

Underemployment

A situation where people are working less than they would like to and need to in order to earn a reasonable living.

Population policy

Encompasses all of the measures taken by a government aimed at influencing population size, growth, distribution or composition.

Pro-natalist policies

Such policies promote larger families.

Anti-natalist policies

Such policies aim to reduce population growth.