Unit 2: Population and Migration Patterns

anti-natalist policies

government policies that to decrease the birth rate

arithmetic density

number of people/square unit of area

asylum seeker

migrant seeking a safe place to stay in a different country, hoping for refugee status

baby boom

an increase in birth rate after a war or other disaster

baby bust

a decrease in birth rate after the baby boom

birth deficit

a decrease in birth rate during a war or other disaster

brain drain

when all the intelligent people/skilled workers leave a country in search of better opportunities

carrying capacity

the maximum number of people an area can support

chain migration

when one person moves, causing other family and friends to follow them

cohort

groups of ages on a population pyramid (0-5, 6-10, 11-15, etc)

crude birth rate

number of births during the year

crude death rate

number of deaths during the year

demographers

an expert in the study of statistics relating to the changing structure of human populations

demographics

statistics relating to the population

demographic transition model

a theory which refers to the historical shift from high birth rates and high death rates to low birth rates and low death rates, as societies attain more technology, education (especially of women) and economic development.

demography

the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations

dependency ration

the ratio of the number of people younger than 15 and older than 64 to the number of working people (15-65)

doubling time

the period it takes for a population to double in size, assuming a constant rate of growth

echo

the generation born after baby boomers

emigration

leaving a country

epidemiological transition model

describes the changing patterns of health and disease in a population as it transitions through different stages of development

forced migration

The movement of people involuntarily due to conflict, disaster, or other coercive forces

guest worker

A person who temporarily migrates to another country for work

immigration

The act of moving to a new country to live permanently

immigration quota

A limit on the number of immigrants allowed into a country each year

infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of infants under one year old per 1,000 live births in a given year

internal migration

Movement within a country's borders

internally displaced persons

People who have been forced to leave their homes but remain within their country's borders

intervening obstacles

Factors that hinder migration

intervening opportunities

Opportunities that arise during migration which cause a person to settle in a different place than originally planned

life expectancy

The average number of years a person is expected to live

Malthusian theory

The theory that population growth will outpace food production, leading to widespread famine

medical revolution

Advances in medical knowledge and technology that have led to improved health and increased life expectancy

migration

The movement of people from one place to another

migration flow

The movement patterns of people from one area to another

natural increase rate

The difference between the number of births and the number of deaths in a population

neo

Malthusians

net migration rate

The difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants per 1,000 population

overpopulation

When the number of people exceeds the carrying capacity of the environment

pandemic

A disease that spreads across a large geographic area and affects a large proportion of the population

physiological density

The number of people per unit area of arable land

population distribution

The spatial arrangement of people within a given area

population pyramid

A graphical representation of the age and sex distribution of a population

pronatalist policies

Policies that encourage people to have more children

pull factor

Factors that attract people to a new location

push factor

Factors that encourage people to leave their current location

Ravenstein's law of migration

Theories about migration patterns and trends developed by E.G. Ravenstein

refugee

A person who has been forced to leave their country due to persecution, war, or violence

remittances

Money sent by migrants back to their home country

selective migration

Migration policies that favor certain groups of people

sex ratio

The number of males per 100 females in a population

slavery

The practice of owning individuals as property

step migration

Migration to a distant destination that occurs in stages

total fertility rate

The average number of children a woman will have during her lifetime

transhumance migration

The seasonal movement of people and livestock between highland and lowland pastures

transnational migration

Migration across national borders

unauthorized immigrants

People who enter or stay in a country without legal permission

voluntary migration

Movement based on one's own choice

xenophobia

The fear or dislike of foreigners or people from different cultures