8.1 Human Population dynamics

Significant ideas:

  • A variety of models and indicators are employed to quantify human population dynamics.

  • Human population growth rates are impacted by a complex range of changing factors.

Knowledge and understanding:

  1. Demographic tools for quantifying human population include crude birth rate (CBR), crude death rate (CDR), total fertility rate (TFR), doubling time (DT) and natural increase rate (NIR).

  2. Global human population has followed a rapid growth curve, but there is uncertainty as to how this may be changing.

  3. As the human population grows, increased stress is placed on all of the Earth’s systems.

  4. Age–gender pyramids and demographic transition models (DTM) can be useful in the prediction of human population growth. The DTM is a model that shows how a population transitions from a pre-industrial stage with high CBRs and CDRs to an economically advanced stage with low or declining CBRs and low CDRs.

  5. Influences on human population dynamics include cultural, historical, religious, social, political and economic factors.

  6. National and international development policies may also have an impact on human population dynamics.