lecture recording on 21 February 2025 at 12.52.50 PM

Population Growth Stages

• Stage 1: High birth and death rates, population is stable. Rare today except in completely isolated tribes.

• Stage 2: Death rates drop due to improvements in healthcare, but birth rates remain high—population begins to grow, seen in some developing countries.

• Stage 3: Birth rates start to fall as society changes, but population still grows, albeit more slowly. Many countries are in this stage.

• Stage 4: Birth and death rates are both low; population is stable. Examples include many Western nations.

• Stage 5: A proposed new stage where birth rates drop below death rates, leading to population decline. Observed in countries like South Korea and parts of Europe.

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR): The average number of children a woman will have over her lifetime.

Declining Fertility Rates

• Many nations are experiencing reduced fertility rates, often due to changes in economic conditions and access to education and employment for women.

• Impacts of Education: Increased schooling for women leads to delayed childbirth and fewer children overall. For example, in countries like Kenya, educational attainment correlates strongly with lower TFR.

• Comparison of TFR and Education: Countries with lower average years of schooling have higher TFR, whereas those with higher education levels often report TFR around or below replacement level.

Urbanization Trends

• Definition of Urbanization: The increasing population of people living in urban areas, defined globally as areas with populations of 500,000 or more.

• Current Statistics: Approximately 57% of people globally live in urban areas, and this number is expected to continue rising.

• Urbanization Rates by Region: Africa is currently the least urbanized but is experiencing the fastest rate of urbanization.

• Impact of Urbanization: Urban areas are expanding, leading to significant demographic and socio-economic changes, particularly in developing countries.

Mega Cities

• Definition of Mega Cities: Urban areas with populations over 10 million. As of recent estimates, the number of mega cities is projected to increase significantly.

• Notable Examples: New York, Tokyo, and Mumbai are examples of mega cities, but the majority are now in the global South.

• Population Density Comparison: For instance, New York City has about 27,000 people per square mile, significantly impacting living conditions and infrastructure.

Global Development Indicators

• Access to Clean Water and Sanitation: Over 2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, and 3.4 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation facilities.

• Health Impact: Lack of sanitation and clean water leads to preventable diseases, with significant mortality rates among young children.

• Global Poverty Statistics: Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than $2.25 a day. There has been a gradual decrease in the percentage of people living in extreme poverty over the years, yet absolute numbers remain high.

Highlights of Global Inequities

• Economic Disparities: The wealth distribution is heavily skewed, illustrated by global GDP maps where wealth is concentrated in developed nations.

• Technological Access: More people own mobile phones than have access to basic sanitation, indicating a complex relationship between technology adoption and development initiatives.

• Slum Population Growth: Despite improvements in conditions, the total number of people living in slums is increasing, entirely due to urban expansion without adequate infrastructure to support it.