Transcript Document

Demographic Transition Model
Stage 1 - High Fluctuating
Birth Rate and Death rate are both high.
Population growth is slow and fluctuating.
Reasons
Birth Rate is high as a result of:
Lack of family planning
High Infant Mortality Rate: putting babies in the 'bank'
Need for workers in agriculture
Religious beliefs
Children as economic assets
Death Rate is high because of:
High levels of disease
Famine
Lack of clean water and sanitation
Lack of health care
War
Competition for food from predators such as rats
Lack of education
Typical of Britain in the 18th century
and some tribes today.
Stage 2 - Early Expanding
Birth Rate remains high.
Death Rate is falling.
Population begins to rise steadily.
Reasons
Death Rate is falling as a result of:
Improved health care (e.g. Smallpox vaccine)
Improved hygiene (Water for drinking boiled)
Improved sanitation
Improved food production and storage
Improved transport for food
Decreased Infant Mortality Rates
Typical of Britain in 19th century;
Bangladesh; Nigeria today
Stage 3 - Late Expanding
Birth Rate starts to fall.
Death Rate continues to fall.
Population rising.
Reasons:
Family planning available
Lower Infant Mortality Rate
Increased mechanization reduces need for workers
Increased standard of living
Changing status of women
Typical of Britain in late 19th and early 20th century;
China; Brazil today
Stage 4 - Low Fluctuating
Birth Rate and Death Rate both low.
Population steady.
Typical of USA; Sweden; Britain today
Life expectancy
The number of years that a child born in
a particular country in a certain year can
expect to live.
Fertility rate
The average number of births per
woman.
Infant mortality
The proportion of children who die
before they reach the age of one year
(sometimes before the age of five).
Population structure
This refers to the age and sex
distribution of the population.
Population Dependency Ratio
Population Dependency Ratio
Countries with rapid population growth
Countries with Rapid Population Growth
When a country's population grows quickly it has the following effects
• The large number of young people have to have services e.g. schools provided for them
• There are fewer older people, so less money needs to be spent on them
• There is a relatively small proportion of adults of working age; these people provide the wealth for
the services
• There is pressure on the countryside with the extra population to feed; this can result in overgrazing,
over cropping and soil erosion
• People move to the cities to find work; developing countries with rapidly growing populations have
the fastest growing cities in the world
• Shanty towns grow up on the edge of cities; these are self-constructed buildings of poor quality
which can lack vital services such as water, electricity and sanitation
• Some people apply to migrate to developed countries in order to improve their standard of living
Population pyramids
1
Pyramid : Here the base is very wide indicating a very high birth rate.
The width drops off very quickly. This means people must be dying. Very
few reach old age. Few countries are still in this stage today but some
rainforest populations would display this pattern.
Implications: Clear need for investment into water supplies, health care,
food supplies and housing to reduce death rates.
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Population pyramid for Mozambique 2000
In this graph, notice that in 2000 the 0-4 age group contained the largest number of people, with the
numbers thereafter declining steadily as the ages increase. The graph matches stage 1 in the model.
2
Pyramid : Still a large base so high birth rate but also a wider and taller
pyramid as more people are living to older ages. This is stage two of the
demographic transition model and includes many countries in Africa such
as Kenya.
Implication: Probable need to invest in education about family planning to
reduce birth rate. Possibly indicates that women are undervalued in society
so this could be tackled.
matches stage 2.
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Projected population pyramid for Mozambique 2025
In the second graph, the largest group in Mozambique in 2025 is still the 0-4 age group, but there are nearly
as many people in the 5-29 age groups. Now the population pyramid matches stage 2.
3
Pyramid : Note the more ‘domed’ shape. It means many people are
living to older ages as quality of life improves. There are also
proportionately fewer births. This is stage three of the demographic
transition model. Chile would be a good example.
Implication: As the population becomes increasingly older there may be a
need to invest in facilities and services for them. Still a need for continued
investment in family planning.
4
Pyramid : Very small base due to the very low birth rates and death
rates displayed in the wide top. This would be representative of Australia
that has recently come through stage three of the demographic transition
model.
Implication: Should the situation continue there are serious implications
about providing for the elderly population (increasing cost of health care,
state pensions) especially as the working population becomes
proportionally smaller. This is a major concern in much of the developed
world.
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Population pyramid for the UK 2000
Notice how in the UK 2000 pyramid there is a bulge in the area of the 30-34 and 35-39 age groups, with the
numbers thereafter reducing fairly steadily as the ages increase. This matches stage 4 of the demographic
transition model.
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Projected population pyramid for the UK 2025
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Compare this to the 2025 pyramid, which would be stage 5 in the model. Here the bulge extends much
further, covering the age groups 30-64, with the numbers beginning to reduce significantly only after 64.
Concave profile
Convex profile
Population pyramids can also be influenced by:
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Migration: Likelihood of extra young males as these are likely
to migrate.
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Famines: Clear drops in population especially among the very
young as these are most likely to suffer.
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War: Clear drop off in male populations of fighting age.