Managing Human Population

Chapter 03
Human population dynamics & structure

Population density:
Factors affecting population distribution and
density

How do environmental factors affect population density?

Physical factors that affect population density include water supply, climate, relief (shape of the land),
vegetation, soils and availability of natural resources and energy. Areas with extreme climates such as hot
and cold deserts make it difficult to grow crops and access water.
 What are the economic factors affecting population distribution?

 Economic factors: Economic factors such as the opportunities for employment and the cost of living
expenses also influence the population density of a place. Note: -Distribution of population across the world
is very contrasting. Over the world, there are more 'empty' areas than 'crowded' areas
 What social factors that affect population growth?

 Healthcare/access to health care/medical technology/ability to fight or prevent disease. Availability of birth

control/availability of family planning education/use of birth control.
 Political factors that affect population distribution and density
 Factors such as political boundaries, political stability (or unrest), disturbances, controls on migration and
trade, government policies and transportation facilities are considered as political factors.
 How does history help explain population distribution today?
 With advances in methods of transportation, people were able to move to other places as industry
developed, people did not need to farm to provide food and could move to work in places with factories. 
 populations in terms of their size and the composition of
different age groups

 population size is the number of individuals in a population.

What are the three age groups of population?

It is common in demography to split the population into three broad age groups:
 children and young adolescents (under 15 years old)
 the working-age population (15-64 years) and.
 the elderly population (65 years and older)
Population Structure
changes in birth rates, death rates and migration rates may
affect population size and composition

 How do birth death and migration affect population size?

 Births, deaths and migration are the main direct factors accountable for population change. ... Population
numbers are growing, but the rate of increase is declining throughout the world. Countries move gradually
from high birth and high death rates to low birth and low death rates.
 How does migration affect population change?
 Migration changes the population of a place, therefore, the distribution of the population is uneven in India.
... Migration increased the slum areas in cities which increase many problems such as unhygienic conditions,
crime, pollution etc.
 How did birth rate affect population growth?
 Fertility rates above the replacement level will cause the population to grow; fertility rates below the
replacement level will cause the population to shrink. ... However, in some countries the birth rate is falling
while the death rate is not, leading to a decline in the population growth rate.
 How does death rate affect population?
 The effect of mortality on population structures is to reduce the component of the population in which the
mortality occurs. ... The effect of this is to raise the population in the upper age groups substantially.
Women have higher life expectancy than men wherever they live.
Dependency Ratio

 The dependency ratio relates the number of children (0-14. years old) and older persons (65 years or
over) to the working-age population (15-64 years old).
What is a dependency ratio and why is it important?
 The dependency ratio is important because it shows the ratio of economically inactive compared to
economically active. Economically active will pay much more income tax, corporation tax, and, to a lesser
extent, more sales and VAT taxes.
Dependency Ratio
 reasons for differences between the population structures of
HICs and LICs

What is the population structure of a developing country?

LICs/LEDCs/Developing Countries

This population pyramid is wide at the base, which

means there are a large proportion of young people in the
country. It tapers very quickly as you go up into the older
age groups, and is narrow at the top. This shows that a
very small proportion of people are elderly.
LEDCs

 More younger; helping hands, reduction in mortality rate , religion, lack of contraception, lack of female
education, higher risks of disaster and pandemics
 Population pyramid of a developed country
 MICs, MEDCs, Developed country

 they are characterized by their rectangular shape, displaying somewhat equal percentages across age
cohorts that taper off toward the top. These pyramids are often characteristic of developed nations, where
birth rates are low and overall quality of life is high.
MEDCs

 Why population structure changes as countries develop?

 As more people work in secondary and tertiary jobs, children are seen as less of an asset and so the birth rate
has dropped. The development of the economy has improved the education of the population and so more
people are pursuing a career before having children, resulting in smaller families.
Impacts of growing population on countries

 More food, more land required for agriculture

 population growth also leads to negative impacts on the environment such as increasing waste water,
household waste, and other industrial wastes due to human has increased their activities of industrial
production.
 Overpopulation: When the people of a population exceed the carrying capacity of a region or area
of the world.
 -China, India, Russia

 Pros of Over Population

 1. With 10 billion minds on the planet actively trying to find solutions to the problems we face, there
are some great things that could be achieved.
 2. By being forced to look at alternative food options, we could literally make the world a better
place because we’d be more efficient at what we do.
 Cons of Over Population
 1. If we are unable to locate the new sources of nutrition that can feed 10 billion people, then
resources are going to become scarce. This will lead to conflict as people try to look out for their own
needs.
 2. Homes would need to become more compact.
 3. With 10 billion people on the planet and small amount of job opportunities available. More people
will find themselves struggling to earn enough to survive.
 4. Agriculture space would have to be a corporate responsibility so that population can be effectively
Impacts of Ageing population on countries

 An economy with a significant share of seniors and retirees has different demand drivers than an economy
with a higher birth rate and a larger working-age population. For example, rapidly aging populations tend to
have greater demands for health care services and retirement homes.
 Rising wages for workers and higher wealth per capita
 Less crowding and reduced stress in populated areas
 Greater protection of green spaces and improved quality of life
 lower tax revenues
 higher pension spending
 pressure on health care
 pressure to raise retirement age
 What would happen if there was an aging population?
 A rapidly aging population means there are fewer working-age people in the economy. ... An economy
that cannot fill in-demand occupations faces adverse consequences, including declining productivity, higher
labor costs, delayed business expansion, and reduced international competitiveness.
 How does an aging population affect pensions?
 Working-age people are the prime savers in an economy. Older people typically draw on savings from
their working life to support themselves in retirement. ... Lower rates of return will put added pressure on
fiscal policy as more older people may need to access government payments such as the pension.
 What impact does the aging population have on health care?
 Older adults have different health care needs than younger age groups, and this will affect the demands
placed on the health care system in the future. Older adults are more likely to suffer from chronic
illnesses (e.g., cancer, heart disease, diabetes) than younger people.
Solutions to problems of an ageing society

 Providing opportunities for the elderly to remain in the workforce longer as well as engage in
volunteering, care, and artistic activities can provide both social and economic benefits and relieve some of
the fiscal pressures related to aging societies.
strategies for managing a changing population

 improved availability of contraception

 improved education about contraception
 improved education and opportunities for women
 improved health care
 local, national and global policies: pronatalist and antinatalist polices, United Nations (UN) Agenda 21, The
Club of Rome. (Detailed knowledge of these policies is not required.)
China’s one child policy

 Why is China so overpopulated?

 Overpopulation in China began after World War II in 1949, when Chinese families were encouraged to
have as many children as possible in hopes of bringing more money to the country, building a better army,
and producing more food.

 What is bad about China's one-child policy?

 The negatives include accelerating population ageing, the skewed sex ratio, and the decline in the
working-age population, which would threaten economic growth.
: Compare and contrast the population dynamics of a HIC and a
LIC.
 population models followed by
contrasting case studies

 Mauritius LEDC
 It has one of the highest population densities of the world. It has 550 people per km2. It has a total
population of 1 million. The island was once completely covered by natural forests. But once it was
colonized, it was all cleared for sugar cane production. It is a perfect resource for the island, but completely
eliminated the environment. They put a policy in place to protect the land from becoming barren, but there is
no law enforcement.
 India LEDC
 Its population crossed the optimum limit and is now a liability. Growing by 1.8% each
year. There isn't enough food to feed everyone, which forces the country to import
food, which hinders their economy. It puts more pressure on land to produce more and
to prevent the land from becoming barren, they must fertilize it, which destroys their
water systems, which forces India to import water, further hindering their economy.
 More details : India's population is estimated to be around one billion. India has one of
the highest population growth rates in the world. In the last ten years its population has
increased by 181 million. If this growth rate continues it could become the world's
most populated country by 2020.However, India's population growth rate is slowing.
This is particularly the case in the southern state of Kerala. In Kerala there have been a
number of initiatives to reduce population growth: 1. Women are being educated­
Around half of all Indian women cannot read or.Better educated women are more
likely to keep their children healthy. Therefore infant mortality has dropped. This has
led to a drop in birth rates. If children are surviving families no longer have to have a
couple of extra children to replace those that die. 2. Contraception is more widely
available 3. The status of women has improved significantly­Women are no longer
seen as a burden ­they are regarded as an asset.
 France MEDC
 Average population growth is .8%. They are at a steady and low population
increase rate, but are still having water problems. Runoff from industrial
contaminates, agricultural nitrates and human waste. this puts stress on France’s
clean water supply. This hinders France’s economy and their production is
decreasing due to being forced to fix their water problem.
 Australia MEDC
 Their high population has forced rivers to be altered and redirected beyond
repair by dams and canals. Before, their rivers were wider and shallower, but are
now changed to be deeper and skinnier for more efficiency. Their increased
water demand has put a strain on their economy because they now have to spend
money to get water all across Australia because most of their sources have gone
dry.
 China MEDC
 Their population used to be a problem, but with their one child policy, this problem has
subsided and now China suffers from a low fertility rate. They have great economic growth
and success, possibly due to their slow population growth.
 More details: China has a huge population. Now, it is facing a more complex trend of
population change than the one in the 20th century. Population issue is the key factor
restricting China’s development. As further slowing ­down population growth, improving
population quality, developing human resources, and properly solving the issue of population
with overall consideration have become the key factor promoting China’s economic and
social development, scientific and feasible prediction of the population growth trend is of
great significance. In 2010 China’s population was 1,340.91 and is predicted to rise to
1,411.21 in 2020; it shall grow by a 0.47% (growth rate). The life expectancy in China is
75.20 years and the Fertility rate is 1.66 births per woman. The infant mortality rate is 9.5
deaths per 1000 births. Population growth targets were set for families. In the mid­1970s the
maximum recommended family size was two children in cities and three or four in the
country. Since 1979 the government has advocated a one­child limit for both rural and urban
areas and has generally set a maximum of two children in special circumstances. As of 1986
the policy for minority nationalities was two children per couple, three in special
circumstances, and no limit for ethnic groups with very small populations. The overall goal of