1. iGCSE Economics
7.2 Population Growth

2. Learning Outcomes
describe the factors that affect population growth (birth rate, death rate, fertility rate, net migration) and
discuss reasons for the different rates of growth in different countries
analyse the problems and consequences of these population changes for countries at different stages of development
describe the effects of changing size and structure of population on an economy

3. Population Growth
The world population reached 1 billion in around 1804 and 2 billion by 1927
By 2010 the world population had reached almost 7 billion and is expected to grow to 9 billion by Around 90% of all these people will live in countries currently considered as developing

5. Let’s see what Hans has to say….
Watch the video “Population growth box by box’
Summarise the key points he is making
What are the main factors that will affect the size of the population within a particular country?

6. Now let’s see what National Geographic have to say….
Watch the video
‘7 billion National Geographic’

7. Key Questions…..
What are they key world trends with regards to population?
What are the key causes of population growth?
Within a country, what factors will affect the following Birth Rates
Death Rates
Fertility Rates
Net Migration
What are the benefits of population growth?
What problems can rapid population growth cause in an economy?
How will Developed Economies and Less Developed Economies differ in terms of the structure of their population including:
Age Distribution
Dependency Ratios
Geographical Distribution
Occupational Distribution
What problems can an aging population have for an economy?
What factors may cause a gender imbalance in population?
What can be done to reduce population growth?

8. Video Watch the BBC documentary ‘Overpopulated’
Answer as many of the questions as you can

9. Factors affecting the size of the population
Births
Net Migration
Deaths
Factors affecting the size of the population

10. Video
‘7 million – How did we get so big so fast?’

11. What causes population growth?
births - deaths = natural rate of population growth

12. Birth Rates

13. Birth Rates Birth rate = births per 1,000 people in a population
Lowest birth rates
(Less than 9 births per 1,000)
Czech Republic, Austria, South Korea, Singapore, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Monaco
World average = 19
Highest birth rates
(40 or more births per 1,000)
Niger, Uganda, Mali, Zambia, Burkino Faso, Ethiopia, Angola, Somalia, Burundi
Why do birth rates tend to be lower in developed countries and higher in developing countries?

14. Why are birth rates high in many less-developed countries?
What has caused birth rates to fall in many developed and rapidly developing countries?
Living standards are rising
Rising living costs
Falling fertility rates
There is increased use of contraception
There is increased female employment
People are marrying later in life
Why are birth rates high in many less-developed countries?
Living standards are poor
There are high child mortality rates
Custom, religion and lack of education prevent contraception

15. Death Rates

16. Death Rates Death rate = deaths per 1,000 people in a population
Highest death rates
(15 or more deaths per 1,000)
Angola, Afghanistan, South Africa, Nigeria, Russia, Ukraine, Chad, Guinea-Bissou, Lesotho, Central African Republic
World average = 9
Lowest death rates
(Less than 3 deaths per 1,000)
Sint Maarten, Jordan, Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates
What affects the death rate within a country?

17. Factors that affect death rates are:
living standards
quality and availability of health care
natural disasters and wars

18. What is the difference between Emigration and Immigration?
Net Migration

20. Net Migration Net inward migration Net outward migration immigration
emigration
Net outward
migration
Why do people choose to migrate?
What are the benefits/drawbacks of net inward migration

21. Net Migration Net inward migration Net outward migration immigration
emigration
Most cross-border migration involves people of working age seeking employment, higher wages and improved living standards in other countries
increases working population
increases demand for housing, schools, health care and other public services
increases pressure on resources
reduces working population
means loss of most skilled and productive labour and entrepreneurs
causes fall in output and economic growth

22. Structure of the population
Age and sex distribution
Occupational distribution
Geographic distribution
Structure of the population

23. The Dependent Population
People in work and who are economically active produce goods and services for those who are not
The dependent population of a country includes the very young, schoolchildren, students, housewives and old-age pensioners
The higher the dependency ratio, the greater the burden on the working population and on scarce resources to support people who are not economically active
Dependency ratios are rising:
There are high birth rates in less-developed countries
The school leaving age is being raised in many economies
There are low death rates and growing numbers of old people in developed economies
dependent population
Dependency ratio =
working population

24. Age and Sex Distribution
Low death rate
High death rate
High birth rate and falling child mortality as health care improves
Low birth rate
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Dependency ratios rising due to ageing population
Dependency ratios rising due to increasing numbers of children
In 2010, 11% of the world population was over 60. It is expected to reach 22%, or 2 billion people, by One in every three people in developed countries will be over 65 by this time.

25. The world’s oldest and youngest

26. CHINA: SEX RATIO AT BIRTH
Gender Imbalance?
Gender imbalance, an excess of males or females, has been observed in a number of countries. Why? Possibly because of:
wars resulting in many deaths among young males
violence towards females, driving them from some societies
Difference in life expectancies between men and women
sex selection by parents through abortion
gender-based infanticide (selective killing of children of one sex)
sex-specific inward migration, e.g by male guest workers brought in to work in construction and other heavy industries
NORMAL SEX RATIO
1:1
SEX RATIO AT 85 YEARS
1:1.5
CHINA: SEX RATIO AT BIRTH
1.2:1

27. Population Density
Least densely populated
Greenland
0.026 people per km2
Most densely populated
Macau peninsula
18,524 people per km2
Most densely populated city
Manila, Philippines
43,000 people per km2
Around half the world’s population currently live in urban areas
This is expected to rise to around 60%, or 5 billion people, by 2030
Rapid growth of cities is depleting resources, and increasing congestion and pollution

28. Occupational Distribution
% employment by main industrial sector
Developed Developing Less-developed
More than 80%
employed in services
Andorra, Antigua & Barbuda, Gaza, Israel, Luxembourg, UAE, UK, USA
More than 90%
employed in agriculture
Angola, Burkino Faso, Burundi, Chad, Lesotho, Niger, Rwanda

29. Handling Population Growth
What can governments do if they are concerned about the problems associated with population growth?
Handling Population Growth

30. Video
India – Coping with Population growth

31. Research Task Pick a country
Using this website….. Do a bit of research
Research and add the following information:
Size of the country’s population from 1950 – 2050
Urbanity of countries from
HDI index from
Current data for:
Gender balance
Occupational distribution by industry sector (Use wikipedia)
Age Structure (if available)
Population Density
Life Expectancy
Children Born per Woman

32. Then…… Comment on each of the pieces of data that you have researched
You could include:
Key trends
Whether they were what you expected
What you think are the causes