Population 6 - Trends In LEDCs

Key Terms

• Birth rate, death rate and natural change you should know already.

• Infant mortality rates – the number of children in a year who die before their first birthday per 1000 live births

• Life expectancy the average number of year from birth that a person is expected to live.

LEDC Population Issues

Rapid Population Growth and Youthful Populations

Why, what caused this?

High Birth Rates in LEDCs

• Children needed as workers and to look after parents when they are older.

• Infant mortality rates are high, so high birth rates compensate for this.

• It is hoped children will grow up`, move to the city and get a good job, then send money home.

• Religion often forbids the use of birth control.• Having a big family increase peoples status and

importance in their village.• People (women) do not have access to

EDUCATION and contraception

Why traditionally are BRs high in LEDCs?

So for many years BRs in LEDCs were high – but what

also happened?

Death rates fell

Why did death rates fall?• Improved health care as knowledge,

technology and medicines are imported from MEDCs.

• Cleaner and safer drinking water, again as systems are imported from more developed countries.

• Better diets as more food is grown, often as a result of improved farming techniques developed in MEDCs.

• All leads to better living conditions and less disease which results in people living longer and falling death rates.

High birth rate and falling death rate in

LEDCs =

population explosion

And there is more

Life Expectancy in LEDCs is Short

• Lack of food and famine cause early death in many people.

• The spread of disease, for example cholera that comes from drinking dirty water, causes many deaths.

• Health care and hospitals are poor and often difficult to access.

WHY?

So there are more and more people in LEDCs, and many of these people are young – the

populations are youthful

Population Pyramid

What problems does this cause?

Overgrazing and Overcultivation

As seen in the Sahel region of Africa

Pollution

• Water pollution for example from human waste

• Land pollution for example from farming.

• For example from increased car use.

Especially in large rapidly growing

urban areas such as Jakarta in Indonesia.

Deforestation and Soil erosion

For example in Amazonia

Overcrowding and the growth of Shanty Towns

Favelas in Brazil Busties in India, e.g. Mumbai

Slums in Jakarta

Traffic Congestion

In Bangkok

And Mexico City

Other Problems

• Shortage of resources, food and raw materials.• Unemployment and underemployment.• Lack of money for basic health care and

schooling.• Rising crime, political coups and huge debts.• Low living standards and a lack of development.

What are the management solutions?

What do we have to change in order to manage the problems?

Anti-natalist population policies

• Tanzania case study

• Kerela, India case study

• China, One Child Policy case study

• North Africa case study