ISSUES IN POPULATION GEOGRAPHY

AP Human Geo

Facts on Population Growth

Current Global Population: 7.2 billion people

2050 projected populations UN Low Growth: 7.5 billion UN Mid Growth: 9.0 billion UN High Growth: 11 billion

Most growth over the next 50 years will take place in Africa.

Example of rapid growth: Nigeria Currently #7 (175,000,000) #3 by 2045 (beating out the U.S.) #2 by 2100 (beating out China)

The Big Issue: Overpopulation While many MDC’s have low/no population

growth or even decline (DTM 4 and 5), most LDC’s are still in Stage 3 of the DTM and experiencing rapid population growth.

LDC’s are less equipped to deal with the challenges of rapid population growth.

Exceeding carrying capacity (resources) Rapid growth of urban areas (slums) Job opportunities

The Smaller But Still Important Issue: Declining Populations

Some countries (Stage 5?) are experiencing a decline in NIR (CDR higher than CBR)

People choose not to have kids or may be unable. Ex. Russia, Japan

Countries may maintain population through immigration, but culture may be affected.

Creates an upside down pyramid, too many old people and not enough young people to support them (GRAYING POPULATION)

Ideally….

Everyone wants to be in Stage 4 of the DTM, experiencing slow, steady, controlled population growth.

Replacement level fertility is a TFR of 2.1….parents will produce the number of children needed to replace themselves.

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)- population remains the same size from year to year.

Anti-Natalist Policies

Restrictive Population Policies Make fewer babies (Stage 2/3 countries) Example: India

Abortions are readily available Contraceptive's readily available Forced sterilizations? Female infanticide

Example: China’s One Child Policy Men preferred, gender imbalance

Condoms in India

China’s One Child Policy

Pro-Natalist Policies

Expansive Population Policies Promote reproduction/ more babies!

(Stage 5)

Example: Sweden Cash payments and tax breaks for

families with children Leave from work for up to 8 years to

raise a child!!! Racy programming later at night….no

joke!

How to decrease the NIR

We wouldn’t want to increase CDR, that would be mean… >: | Shorten life expectancy? Take away medical care Introduce diseases

Instead, we need to decrease the CBR in LDC’s 1. Increase use of contraception

Sex education, free distribution 2. Empower women

Education, jobs, no longer “barefoot and pregnant..”

0-2 children instead of 3-6

Reducing CBR

Cultural Barriers to Reducing CBR Some cultures are opposed to birth

control or sex education in any form. Strict Catholics and Muslims

Others strictly enforce gender roles Men should be educated, working Women should be in the home, raising

children

Epidemiological Transition

Examines the causes of death in each stage of the DTM.

Stage 1: Pandemics such as Black Plague Stage 2: Diseases such as Cholera spread due

to proximity in cities, poor living conditions Stage 3/ 4: Degenerative and human created

diseases. Cancer, CV/ heart disease, diabetes

Stage 5: Return of the pandemic? Swine flu, H1N1, SARS, etc. Globalization makes spread of disease easier,

faster