Population Structure

Lesson Objectives•Describe the Demographic Transition Model•Suggest reasons behind the shifts in birth rate and death rate shown•Explain how a country’s population pyramid changes as a country develops

What do you think?

• With a partner discuss the following key terms, what do you think they mean?

• Birth Rate

• Death Rate

• Natural Increase

• Infant Mortality Rate

• Life Expectancy

KEY TERMS

• BIRTH RATE is the number of babies born per thousand of the population per year

• DEATH RATE is the number of people who die per thousand of the population per year

• NATURAL INCREASE is where the birth rate is higher than the death rate so the population increases

• INFANT MORTALITY RATE is the number of babies born who die before their 1st birthday

• LIFE EXPECTANCY is the average age which people in that country live to

Uneven Population Growth

• Write a paragraph to compare rates of growth in African countries with those in Europe.

• Give examples of countries and growth rates to back up the points you are making

Why does the population change?

• The total population of an area is the balance between 2 forces of change

• natural increase

• migration

What do you think?

• What do you think happens to the birth and death rate of a country as it develops

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• What do you think decreases first birth rate or death rate?

THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION MODEL

The Demographic Transition Model

• For years geographers have been interested with how the population of countries is so different

• They identified that as a country changes so does their population

• So they created a model to show how as countries develop they pass through different phases of population growth

• They called this model the Demographic Transition Model

The Demographic Transition Model

Death Rate Birth Rate

Natural Increase

Natural Decrease

STAGE 1 - high stationary

• Low population

• increasing very slowly

•High birth rate

•High death rate

• e.g. Amazonian Tribes

STAGE 2 - early expanding

•Population growing at a faster rate

•High birth rate

•Decreasing death rate

• e.g. Cambodia

STAGE 2 - late expanding

•Population still increasing, but rate of increase is slowing down

•Decreasing birth rate

• Low death rate

• e.g. Chile

STAGE 2 - low stationary

•High population, almost stable

• Low birth rate

• Low death rate

• e.g USA

STAGE 2 - declining?

•Birth rates continue to decrease

•Now seeing natural decrease in some countries

• This can lead to ageing populations

• e.g. Japan

Questions about the DTM

Discuss the following with a partner and then answer them in your books

1.What is the key change between phase 1 and 2? Why do you think this happens?

2.What is the key change between phase 2 and 3? Why do you think this happens?

EXTENSION TASK

3.What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of this model?

HINT: think about which countries this works for; the rate of change in some countries; role of migration; reasons for change

Displaying Population

• We now know all about how population has grown over time, where it is distributed and how countries change as they develop

• BUT is it just the number of people in a country that we need to know

• What other population data would be useful to know?

Population Pyramids

• These show the composition of a countries population looking at gender and age

• Which do you think is Ethiopia and which is the UK?

Population Pyramids

• Draw two simple sketches of these pyramids (they can be outlines)

• Describe what the pyramid for Ethiopia shows

• Think about the birth rate and reasons for it

• Think about the death rate and reasons for it

• Now write a comparison to the UK’s pyramid

Dividing up the population

• What categories (age groups) would you divide the population into?

ACTIVITIES

•Complete questions 3, 4 and 6 on pages 20-21

What have you learnt?

• Write a question related to what we have covered in the lesson today

• Pass this question to your partner who must answer it in a different colour

• Now collect your book and mark the answer