Lornshill Academy. Geography Department Higher Revision Human Environments - Population

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1 Lornshill Academy Geography Department Higher Revision Human Environments - Population

2 Human Environments Population Census The Office for National Statistics in England and Wales and the General Register Office in Scotland are responsible for the collection of census data. Scotland's census is organised by the National Records of Scotland (NRS). In the UK, a census is taken on a single day, usually the third Sunday of April, once every ten years. Everyone, by law, must take part. All households in the UK will receive a census form and must complete it with information about everyone living in the household. Information asked about each individual includes: age sex occupation educational qualifications birthplace ethnic origin Other information collected includes: lifestyle accommodation type health Once the results are collected, they are analysed. The information collected can be compared to previous records to indicate population trends for the future. The government uses population trends to plan for new schools, hospitals, housing, roads etc. in areas where these are needed, or to try and create economic growth in areas of high unemployment. It can also use the information to invest in pensions for the elderly and work out the income it will receive from tax payers. It can use the information for many other uses. Census information can be used to try and influence population growth e.g. China s one child policy to reduce population or incentives to increase fertility in Italy. As well as a census, the UK government keeps a record of its population in the Civil Register. This is a register of births, deaths, marriages, divorces and adoptions. Unlike the census this is updated daily, rather than every 10 years. 2 P a g e

3 Civil registration Events such as births, marriages and deaths must be registered by law in the UK. This means data that was collected in a census can be updated and changes can be monitored. Use of data This data is used by the government to make plans for maternity care, education, pensions, employment, housing and transport. The government need to know about changes in population so they can make plans for the use of their resources, for example, do they need more schools? In some countries, the data is used to inform population policies. For example, when the Chinese government wanted to control population growth they brought in the one-child policy to reduce the birth rate. Problems of Data Collection The United Nations has provided assistance to countries in taking census or sample surveys, for example, in Timor-Leste, a small south east Asian nation. As a result, most countries in the world produce some form of demographic data. Developed countries tend to have more reliable data. This does not mean that a census in developed countries is always 100 per cent reliable. In the UK for example, many homeless people will be unaccounted for. Another criticism of the census is the cost. It is expensive to collect and analyze the huge amount of information gathered. The census in 2001 cost 255m. In ELDCs this can be a huge expense. Another criticism is that the data is already out of date when the government processes it people are born and die daily. Most countries around the world conduct a census and the United Nations would like every country to do so. Some countries consider it to be a poor use of money and some e.g. Sweden are considering abandoning it in favour of another method of counting the population. Difficulties affecting accurate population data collection in Developing Countries might include: Countries suffering from a continuing war situation such as Afghanistan. The cost involved in carrying out a census is prohibitive to many Developing Countries training enumerators, printing and distributing forms etc. The sheer size of some developing countries e.g. Indonesia with many islands spread over a large area. Suspicion of the use of data collected, e.g. China s one-child policy with many female births unrecorded. Countries with large numbers of migrants e.g. rural-urban migration into massive shanty towns e.g. Kibera in Nairobi, refugees from Rwanda in Burundi etc meaning they are difficult to track due to no address. 3 P a g e

4 Nomadic people such as the Tuareg in West Africa, shifting cultivators in Amazonia as they may not stay in the same area for every long. Poor communication links e.g. mountain regions of Bolivia as people can not be easily accessed. Low levels of literacy and variety of languages spoken within a country eg India has 15 official languages making it difficult for everyone to access the forms. Some governments may have political reasons for not having accurate census details. Particularly if there are problems with ethnic minorities since they may affect the results of political elections. - Suspicion and distrust of officials in authority might lead to false answers being given as there might be resentment at particularly sensitive questions or those open to misrepresentation -Ethnic tensions and internal political rivalries have affected census accuracy in some countries eg states in northern Nigeria have been known to inflate their population figures to secure increased political representation -Under-registration may occur for social and religious reasons. Reliable sources have quoted Jordanian males as stating on being asked their family size two children and three girls! Reasons for population change High Birth Rate Large families are encouraged by some religions such as Roman Catholic, Islam and Hinduism. In LEDCs, governments are often based around religion, as is the legal system. Children are a form of insurance for old age and are seen as a unit of production Infant mortality rates remain high Governments can put pressure on people e.g. China for future manpower Lack of education about birth control Lack of available family planning due to poor infrastructure and health funding A male heir is essential in some cultures a family may have a number of babies to ensure the family line is continued Children are a sign of virility High Death Rate Developing countries have higher number of people per doctor, meaning health care is under resourced In developing countries, less advanced agricultural technology mean crop yields are lower, and alternatives are not available if crops fail. This means malnutrition is far more common in developed countries. Transport and communication in developing countries is also poorer so food supplies and medical care are less accessible. Malnutrition can leads to kwashiorkor weakening the immure system and making people more susceptible to other diseases. Over crowding in cities can lead to the rapid spread of diseases such as TB Lack of clean water and sanitation in developing countries leads to deaths through cholera 4 P a g e

Low Birth Rate Widespread available family planning information and services Education about the benefits of family planning Lower infant mortality meaning less need for insurance births Later

5 Low Birth Rate Widespread available family planning information and services Education about the benefits of family planning Lower infant mortality meaning less need for insurance births Later marriage reduces the number of child bearing years Compulsory education and career opportunities for women More equal distribution of income and high living standards Higher school leaving age and compulsory education Higher taxation limits family income Restrictions on child employment Desire for higher economic status children are an economic burden costing up to 317,857 to raise. Low Death Rate Good health care (free in UK due to NHS) Housing continues to improve reducing overcrowding. Diet is improving due to better knowledge about balanced diets and ability to import food cheaply Increased pension security means a higher standard of living for pensioners and, care for the elderly has improved in terms of increased geriatric care and medical advancements such as hip replacements. Services such as refuse collection will wipe out many diseases such as plagues spread by rats. Slowly growing populations The diagram below is a population pyramid for Italy. The pyramid is similar to that of other developed countries in Western Europe. It shows that: there is a relatively small number of people under the age of 20 there is a high number of people over the age of 60 The impact of a slowly growing population Across Europe there has been a drop in fertility leading to an ageing population. This can cause problems and these problems can arise at both ends of the age structure. 5 P a g e

there is an increased demand for health and social care it becomes increasingly difficult for governments to provide satisfactory pensions, which are ultimately funded by taxes paid by the working

6 there is an increased demand for health and social care it becomes increasingly difficult for governments to provide satisfactory pensions, which are ultimately funded by taxes paid by the working population. there is less need for schools and school teachers due to the reduction in birth rates. industries which provide products for children - for example pram manufacturers - may suffer in the longer term, companies may have difficulty recruiting young workers the economically active group gets smaller and has to support a growing dependent population To allow levels of taxation to remain constant the government may need to raise the retirement age. To ensure there are no future shortages in workforce they may need to recruit immigrant labour. In times of recession/high unemployment this can lead to civil unrest/ethnic tension/ To make public services such as schools and maternity hospitals efficient, some may need to close. Ageing population leads to increased cost of pension provision and unpopular decisions for government about how pensions should be funded. Rapidly growing populations Developing countries like Malawi have different population structures as can be seen in the diagram below: There is a relatively high number of people under the age of 20 and a low number of people over the age of 60. This is because many babies are being born and few people live to old age. This means that: there is more need for schools and school teachers literacy rates are low due to inadequate educational provision there is widespread poverty as the population outstrips resources there is a lack of services, housing and jobs 6 P a g e

7 Challenges of a High Birth Rate To reduce stabilise the birth rate - issues raised by China's One Child policy for example. Religious and cultural resistance to such policies. Possible issues arising from gender imbalances following selective abortion. To raise the standard of living of the majority so that people choose to have fewer children. Raising the status of women. Economic pressure of high youth dependency - how to fund health care and education of the children. Economic progress 'swamped' by rising costs of youth dependency. To avoid mass underemployment - too many people for too few jobs. To avoid increased rural to urban migration if poverty increases in the countryside. To manage the issue of illegal emigration (or Brain Drain) to wealthier neighbouring countries Continuing population growth from the ongoing effect of large numbers of fertile young people. Opportunities strong youthful working population - potential to develop along the NIC model like Malaysia if young generation are given skills. economic gains from growing home market. potential raised standard of living if families have fewer children. Youthful population will help to reduce death rate. Challenges of High Mortality Problems from Aids in Africa cost of health care orphaned children - economic and social issues reduced production eg in foodstuffs loss of talent increased pressure on grandparent generation older children lose opportunity for education caring for younger siblings gender imbalance in death rate Voluntary migrations Case Study: Migration from Poland to the UK. Causes of voluntary migration Push factors Not enough jobs and underemployment with very few opportunities for example in 2014 the unemployment rate in Poland was around 14%. 7 P a g e

8 Low paying jobs linking to low standard of living for example the average wage in Poland is 747 compared to the UK where it is Lack of basic amenities like good quality housing, water and power mean there is overcrowding happening. Many young couples have to live with their parents as a result of this. State benefits are very low compared to Scotland and the UK and also the healthcare is very poor. According to a document presented to the European Parliament only Hungary, Albania, Macedonia, Latvia, Romania, Bulgaria and Serbia rank below Poland in regards to medical services. Pull Factors Due to Poland being a member of the European Union this allows people to move freely with unlimited migration. The current exchange rate means that the sterling conversion into zloty was favourable and meant that people could send money back to family members in Poland but still have a higher standard of living in the UK. There were plenty of available jobs with decent wages in parts of the economy that appeared to have shortage, such as in construction and trades such as plumbers and electricians. Impact on Donor country Fewer people means less pressure on limited resources like decent housing and healthcare. This will also help reduce the unemployment rates for the country. Birth rate is lowered as male migrants are away so there will be a decline in the population. Migrants often send money home to their families meaning people have more money in Poland. Migrants return with new skills and this leads to better standards of living. The most educated and healthy leave which could hinder development. Women are the sole carers and look after both children and the land. Impact on Recipient country The government receives tax from migrant workers who are doing jobs that British people will not do for example vital work within NHS, construction and farming. Generally Polish people are hard workers and many are highly skilled and /or graduates. Drives the economy so businesses have increased profits and due to a surplus of work it drives the cost of labour down. The language barrier and cultural differences can lead to racial tension. Ethnic groups tend not to integrate which can add to the tension. May lead to the development of over-crowded, low quality, slum accommodation due to the pressures on housing. The welfare system may become strained due to a number of migrants claiming benefits. Can put pressure on jobs and lead to unemployment for local people, leading to further tension. 8 P a g e

9 Forced migration Forced migration can result from a range of circumstances. It is usually the result of sudden, lifethreatening events such as war or famine. The recent Syrian crisis for example, has resulted in more than two and a half million registered refugees fleeing the country. Experts think the numbers may be much higher. While voluntary migrants usually bring some benefits to the receiving country, the arrival of forced migrants, in the short term at least, creates problems. Causes of forced migration Push factors Violent civil unrest that broke out in Syria in mid-march 2011 continued to expand and increasingly impacted civilians throughout Syrians and migrant workers alike have been affected by the armed conflict, causing a critically large number of people to be forcibly displaced from their homes and to seek protection in other regions and neighbouring countries. The level of security risk, lack of basic resources and quality of available information are factors that continue to determine when and where Syrian nationals and migrants decide to move. Syrians have seen their homes destroyed and neighbours and family members killed Explosions are a regular way of life in crowded cities such as Damascus and Homs Human rights violations, including torture and unlawful imprisonment, are common Many people have been killed, tortured, raped and have disappeared Over 4 million people are homeless Unemployment is high Many people from neighbouring countries have fled into Syria following conflict in the region over the last hundred plus years / or en route to Europe making it an unstable country Ethnic tensions in different parts of the country have focused the problem on particular groups such as the Kurds Pull Factors Syrians move into neighbouring countries are family ties with old friends and neighbours also able to make the move smoother. 9 P a g e

10 Syria also has weak borders which are easy to cross (even without paperwork) making the journey easier for those who have the financial and physical means to make the crossing. Neighbouring countries like Lebanon had stronger economic growth Impact on Donor country Much of the educated population have fled in search of safety. As a result the hospitals are understaffed and the injured and weak are dying. Culturally vibrant cities such as Homs and Aleppo are now ghost towns and services are not functioning effectively, e.g. classrooms lie empty. Shelter, food, water and health services have grown increasingly scarce, and the generosity of those with surplus resources has been exhausted and is insufficient to meet the basic needs of displaced persons. The challenging winter conditions in Syria and surrounding states have made renewed aid efforts through even more essential. Impact on recipient country Lebanon and Jordan are two of the smallest countries in the region. The arrival of refugees places a massive strain as refugees double the population in some settlements placing limited resources and infrastructure at breaking point. Systems such as waste management cannot cope and overcrowding is resulting in conditions conducive to the spread of disease. In some areas schools cannot cope teaching domestic children in the morning and sending them home so that Syrian children can be taught in the afternoon. Tensions are rising as some Lebanese citizens claim to have lost their jobs as Syrians are willing to work for less money. As few as 4% of Syrian refugees are in EU countries but there is a rise in tensions associate with movement of people through countries like Libya. Many of these people have passed through Syria. Tragically many migrants have lost their lives crossing the Med or trying to pass from Calais to Dover in the summer of In Jordan, Iraq and Turkey migrants have ended up in refugee camps organisations such as Unicef and Oxfam have had to intervene to provide water and food. 80,000 people alone are currently living in the Za Atri camp in Jordan. Turkey has spent approximately $1.5 billion on accommodating Syrian refugees 10 P a g e

CFE HIGHER GEOGRAPHY: POPULATION MIGRATION

CFE HIGHER GEOGRAPHY: POPULATION MIGRATION A controversial issue! What are your thoughts? WHAT IS MIGRATION? Migration is a movement of people from one place to another Emigrant is a person who leaves