Subject: Geography
Topic: Population
Grade:11
Date: November 4-15, 2019
Duration: 35x 4 x 2
General Objective: On completion of this topic students should be able to:
Understand the spatial and cultural factors affecting the distribution and structure of human
population
Specific Objectives: At the end of this lesson students should be able to:
1. Define the terms: population, fertility rate, birth rate, death rate, life expectancy infant
mortality, migration, emigration, immigration, migrants, internal migration, external
migration
2. Discuss the factors which affect population growth
3. Explain the factors influencing the distribution of population and population density in
the Caribbean;
4. Interpret maps and diagrams of population distribution, density and structure
5. Compare population size of Caribbean countries using maps and pyramids
6. Compare the factors affecting the growth of population in the Caribbean with ANY ONE
of the following countries: India, China, Nigeria;
7. Analyze measures used to control population growth.
8. Recognize the challenges associated with an ageing population.
Resources: Maps, textbook, Projector, speakers
Content Overview:
Population Terms
The term population refers to the total number of people living in an area at a particular point in
time. However, just knowing the population of an area is not very useful. We need ways to relate
the population to the land on which these people live.
Population Density
One way of relating the population to the land is population density. It gives a rough idea of
how densely or sparsely populated an area is.Population density is a measurement of the
number of people in an area. It is an average number. Population density is calculated by
dividing the number of people by area. This is done by dividing the total population by the area
of the land these people occupy. Population density is expressed as the number of people per
square kilometer, e.g. 300 per square kilometer (300 per sq. km).
Example:
Geographica is a country with an area of 500 square kilometers. The population of this country is
30,000. What is the population density of Geographica?
Working:
Population density = total population/total area (it is important to state the formula)
= 30,000 people/500 square kilometers
= 60 people per square kilometer or 60 per sq. km
This answer is just an average. It does not mean that there are exactly 60 people in every square
kilometer of the country. Indeed, some parts of Geographica may be very densely populated
while other areas may be uninhabited.
Population Growth
At the beginning of the 1900’s, the world’s population was roughly 1.65 billion people. By 1950,
the world’s population had grown to about 2.56 billion. In 2000, the world’s population reached
6 billion. The population of the world is now roughly 7 billion. The world’s population is
growing at a faster and faster rate. However, in some countries, the population is decreasing
while in others, the population is increasing. Some other countries have a stable population.
What are the factors which affect population growth in various countries? Let us examine a few
of them:
The fertility rate:
This is the number of children that the average woman will bear in her lifetime. If the fertility
rate is about 2.0, then the population tends to be stable. The population will tend to increase in
countries which have a fertility rate which is greater than 2.0. In countries which have a fertility
rate which is less than 2.0, the population will tend to decrease. The fertility rate has decreased in
many countries because the women in those countries are delaying child bearing to pursue higher
education and careers.
The birth rate:
This is given as the number of births per thousand. Therefore a birth rate of 20 per thousand
means that 20 babies were born for every thousand people in the population. The birth rate is not
to be confused with the fertility rate. In countries with a very high birth rate, the population will
tend to increase. The population will tend to decrease in countries where the birth rate is very
low.
Death rate:
This is given as the number of deaths per thousand. A high death rate may cause the population
to grow very slowly or even to decrease. Note that the difference between the birth rate and death
rate is known as natural increase.
Life Expectancy:
This is the number of years that someone born today can expect to live. A high life expectancy
tends to have a positive effect on population growth. In countries with very low life expectancy,
the population tends to grow very slowly or even to decrease.
Infant mortality:
This refers to the proportion of children who die before the age of one. A high infant mortality
rate tends to slow the rate of population growth.
Migration:
This refers to the number of people entering and leaving a country. Large numbers of immigrants
will tend to cause an increase in the population. Large numbers of emigrants will reduce the rate
of population growth or even cause a decrease in the population.
Factors Contributing to Population Distribution
Another way of relating the population to the land which the people occupy is population
distribution. This term refers to the way in which people are spread out over an area. For
example, in some islands, most people live near the coast and few live in the interior. There are
several factors which affect population distribution including the following:
Relief:
Steep slopes are generally less densely populated than gently sloping or flat areas.
Drainage and soils:
Infertile or poorly drained soils are usually less densely populated than well drained or fertile
areas. Throughout much of history, the Nile delta in the north of Africa has been more densely
populated than the surrounding area. The fertility of the soil in the area has allowed it to support
a very large population.
Climate:
Parts of the world where the climate is very harsh are generally less densely populated than areas
with a favourable climate. For instance, Antarctica is so cold and inhospitable, that nobody lives
there. The people who go there are usually scientists who want to conduct research there.
The Atacama Desert is another example of a place with a very harsh climate. Parts of this desert
have not experienced any rainfall for over 400 years. No people, or even animals live in these
parts. Generally, people prefer to live in areas where water is readily available and the
temperature is not extremely high or low.
Mineral deposits:
Areas which have large deposits of minerals such as bauxite tend to have high population
densities. In Jamaica for instance there are relatively high population densities near some bauxite
mining areas. Some relatively large settlements such as May Pen and Mandeville are located
near bauxite mining areas.
Representation of Population Data
A census is a count of the total population of a given area within a specific time
A choropleth map is a density map that uses differences in shading or colour to indicate average
vales. It presupposes uniform density throughout an area.
A dot map is a type of distribution map that uses a dot to represent a specific and fixed value
over a given area.
A population pyramid is a diagram which shows the age and sex structure of a population. It
consists of two back to back bar graphs. Males are usually shown on the left and females are
usually shown on the right. For both sexes, each age group is represented by a horizontal bar.
Population pyramids are considered to be one of the most effective means of graphically
showing the age and sex distribution of a population.
The Three Basic Shapes of Population Pyramids
Expansive
Expansive population pyramids are used to describe populations that are young and growing.
They are often characterized by their typical ‘pyramid’ shape, which has a broad base and
narrow top. Expansive population pyramids show a larger percentage of the population in the
younger age cohorts, usually with each age cohort smaller in size than the one below it. These
types of populations are typically representative of developing nations, whose populations often
have high fertility rates and lower than average life expectancies.
Constrictive
Constrictive population pyramids are used to describe populations that are elderly and shrinking.
Constrictive pyramids can often look like beehives and typically have an inverted shape with the
graph tapering in at the bottom. Constrictive pyramids have smaller percentages of people in the
younger age cohorts and are typically characteristic of countries with higher levels of social and
economic development, where access to quality education and health care is available to a large
portion of the population.
Stationary
Stationary, or near stationary, population pyramids are used to describe populations that are not
growing. They are characterized by their rectangular shape, displaying somewhat equal
percentages across age cohorts that taper off toward the top. These pyramids are often
characteristic of developed nations, where birth rates are low and overall quality of life is high.
Case Study: India
India's population is estimated to be around one billion. India has one of the highest population
growth rates in the world. In the last ten years its population has increased by 181 million. If this
growth rate continues it could become the world's most populated country by 2020.
However, India's population growth rate is slowing. This is particularly the case in the southern
state of Kerala. In Kerala there have been a number of initiatives to reduce population growth:
1. Women are being educatedaround half of all Indian women cannot read or write (illiterate).
However, in Kerala 85% of women are literate. Better educated women are more likely to keep
their children healthy. Therefore infant mortality has dropped. This has led to a drop in birth
rates. If children are surviving families no longer have to have a couple of extra children to
replace those that die.
2. Contraception is more widely available
3. The status of women has improved significantly
Women are no longer seen as a burden - they are regarded as an asset. Traditionally in India
when a woman gets married the family have to pay money to the bridegroom's family. This is
called a dowry. However, in Kerala it is the bridegroom's family who pay a dowry to the bride’s
family.
Case Study: China
The Chinese government introduced the 'One Child Policy' in 1979. The aim of this policy was
to attempt to control population growth. The policy limited couples to one child. Under this
policy couples have to gain permission from family planning officials for each birth.
If families followed this policy they received free education, health care, pensions and family
benefits. These are taken away if the couple have more than one child.
The benefits of this policy are that the growth rate of China's population has declined. Without
the policy it is estimated that there would be an extra 320 million more people in a country
whose population is estimated to be 1.3 billion.
The scheme has caused a number of problems in China. This is particularly the case for hundreds
of thousands of young females. Many thousands of young girls have been abandoned by their
parents as the result of the one child policy. Many parents in China prefer to have a boy to carry
on the family name. As a result large numbers of girls have either ended up in orphanages,
homeless or in some cases killed. Also, 90% of foetuses aborted in China are female.
Population Changes in MEDCs
In most MEDCs population growth is stable. MEDCs have low birth and death rates. In some
Germany the birth rate is actually lower than the death rate. This means there is a decrease in
population or a natural increase of -0.1%.
The major problem for many MEDCs is an ageing population. Life expectancy in MEDCs is
increasing as people are now living longer due to improvements in health care, diet and lifestyle.
Therefore, there will be a greater number of elderly dependents. In the UK this is likely to lead to
increased taxes to pay for health care and pensions.
Lesson Procedure
Step1: Engagement (Inspiration Activity/ Orientation Activity and Reflection)
Capture student attention, activate student prior knowledge, stimulate thinking, raise key questions, etc
Students will watch avideo clip and answer questions.
1. How fast is the world’s population growing?
2. What is the impact of rapid population growth on the environment and standard of
living?
3. How can poor countries curb population growth?
Step 2: Exploration (Information Activity and Reflection)
Allow students to conduct research, observe, record data, isolate variables, design and plan experiments, create graphs,
interpret results, develop hypothesis and organize the findings for presentation
The teacher will give students some definitions and they will match them to the following
terms: population, fertility rate, birth rate, death rate, life expectancy infant mortality,
migration.
The teacher will assess students’ work after which she will right the correct answers on the
whiteboard and students will make the necessary corrections.
Step 3: Explanation ( Information Activity/ Life Skills Development and Reflection)
Introduce laws, models, theories and vocabulary. Guide students toward coherent generalizations, and help students
understand and use scientific vocabulary and technology to explain the results of their explorations
Examine Dot maps of selected Caribbean countries and determine location of the majority of
the population in each country. Based on map evidence describe in simple terms the location
of the settlement e.g. coastal; on low lands. Based on map evidence, students should offer
possible reasons for thelocations of major settlements on the map.
Step 4: Elaboration (Application Activity and Reflection)
Provide students opportunity to apply their knowledge to new domains, raise new questions, and explore new hypotheses.
May also include related problems for students to solve working through the design process.
Students will be placed in three groups and given case studies of China, India and Nigeria.
They will read the case study and compare the factors influencing population growth in those
countries to Jamaica. Each group will present their analysis to the class.
Step 5: Evaluation (Assessment Activity to include Reflection)
Administer formative assessment (although checking for understanding should be done throughout the lesson). Rubrics should
be used to assess skill development
Activity 1: Research and Presentation
In groups, conduct online research to find out the current populations of selected Caribbean
countries. In groups, students will design a method of visually comparing the population sizes
of the selected countries. Students will also redesign a map of the Caribbean using one of the
traditional methods e.g. dot maps or proportional symbol map to represent the population data
they researched and present to the class.
Activity 2: Presentation
Students will present on the factors influencing population in China, India and Nigeria to
Jamaica
Activity 3: Past paper question
1. Compare the influence of TWO factors affecting the growth ofthepopulationinthe
Caribbean with the growth of the population of India OR China OR Nigeria. (6 marks)
Assignment:
Linear, Dispersed and Nucleated, students should research the meaning of these words and
create a sketch showing each of the settlement pattern.
Take/present photographs of each type of settlement.
Evaluation (teacher’s reflection on the lesson and the lesson objectives)