Theme 1 – Investigating population Change
Below is the key areas from the AS Level specification, key aspects and the knowledge and case studies you
must know for the examination.
Specification
Reference
1.1 What is
demographic change?
Key Questions
Knowledge and case studies
• The net change in the
population store caused by the
inputs of births and inmigration and the outputs of
death and out-migration.
• Global population growth,
totals, distribution and density.
1.2. How and why do
populations change
naturally?
• A study of countries at Stages
2-5 of the demographic
transition to demonstrate
variations in fertility and
mortality rates, including infant
mortality and life expectancy.
1.3 What is the role
of migration in
population change?
• Characteristics of different
types of migration.
• The economic, social and
environmental impacts of
migration on exporting and
receiving countries/regions.
1.4 What are the
issues of the
migration of refugees
and asylum seekers?
• The causes and consequences
of flows of refugees and asylum
seekers into developed
economies both from a
historical and current
dimension.
Need to know
What demographic (population) change is and the
world population change since OAD.
Understanding of why population has changed and
how it has changed overtime.
How the world’s population is distributed.
What population density is and how this varies at
the global and national scale.
How to interpret world population distribution and
density maps
Case Studies
World population change and distribution
UK population distribution
Population density and change in Brazil
Need to Know
What the demographic transition model is and
how countries change as they move through this
model.
Why countries change as they move through this
and the possible reasons i.e. health care,
education, contraception ect.
How life expectancy can be increased and infant
mortality decreased.
How and why fertility rates change (roles of
women in society, aspirations ect...)
Case Studies
Stage 2: Burkina Faso, Liberia, Somalia.
Stage 3: Zimbabwe, Gabon, Namibia.
Stage 4: Finland, France, Malta.
Stage 5: Germany, Italy, Hungary.
(Be sure to know what a population pyramid at
each stage might look like)
Need to Know
The main types and characteristics of migration
i.e. permanent, temporary, forced, voluntary,
international, national.
The main impacts of migration for both receiving
and exporting locations for example strain on
health care or lack of economically active in
exporting locations.
Case Studies
Afghanistan and Zimbabwe – migrants leaving due
to internal unrest.
Polish to the UK – For work (economic migrants)
Migrants from Mexico into California
Need to know
The difference between an asylum seeker and
refugee.
Impacts for both locations both positive and
negative.
Rights of Asylum seekers and refugees
1.5 What are the
causes and impacts of
changing gender
structures?
1.6 What are the
demographic
challenges facing
countries?
• Housing.
• Repatriation.
• The attitudes and values of
immigrants and hosts.
• Human rights.
• Changing gender structures in
populations as countries pass
through the demographic
transition.
• Social, economic and political
impacts of gender structures.
• The demographic causes and
effects of ageing societies
including issues such as
dependency, workforce and
pensions.
• The issues of high birth rates
and high mortality rates –
including AIDS.
• Policies to alleviate the
‘demographic challenges’
Case Studies
Afghanistan migrants
Iraq refugees following invasion
Need to know
How to interpret a population pyramid and explain
why it is the shape it is.
How gender inequality within a country can affect
it.
How passing through the demographic transition
model can lead to a change in gender structures.
The social (people), economic (monetary) and
political impacts that having more females or
males can have on places.
Case Studies
Mexico / California and the impact that it can have
for the people in the rural areas of Mexico with a
loss of men. For California the impact that it can
have on jobs and strains on health care and social
housing.
Afghanistan and Iraq and how rebuilding the
countries economy may be a problem.
Need to know
The impacts of an ageing population (economically
dependents). Think about how countries with a
pay as you go system may struggle in economic
downturns.
What AIDS and HIV are and the problems that are
faced by countries with high levels of HIV infection
on the development of the country.
Population policies used to help stop population
growth (China) and help population growth
(France).
Case studies
AIDS – Sub Saharan Africa (SWAZILAND where
40% of population are infected)
Ageing population – Japan and USA
Population policies – China and its one child policy
and France with benefits for having 3 children per
family.