Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
1. Population Distribution
Done
describe population distribution in the world
and from maps
give reasons for densely and sparsely
populated areas
2. Development
Describe what development means
give examples of social and economic
development indicators
Describe the world pattern of ELDCs
(economically less developed
countries)and EMDCs (economically more
developed countries)
3. Census
Why countries take a census
Difficulties of taking a census
Solutions to the problems of census taking
4. Population Growth
Recognise a quickly growing population
pyramid and slowly population pyramid
Label and describe the population structure
from population pyramids
Give reasons for slowly and rapidly growing
populations
Outline the effects of slowly and rapidly
growing populations
Outline the solutions that governments put
in place to control slowly and rapidly
growing populations
5. Migration
Explain in terms of push and pull factors
why people migrate from rural to urban
areas in ELDCs
Describe the problems of shanty towns and
outline some solutions
Explain why people migrate from one
country to another
Outline the effects of international migration
on the host country, the migrants and the
country migrants come from
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Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Census
What is a census? A count of the people in a country taken every 10 years by the
UK government.
Why carry out a census?
1. It helps countries plan for services.
2. They know whether to build more schools or old folks homes.
3. Whether to plan for more housing and where to put it
4. Governments know which job skills are needed
What problems do governments have with carrying out a Census?
1. Expensive
2. Difficult to reach everybody eg. Mountainous areas, lack of roads, nomadic
people
3. Difficult for some to understand the forms eg, speak a different language, can’t
read and write
4. Don’t want to fill in forms eg. Illegal immigrants
5. Sometimes not accurate especially since it takes a long time to understand and
put the information to good use
6. Out of date by the time the numbers are analysed
2
Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Population Distribution – Summary
Physical features affecting population density
Shade in factors blue for climate, green for land, yellow for transport, red for
resources
Negative
Low population density because…
Factor
Hot dry
Unpleasant to live in
climate
Lack of water means crops cannot be grown
Cold climate
Unpleasant to live in and unable to farm due to crops not growing
in cold conditions
Mountain
Steep land is difficult to build roads and buildings.
areas
It is difficult to farm because of steep slopes and
The climate is too cold and often too windy as well as there being
thin soils for farming.
Tropical
The climate is hot and humid and therefore unpleasant.
Rainforest
Tropical diseases are common
The thick forest means it is difficult to build transport routes so the
area is remote
The soils quickly become infertile and eroded when the trees are
cleared for farming.
Natural
Volcanoes, Earthquakes and Hurricanes mean it is dangerous to
Hazards
live in the area. Constant uncertainty means it is unpleasant to live
in the area
Positive
High Population Density because….
Factors
Flat land
It is easier and cheaper to build houses, factories etc.
It is easier to use machinery for farming
Transport routes are easier to build (roads and railways) making it
easy to reach nearby locations for trade
Beside River
Rivers provide water for drinking and cleaning
Water is accessible for irrigation
Some rivers provide good transport routes
Beside Coast Many coastal areas have flat land which is cheaper to build on
Trade with other countries is encouraged since ships can load and
unload goods easily
There is easy access up and down the coast by boat
The sea provides food from fishing
Beside
Metals, oil and coal can be mined which provides profit
mineral
Jobs can be provided in the mines
resources
Manufacturing industry which uses the minerals is attracted to the
area providing further employment
3
Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Migration: why people migrate Summary
Colour social, economic and environmental factors 3 different colours.
Push Factors: Negative factors
which encourage people to leave
an area
Lack of food – due to famine.
Lack of food – due to overpopulation
(too many people for the resources
available because the population has
increased)
Poor living conditions such as lack of
fresh water, no electricity, no sewage
system
Poor education
War or persecution
Natural disasters such as flooding,
earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes
Overcrowded living conditions
Lack of work
Poor farming with hard work, low pay
and long hours
Lack of entertainment
Pull Factors: Positive factors which
encourage people to come into an area
Better services and More services providing
food, clothing etc.
Better transport in area
Schools, colleges, universities
Peaceful secure situation with no war or
persecution
Area free from natural disasters
Better housing conditions
More job opportunities
Better job opportunities
Range of entertainment such as cinemas etc
Shanty towns: Conditions and how to improve them.
Which do you think are the most important to do first?
Houses made out of scrap material - Self-help schemes where shanty town dwellers
flimsy and risk of fire
build their own houses
No drains or water supply so disease Provide proper sewage system and fresh water
is common
built of mud straw and scrap materials Build with brick and cement
unmade roads
Pave roads
high unemployment & major crime
Start training schemes and help shanty town
problems
dwellers start up their own businesses
jobs temporary, part time and low
paid
public transport overcrowded,
Put proper bus routes in
dangerous and very limited
Few schools and little medical care
Provide schooling and mobile medical centres to
give injections and simple health-care
No gas or electricity
Start piping gas and put up electricity cables
after proper houses have been built
Rubbish dumped in the streets
Organise shanty-town dwellers to recycle
rubbish and to put rubbish in selected areas for
4
Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
uplift
International Migration: The effects of people involved in migration
Colour social and economic factors 2 different colours.
Group
affected
Migrants
Advantages
Disadvantages
Better Jobs
Better housing
To be with friends or relatives
Opportunity to make more money
Opportunity to make money to
send home
Better medical care
Better Entertainment Higher
living standards
People in
host
country
Do jobs others don’t want to do
work long hours
work for low pay
help country become prosperous
People
left
behind
More space - more houses, more
jobs, more food
Government has more money don't have to spend money on
people who have left
Better health care because less
people
Money gets sent to them from
migrants
Low paid jobs & Part time jobs
Mainly manual jobs with long and
poor working conditions
Can’t afford adequate housing
Can’t speak language
Miss friends and family back home
Might not be allowed to stay
Might only be allowed to stay for a
short time
Might be sent home
If illegal – threat of being caught by
police
Use health services
cause overcrowding in some parts
of city
they take jobs from local people
change cities to suit their own
culture
cost government money if they
don’t get a job
cost government money to track
them and deport them if they are
illegal
Not enough people for farms or to
fill jobs
Companies can't find educated
young people to work
People with new ideas to improve
country have gone so the country
never improves (brain drain)
Aging population
5
Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Differences between ELDCs and EMDCs
Location
Wealth
Trade
ELDCs
Mainly in the South
Lower GNP because
the country cannot
generate wealth
Mainly primary products
sold which have a low
profit
Mainly agriculture which
produces little profit
EMDCs
Mainly in the North
Higher GNP because the
country can generate wealth
Mainly manufactured goods
sold which have a high
value
Industry
Mainly manufacturing and
tertiary which produces
more profit
Education Not enough money for
Plenty money spent on
education so people are education and so people
poorly trained and lack
are highly skilled in
skills for industrial jobs
manufacturing and tertiary
industries
Health
Little money spent on
Plenty money spent on
health care so people
training doctors and nurses
die younger and are not and building hospitals so
as fit for work
people’s health is better
Population Generally a higher birth General a low birth rate due
rate and a falling death to people choosing to have
rate due to improving
smaller families later in life.
medical facilities. This
A low death rate due to
produces increasing
better health facilities
natural increase.
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Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Solutions
Effects
Reasons
ELDCs and EMDCs population patterns compared
ELDC
EMDC
Rapidly growing population
Slowly growing population
1. Large families so that:
- children can help on the farm
- No pensions or old folks homes so
children needed to look after parents in
old age
- With high numbers of children dying
people have more so that some survive
to adult-hood
2. Contraceptives not used because:
 They are difficult to get
 Traditions/religions do not agree with
their use
3. Death rates drop as health care improves
Positive
Money saved by government with less old
people to look after
Plenty people in the future to work and earn
money for the country
Negative
Many young people have to be provided
with health care
More money has to be spent on schools
There are not enough economically active
people to produce wealth
There are not enough jobs
Enough food cannot be produced
Reduce Birth Rates by:
Giving benefits for 1 child families eg. free
education and health care
Raising the age of marriage
Encouraging people to have children when
their older
Abortions and sterilisations are made easier
Increase Country’s Wealth:
Setting up tourist industry
Using fertiliser and pesticides to grow more
crops
Clearing forests or irrigating to make more
farm land
Population pyramid
Quickly Growing
1. Women having children later due to:
• want to enjoy going out
• more women working
2. Babies are expensive so:
• want to buy luxury goods instead
• put off having babies until they can
afford equipment and bigger house
3. Contraceptives widely used because:
• They are available
• It is not seen as wrong
Positive
Money is saved with less children to be
looked after
Less money spent on schools and health
care for young people
Negative
Fewer adults in the future to do jobs
which are needed to improve the
country’s wealth
Many old people to need looking after so
more money spent on health care, old
people’s homes
Increase birth rates by:
giving more child benefits
giving more maternity benefits including
longer maternity cover
give longer paternity cover
give tax benefits to large families
Increase the work force by:
Opening up borders to workers from
abroad
Persuading more women to take jobs by
providing cheaper child care
People work until they’re older
Slowly Growing
B
Narrowing pyramid shape with wide
base indicating:High birth rate and low
life expectancy with plenty people in the
reproductive age group
7
More rectangle shape with narrower
base. A lower birth rate and higher
life expectancy with more people
reaching old age.
Standard Grade Geography: Population & Development Revision Notes
Demographic Transition Model
This model shows how natural increase changes as birth and death rates
change. Europe has gone through each stage and is now possibly
entering a fifth stage where natural increase is going down.
B
C
D
Stage 1
Stage 2
High Birth Rate
High Death Rate
Low natural
increase
High Birth Rate
Falling Death
Rate
Increasing
Natural Increase
Tribes in the
rainforest in
Brazil
ELDCs such as
Bangledesh
Stage 3
Falling Death
Rate
Low, falling death
rate
Decreasing
natural increase
ELDCs such as
Bolivia
8
A
Stage 4
Low Birth Rate
Low death rate
Low natural
increase
EMDCs eg
Sweden or Italy