Population Ch18

• There are more than 7.6 billion people living in the world today
• The world's population grew at an uneven rate, right up until the 1700s
• Fluctuate


  Increase and decrease at an uneven rate
• The world's population remained under a billion up until 1750, then began to increase rapidly
• The most rapid population growth has occurred since 1950, mostly in poorer countries in the developing world
• Population growth in Europe is much slower, and in some countries the population is even in decline
• Birth rate


  The number of babies born per 1,000 people in the total population in one year
• Death rate


  The number of deaths per 1,000 people in the total population in one year
• Natural increase


  When more people are born than die in a year, the population grows
• Natural decrease


  When more people die than are born in a year, the population drops
• The global rate of population growth is now 1 billion every 15 years
• The three main causes of population change are births, deaths, and migration
• Factors that influence the rate of population change include food supply, war, technological development, health, education, sanitation, life expectancy, family planning, infant mortality rate, and the place of women in society
• The Agricultural Revolution


  • Made more food available, lowering the death rate and allowing the population to grow
• The potato blight in Ireland caused a famine, leading to a drop in population due to starvation and emigration
• In Sierra Leone, nearly half the population is without a regular food supply, making the population vulnerable to diseases
• War increases the death rate, decreases the birth rate, and puts a strain on health services, water supplies, sanitation and farming
• The population of Germany decreased during the World Wars, but there was a baby boom when soldiers returned
• Civil war in Sierra Leone between 1991 and 2001 caused a decline in population due to the death toll and lack of investment in development
• Technological development


  • Has led to an increase in food supply and improved people's health, reducing death rates and causing population growth
• Over half the population of Sierra Leone lives below the poverty line, making it difficult to develop agriculture, industry and services without technology
• A good healthcare system lowers the death rate by making vaccines, antibiotics, and access to doctors and hospitals more widely available
• Sanitation


  Facilities to dispose of human waste in a safe way, such as sewerage systems and toilets
• In Sierra Leone, only 60% of the population has access to clean water, leading to high death rates from diseases
• Life expectancy in Ireland is 81.5 years, while in Sierra Leone it is just 51 years
• Life expectancy


  The average number of years a person is expected to live
• Education leads to lower birth and death rates, as educated people are more likely to have smaller families and raise healthier children
• In Sierra Leone, just 65% of children finish primary school, which is a huge concern as access to education helps reduce poverty and fight diseases
• The Sustainable Development Goals prioritize education as it is key to improving health and reducing population growth
• Every child born in Ireland has access to free vaccines, which is why life expectancy here is 81.5 years
• Sierra Leone only 60 per cent of the population has access to clean water, leading to deaths from diseases such as dianthoes, typhoid and cholera. This is why life expectancy in Sierra Leone is just 51 years
• Life expectancy


  The average number of years a person is expected to live
• Education leads to lower birth and death rates. If people are educated they are more likely to have smaller families
• Family planning

  The awareness of birth control, and the planning and spacing of the number of children that a family might want
• In Ireland all children have access to education where they learn about healthy living and family planning. People choose to have smaller families so that they can balance family life with a career
• In Sierra Leone, even though the government recognises the importance of education, just 65 per cent of children finish primary school. This is a huge concern because access to education helps to reduce poverty and can help in the fight against HIV/AIDS and other diseases
• Infant mortality rate


  The number of children under the age of one who die for every 1,000 children born in that year
• Demographic transition model


  • Shows the changes in the birth rates and death rates of a country over time
  • Has 5 stages: High fluctuating, Early expanding, Late expanding, Low fluctuating, Senile
• The pessimistic view is that the population will continue to rise at an explosive rate and reach over 11 billion people by 2050
• The optimistic view is that birth rates will drop as education and healthcare become more widely available in areas with the highest population growth, Optimists believe that people will have smaller families and while the population will continue to grow, it will only reach 11 billion by the end of the century