Uk in 21st Century

• What is Population Density?

  The number of people living in a given area.
• Where is Population Density highest in the UK?

  Population density is highest in major cities e.g. London, Glasgow, Birmingham. In London population density is around 5500 people per sq. km.
• Where is Rainfall the greatest in the UK?

  The north and west of the UK have generally high rainfall e.g. Althea in NW Scotland has an annual average of 1470mm.
• Where is Rainfall the lowest in the UK?

  The south and east of the UK have generally low rainfall e.g. London has an annual average of 560mm.
• What 2 Issues are associated with high Population Density and/or low Rainfall

  - Housing Shortages

  - Water Stress
• How does high Population Density lead to Housing Shortages?

  Areas with high population density can experience issues such as a shortage of housing. In London, for example, up to 60,000 new houses are needed each year to keep up with population growth. A shortage of houses drives up prices so some people cannot afford to live there.
• What is the DTM?

  The Demographic Transition Model shows how a country's population is likely to change as it develops, based on changing birth and death rates.
• Why is the UK in Stage 4 of the DTM?

  - Birth rate and death rate have fallen over the past 300 years and it has moved through stages 1-3 of the DTM (stage 1: before 1760, stage 2: 1760 -1870, stage 3: 1870-1950).

  - Birth rates are now low (12 per 1000 people) and death rates are as well (9 per 1000 people) meaning that population growth is still occurring but slowly.

  - The UK hasn't yet reached stage 5, when birth rates are lower than death rates, and population starts to decrease.
• What Stage of the Demographic Transition Model is the UK in?

  Stage 4
• What is the Population Structure of London?

  - In 2001, the population of London was about 7.2 million. By 2015, it had increased to more than 8.5 million. This is faster growth than anywhere else in the UK.

  - Growth was higher amongst groups of working age (20-69) than for those under 20 or over 69 - lots of people move to London from elsewhere in the UK or from overseas for work. The highest population growth was in the 40-49 age bracket. which increased by almost 30%.

  - The percentage of men in all age groups increased more than the percentage of women between 2001 and 2013, although the total number of women remained slightly harder.

  - Just like the rest of the UK, population growth in London is driven by natural increase and migration. People who migrate to London from other countries increase the city's ethnic diversity.
• What is the Ethnic Diversity of London?

  - Across the UK as a whole, about 13% of the population were born in another country. In London, this value is 37%.

  - Ethnic diversity in London has increased between 2001 and the present - in 2001, 60% of the population were white British, but by 2011 this had fallen to 45%.

  - The change was driven by an increase in the percentage of white non-British (particularly from Poland and Romania), as well as Black African and Asian people.
• What are the Different Responses to the UK's Ageing Population?

  - issued Pensioner Bonds in 2015 to encourage older people to save money for the future. These offer a higher rate of interest than many savings accounts so older people can save more (reducing the financial burden they place on their families and the government).

  - given support to pensioners in the form of care, reduced transport costs and heating allowances. The Winter Fuel Allowance is currently offered to all older people but is likely to be restricted in the future to only those who can't afford to heat their homes to reduce overall costs for the government.

  - raised the state pension age so that people stay in work for longer, increasing tax contributions and reducing the amount of time pensions have to be paid out

  - in the future, the government may need to increase taxes or cut spending in other areas (e.g. education or defence) to fund more support for the elderly
• What are the Social Effects of an Ageing Population?

  - Many retired people do voluntary work, e.g. in hospitals, which benefits the community

  - Some people act as unpaid carers for their elderly relatives in their free time, so they have less leisure time and are more stressed

  - People may not be able to afford to have lots of children when they have dependent older relatives which may lead to a further drop in birth rates

  - Healthcare services are under increased pressure as demand for healthcare increases (the over 65s are more likely to require medical care)

  - Shortage of spaces in care homes
• What are Economic Hubs?

  Economic hubs are where economic activity is concentrated (e.g. they often have lots of businesses). They have economic influence beyond the hub itself (e.g. companies located in the hub may trade with companies in other countries).
• Where are most Economic Hubs in the UK?

  In the UK, economic hubs are concentrated in SE England, with cities such as London, Brighton and Cambridge experiencing more rapid growth in new businesses and jobs than cities elsewhere in the UK. To dilute this concentration, the UK government is encouraging investment outside of the south-east and many companies are setting up sites in other areas.
• What are the Characteristics of South Wales?

  - Manufacturing - e.g. Ford cars, have a production plant in Bridgend that employs about 2,000 people.

  - Services - e.g. insurance providers Admiral have their headquarters in Cardiff, as well as offices in Newport and Swansea, and employ over 5,000 people in South Wales.

  - Digital - digital companies in South Wales grew by 87% between 2010 and 2013 - much faster than in the UK as a whole. TechHub in Swansea was set up in 2016 to provide office space, networking opportunities and advice for new digital companies.

  - Media - over 50,000 people are employed in media and creative industries in Wales as a whole, with the highest concentration in South Wales. The head office of BBC Cymru Wales is in Cardiff, and programmes made there, such as Doctor Who and Casualty, are exported worldwide.

  - Tourism - 600,000 people visit Cardiff each year, contributing £130 million to the local economy.
• What is G7?

  The Group of Seven (G7) are seven members (UK, USA, France, Canada, Japan, Germany and Italy) who meet once per year to discuss relevant issues, including economic policies, conflict, energy supply and security, and come to agreements about how best to approach them.
• Where is Ukraine?


  Ukraine is an eastern European country bordered by Russia to the north and east. It used to form part of the USSR and became independent in 1991.
• How have Ethnic Groups influenced Food in the UK?

  Although traditional roast dinners remain very popular in the UK, much of the food we eat originates in other countries (e.g. curry, pizza). Restaurants cooking authentic ethnic food are very popular with people of a wide range of ethnicities. This also influences the products sold in shops as different national dishes require different ingredients, so shops selling specialist ingredients have sprung up as well as specialised aisles in supermarkets.