Geography case studies

• Overpopulation


  A situation where the population of a country or region exceeds the available resources and living space
• Bangladesh has a population of 168,120,000 people
• Bangladesh


  • Country of South Asia, located in the delta of the Padma (Ganges [Ganga]) and Jamuna (Brahmaputra) rivers in the northeastern part of the Indian subcontinent
• Key facts about BangladeshPopulation - 153 million

  • Population density - 1062/km²
  • Land area - 147,000 km²
• Bangladesh has the 8th largest population in the world with 2.11% of the Earth's inhabitants living there in 2019
• Bangladesh only has the 92nd largest land area which means population density is high
• Bangladesh has a high birth rate and a low death rate, so the population growth rate is around 1.04%
• Problems caused by overpopulation in Bangladesh

  • Traffic congestion
  • Air pollution
  • Groundwater pollution
  • Food shortages
  • Deforestation
  • Housing shortages
  • Unemployment
• In 1971, the population of Bangladesh was 75 million, now it is more than double at 153 million, showing an increasing population growth rate
• Causes of high population growth in Bangladesh

  • High birth rates
  • High infant mortality rates
  • Increased poverty leading to need for children to earn
  • High illiteracy rate
  • Lack of awareness of contraception
  • Lack of women's emancipation
  • Increased subsistence farming
• Bangladesh's land area is relatively less than its population, making it a densely populated country
• The population density of Bangladesh is 20 times the global average
• Causes of high population density in Bangladesh

  • Land area relatively less than population
  • Fertile region attracting farmers
  • Rural to urban migration to Dhaka
  • Rice production
• Canada has a population of 42,069,000 (2024 estimate)
• Canada


  • Second largest country in the world in area, located in North America above the United States, bordered by the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic Oceans
• Immigrants make up 21% of Canada's population, with the majority coming from Asia
• Problems caused by underpopulation in Canada

  • Labour shortage
  • Services closing down due to lack of customers
  • Less innovation and development
  • Difficulties in defending the country
• Solutions to underpopulation in Canada

  • Relaxing immigrant policies and visa requirements
  • Pro-natal government support to increase birth rate
  • Allowing pensioners to continue working
• One Child Policy


  Policy introduced in China in 1979 to restrict family size from 3 children to 1 child
• China's population was 1.3 billion in 2019
• China's fertility rate reduced from 5.7 births/woman in 1970 to 1.57 births/woman in 2015, a reduction of 400 million births
• Causes of China's One Child Policy

  • Need for larger population to strengthen army after WWII
  • Social/cultural desire for sons
  • Economic benefits of sons working in fields
  • Children seen as social security
  • Politics - stronger China against America
  • Previously poor medical infrastructure leading to high infant mortality
• Key features of China's One Child Policy

  • Restrict family size to 1 child
  • Increase marriageable age
  • Citizens had to apply to government to marry
  • Benefits for following rules, fines and forced abortion for not following rules
  • 5-10% salary rise for limiting family to 1 child
• Positive consequences of China's One Child Policy

  • Better education and skilled workforce
  • Average fertility reduced to 1.7
  • Low urban poverty
  • 400 million fewer people born
• Negative consequences of China's One Child Policy

  • Female infanticide
  • Forced abortions
  • Abnormal sex ratio/imbalance
  • More divorce due to desire for sons
  • Lack of working population to support old dependents
  • Girls abandoned, in orphanages
  • Gender imbalance with 30 million more young men than women
• Exceptions to China's One Child Policy

  • Couples who bribed
  • Ethnic groups exempt
  • Rural families allowed 2nd child
  • If first child disabled
  • If twins or triplets
• Pro-natal population policy


  Government policies to encourage higher birth rates and population growth
• France's fertility level was 1.67 in 1992 and 2.0 in 2015, close to the replacement rate of 2.1
• Causes of France's low fertility rate


  • Women in careers
  • Later marriages
  • High cost of living
• Solutions in France's pro-natal population policy

  • Financial incentives for mothers staying home
  • Banned contraceptives
  • Subsidised holidays
  • Longer maternity leave
  • Higher child benefits
  • Improved tax allowances for large families
  • Reduced public transport costs for families
• France now has the 2nd highest fertility rate in Europe
• Impacts of France's pro-natal policy


  • Increased workforce size
  • Higher healthcare costs
  • Less disposable income due to high young-age index
• Japan


  • MEDC with population of 128 million, 10th largest in the world
• Japan has a total fertility rate of 1.25 and average life expectancy of 84
• Causes of Japan's ageing population

  • High life expectancy
  • Low fertility rates
  • Declined infant mortality
  • Lack of childcare facilities
  • High cost of pregnancy
• Impacts of Japan's ageing population


  • Raised retirement age
  • Lack of healthcare staff for elderly
  • Costly pensions
  • Workforce expected to fall 15% in 20 years and halve in 50 years
  • Shrinking workforce
  • Increased dependency ratio
  • Less innovation and economic development
  • Requirement of high taxes and immigration
• Causes of uneven population distribution in Japan

  • Sparsely populated rural areas: lack of flat land, infertile soils, extreme climate, remoteness, few jobs
  • Densely populated rural areas: fertile land, attract commuters
  • Densely populated urban areas: flat land, good services and transport
• Japan has the largest population of over 65 years in the world, at 19.7% or 25.2 million people
• Causes of sparse population distribution in Canada

  • Mountainous areas
  • Permafrost in northern areas
  • Snow and ice making transport difficult
• Effects of sparse population distribution in Canada

  • Labour shortages
  • Inability to exploit all resources
  • Less tax revenue
  • Closure of schools and hospitals