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Population
Structure - How is it changing?
Consider this statement:
Not all the pyramids are in Egypt !
"6.3 Brides for 7 Brothers"
The Economist 1998
The
Big Enquiry Question:
How has population structure
changed over time and what does the future hold for the planet?
The purpose of the enquiry is to
develop:
- an understanding of geographical terminology and data
presentation techniques.
- an awareness of the different population growth rates
across the globe.
- an awareness that there are issues arising from the
rapid growth in population numbers.
- an understanding the controlling population growth
may in itself cause some concerns.
- a critical awareness of written and statistical data
presentation.
| Your
task is to create a
campaigning leaflet for either [or preferably both]
Your task is to create a classroom presentation
for other students in your own class - It should include
- An understanding of the Demographic Transition
Model, its terminology and its application to populations from
the Economically More and Less Developed Nations.
- An understanding of links between the
population pyramid and the DTM
- Population pyramids and case study materials
associated with population change in Economically More and Less
Developed Nations.
- Case Study of the Chinese Population Policy
You need to carefully consider the validity
of the statistics that you publish. |
1,What is the Demographic Transition
Model?
Using sites: http://www.prb.org/
Define the following terms:
- Birth Rate
- Death rate
- Demographic Transition
- Dependency Ratio
- Natural Increase
Now, using http://www.uwmc.uwc.edu/geography/Demotrans/demtran.htm
This is back up http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa090798.htm
Tabulate the characteristics of each of the 4 stages and
predict what the characteristics of a stage 5 might be:
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Stage
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Birth Rate
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Death Rate
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Natural Increase
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Total Population
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1
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2
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3
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4
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5 (?)
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2.How has the demographic transition affected different
countries?
Visit: http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbpyr.html
- Select the country you require from the list, then
select summary and small and submit your request.
- Obtain population pyramids for the countries listed
below and try to identify the Demographic Transition stage shown for
each.
- Produce a table containing a short description of
each population pyramid for 1997 & 2050. Try to place each country
into the Demographic transition model in both time periods and compare
them.
- What factors might have caused the changes you have
seen?
- What issues may this raise: Locally or Globally? Use
additional links to help you to answer some of these questions.
- What issues are raised by the changing population
structure of More Developed Nations? Is a low Birth Rate always a good
thing?
3. How has China attempted to tackle some of the
issues associated with spiralling population growth?
- What is the current estimate of the population of
China? www.cpirc.org.cn/eindex.htm
- Obtain a graph of Birth rate, Death Rate and Natural
Increase for China from 1949 - 1997 from the same site as above Page 2
- describe the changes you can see.
- Where is natural increase the greatest in China? The
more developed urbanised regions or the rural provinces. Study the
map: www.cpirc.org.cn/eindex.htm
(page 2) and make use of an atlas if possible.
- Outline the Chinese Family Planning Policy? See http://www.sfpc.gov.cn/EN/
(Basic Views and Policies) for details.
- Has this has an impact upon the growth rate of the
Chinese population? Go to http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbpyr.html
and produce a series of population pyramids for China from 1997 to
2050. Describe the changes you can see.
- What
problems may this policy have caused in China?
- How might the sex-ratio imbalance be addressed in
China?
Additional Information:
The Dying Rooms Video - Channel Four is an
emotional watch too.
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