SOCIAL SCIENCE LEARNER GUIDE POPULATION GROWTH, STRUCTURE & MOVEMENT KEY CONCEPTS LEDC: Less economically developed country (third world, developing countries). MEDC: More economically developed country (first world, developed countries). Population indicators: These are different measurements which give information about a country’s population. Population pyramid: This is a graph showing a country's population according to age groups and gender (male or female). Migration: The movement of people, so that they change their place of residence. Immigration: When people enter a new country and settle there - they come in. Emigration: When people leave a country to live in another country - they exit. Migrant worker: A person who migrates to another area to find work. He usually sends money home to his family. Refugee: A migrant who is forced to move to another country. Xenophobia: A fear and hatred of foreign people who come into our country. Urbanisation: The increase in the percentage of people living in urban areas. Green Revolution: The increased yield of already cultivated land, by introducing fertilizers, more irrigation and special seeds to cope with drought (hybrid seeds). GR 7 • www.dsd.gov.za • www.population.gov.za GR 10 CHIEF DIRECTORATE POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT www.population.co.za Private Bag X901, Pretoria, 0001, SOUTH AFRICA COPYRIGHT© 2014, Department of Social Development, Pretoria, South Africa For further information: Chief Directorate Population and Development Department of Social Development Private Bag X901, Pretoria, 0001 SOUTH AFRICA www.population.co.za Tel: 012 312 7769/ 7410 Fax: 012 312 7710/ 312 7932 Email: [email protected], [email protected],[email protected] This publication is intended to support learning about population and development in the school curriculum and may be copied/downloaded and distributed as required. Permission should be obtained from the copyright holder for any changes to the format or content of this publication. Distribution for remuneration is not permitted. COPYRIGHT© 2014, Department of Social Development, Pretoria, South Africa 1 Department of Social Development Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 POPULATION GROWTH This is the increase in the number of people inhabiting an area, expressed as a percentage (%). A demographer checks on population growth and takes note of population changes over time. It is very important for a government of a country to know if there are enough resources for its people. Population growth increases the demand for food, water, energy, housing, education, healthcare, facilities and services and other resources and at the same time implies the availability of more labour to produce goods and services. If the population is growing fast, the government must plan and put policies in place to manage the population growth. HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH Human Population growth (Billions) 9 Billion 6 Billion 2050 C.E 9 B est. 10,000 B.C.E 50 Million est. 10, 000 B.C.E 5, 000 B.C.E 1, 000 B.C.E C.E 1, 000 C.E 2, 000 C.E We calculate growth rate using a formula: Growth rate = Birth rate - Death rate The growth rate in LEDC is higher (eg. India) than in MEDC (eg. Japan). population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 2 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 WHAT MAKES POPULATION CHANGE - INDICATORS THAT INFLUENCE POPULATION CHANGE Population changes as a result of three processes – fertility (births), mortality (deaths) and migration (movement). Population changes due to natural processes of births and deaths is referred to as the natural increase (or decrease) of the population. If there are more deaths than births the population might decrease if migration figures are not too high BIRTH RATE the total number of births in an area expressed per thousand of the total population per year. culture MANY WIVES - MANY CHILDREN level of education eg. LOWER LEVEL - MORE CHILDREN religion eg. NO CONTRACEPTION ALLOWED BIRTH RATE CHANGES WITH wars FEWER MEN / PEOPLE - FEWER CHILDREN migration eg. FEWER MEN - FEWER CHILDREN Data sourced from <worldatlas.com> 2012 dataset, map generation AfriSpatial DEATH RATE the total number of deaths in a specific area, expressed per 1000 of the population per year. natural disasters eg. EARTHQUAKES war and political unrest eg. SYRIA inadequate medical care eg. LACK OF DOCTORS - MORE DEATHS DEATH RATE CHANGES WITH diseases eg. POLIO epidemics eg. HIV/AIDS population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development poor hygiene eg. FOOD CONTAMINATED WITH BACTERIA - MORE DEATHS droughts and floods eg. MORE DROUGHTS - MORE STARVATION 3 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 LIFE EXPECTANCY the average age the people in a specific population reach. In MEDC this is 78 years and in LEDC it is 52 years. poor sanitation lack of medical skills poverty LIFE EXPECTANCY WILL DECLINE IF level of education drops no/inadequate food FERTILITY RATE this is the average number of children for each woman of childbearing age. In MEDC women of childbearing age bear on average 3 children and in LEDC they bear on average 6 children each. Data sourced from <worldatlas.com> 2012 dataset, map generation AfriSpatial population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 4 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement education of women improves FEWER CHILDREN GR 7 GR 10 health care and contraception are available FEWER CHILDREN FERTILITY RATE CHANGES IF government policies ONLY ALLOWING ONE CHILD PER FAMILY culture IF LARGE FAMILIES ARE NEEDED TO WORK IN THE FIELDS the age of a woman marrying is higher FEWER YEARS TO BEAR CHILDREN LEDC MEDC HIGH BIRTH RATE LOW BIRTH RATE HIGH DEATH RATE LOW DEATH RATE LOW LIFE EXPECTANCY LONGER LIFE EXPECTANCY HIGH FERTILITY RATE LOW FERTILITY RATE POPULATION STRUCTURE Population structure tells us how many people there are in a certain age group and what gender they are. This is easily seen in a 'population pyramid', which is a combination of two bar graphs for males and females - with a vertical axis showing age and horizontal axis showing the number of people or % of people in that age group. population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 5 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 IMPORTANCE OF POPULATION PYRAMIDS REVEALS MIGRATION adult men and women are fewer in a certain age group SHOWS HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE THERE ARE to provide schools for SHOWS HOW MANY OLD PEOPLE THERE ARE to provide old age homes IT CAN INDICATE THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF A COUNTRY Higher economic level of development - people live longer IT REVEALS WHO LIVES LONGER men or women IT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF DEPENDANTS if there are smaller numbers of young they will not support the large adult group in years to come IT SHOWS EVIDENCE OF WAR AND PANDEMICS definite/ sudden decrease in population TYPES OF POPULATION PYRAMIDS TRIANGULAR PYRAMID BELL-SHAPED PYRAMID ASYMMETRICAL PYRAMID high birth rate lower birth rate low birth rate and death rate lower death rate death rate can exceed birth rate high death rate low life expectancy high life expectancy varies depending on countries data can show evidence of high fertility low fertility war and migration population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 6 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 HOW TO MANAGE CHANGES IN POPULATION GROWTH IMPROVE EDUCATION STANDARDS an awareness of possible population explosion EMPOWER WOMEN they can contribute to decision making processes GREEN REVOLUTION for improved yields in rural areas PLANT FOOD GARDENS on available open land in urban area SHARE RESOURCES between rich and poor WATER restrict use by paying for overuse GOVERNMENT POLICIES one child, but ensure balance between boys and girls for future, also sterilization or older marriage age PROVIDE MORE FUNDS FOR OLDER PEOPLE pensions and old age homes. POPULATION MOVEMENTS/ MIGRATION Migration is when people move from place to place. This movement can be over a longer or shorter distance, be for a short or a long period of time and can be voluntary or forced migration. Migration influences the growth and development of countries. population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 7 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement TYPES OF MOVEMENT Spontaneous/ voluntary movement. People move in search of a better life (jobs, education) of their own free will. GR 7 GR 10 EXAMPLE People move to Johannesburg from a smaller town to find a better job and earn more money. Induced/ forced movement. People have moved to South Africa from Zimbabwe because of political unrest. External movement. People move from South Africa to Australia - emigrate. Nigerians move to South Africa - they are immigrants. Internal movement. People move from a rural area to a city within a country. This process is called rural-urban migration or urbanisation. Due to factors beyond their control, eg. war, floods, droughts and religious persecution, large numbers of people may move from one country to another in the hope of escaping the conditions in their own country. They would enter another country without a passport or documentation, and usually in secret in the back of a truck or on foot, under fences and across borders and are considered illegal immigrants. They usually have little money and to be able to survive, they seek employment and a better standard of living than they had at home. They also seek asylum and protection in the country they flee to as they do not wish to go back to their own country due to the conditions there. The local people resent this influx of foreign people, as they feel they take their jobs (they often accept lower wages), and housing that should be reserved for them. As resentment builds, there are often xenophobic attacks population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 8 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 Life for most of those who flee their countries, is not easy as they often live in overcrowded shanty towns, they have little money and struggle with food scarcity and lack of medical help. They are discriminated against as the local people feel that they are in competition for housing. They are also unhappy because they miss their families, are not welcomed by the locals and are not accepted into the societies in which they live. There are definite consequences for the country which experiences this sudden influx of people. There are not sufficient jobs for everyone and this may lead to illegal businesses and possible crime. If these people are not skilled, then it may cost a country money to up-skill them so that they can work and also contribute to the economy of their new country. The infrastructure, eg housing, electricity and water provision, etc is not geared towards accommodating so many additional people in such a short space of time and this creates tremendous problems. Schools, clinics and medical facilities and supplies are also under strain as there are just so many more people to cater for. This is indeed a difficult situation for a country to be in, especially if its own people are struggling with poverty, lack of housing, etc. The local people then become unhappy about foreigners coming into their country and they resent their government spending money on the migrants. Many locals are on waiting lists for houses and are angry when homes are allocated to migrants, ahead of them. The UNO and World Bank and other NGO's with foreign funding need to help migrants, so that the locals are not threatened and feel the need to respond in anger – xenophobic attacks. The local people should also be encouraged to accept that often migrants do have a good education and are able to help the economy of the country grow and in this way all will benefit. Churches and other charitable organisations could assist with meals, accommodation, etc. to help ease the burden on the government and to make the migrants feel more welcome. population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development 9 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development GR 7 GR 10 10 Population Support material SOCIAL SCIENCE population growth, structure and movement GR 7 GR 10 Consequences of population movements CAPITAL/ MONEY IS LOST when people leave in emigration SKILLS ARE LOST IN EMIGRATION brain drain WITH URBANISATION THERE ARE FEWER JOBS IN THE CITIES which can result in more crime LESS CROPS ARE GROWN IN THE RURAL AREAS food insecurity DIFFERENT CULTURES ARE INTRODUCED INTO A COUNTRY WITH IMMIGRATION loss of traditions and more cosmopolitan SOMETIMES THERE IS GENDER IMBALANCE men tend to move more readily RURAL AREAS DETERIORATE IF PEOPLE MOVE TO CITIES rural towns have less money to maintain the town A COUNTRY COULD GAIN OR LOOSE POPULATION loss or gain is problematic THE CITIES DO NOT COPE WITH EXTRA PEOPLE MOVING IN shanty towns develop TYPES OF MIGRATION Rural to urban movement from the countryside to the cities. Urban to rural movement from cities to the farms and small villages. Migrant labour move to find a job in another area. Hunter-gatherer move to find food and water for community. Pastoral migration move with animals to find grazing. Illegal immigrants people move into a country with no documentation. Refugees people are forced to leave their country to seek protection in the country they move to. no skills for a new job often no money or official documents language difficulties CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY MOVE xenophobia homesick - sad to leave family population growth, structure and movement Department of Social Development no housing available 11 Population Support material Department of Social Development Private Bag x901, Pretoria 0001 SOUTH AFRICA www.population.gov.za Tel: 012 312 7769/7410 Fax: 0123127932 Department of Social Development Population Support material
© Copyright 2023 Paperzz