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).
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• www.dsd.gov.za
• www.population.gov.za
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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
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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).
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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
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poor hygiene
eg. FOOD CONTAMINATED WITH
BACTERIA - MORE DEATHS
droughts and floods
eg. MORE DROUGHTS - MORE STARVATION
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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
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education of women improves
FEWER CHILDREN
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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.
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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
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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.
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TYPES OF MOVEMENT
Spontaneous/ voluntary movement.
People move in search of a better life (jobs, education)
of their own free will.
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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
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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.
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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
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no housing available
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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