Human Population Issues: Chapter 8

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Human Population Issues Chapter 8
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World Population Characteristics

• The world can be divided into two segments based
  on economic development.
• More-developed countries per capita income gt
  10,000.
• Increase to 3 billion
• Grow 4 by 2050
• Less-developed countries
• per capita income lt 5,000.
• Expected to grow 55 by 2050.
• Increase to 8 billion.

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Population Growth and Economic Development
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Demography

• - Study of populations and their characteristics.
• Rural vs urban
• Lower, middle or upper class
• Race
• income

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Demographic Transition

• Demographic Transition - Model of population
  growth based on historical, social, and economic
  development, of Europe and N. America.
• Stable Pop. (high birth and death rates)
• Death Rate Falls - Population Grows
• Industrialization - Birth Rate Falls

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Human Population Trends and Implications

• Largest increase poor, less developed
• density relates the size of the population to
  available resources.
• Countries with abundant resources can sustain
  higher population densities than resource-poor
  countries.
• Generally believed the quality of life for many
  people in the world would improve if the
  population grew at a slower rate.

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Human Population Trends and Implications

• Several factors determine the impact of a society
  on natural resources.
• Natural Resource Availability
• Size of Population
• Land Area Occupied
• Degree of Technological Development
• Affluence affects resource use.

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Factors That Influence Population Growth

• Biological Factors
• Birth rate usually exceeds death rate.
• More-developed countries low infant mortality
  rates,
• less-developed higher mortality rates.

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Biological Factors

• Total Fertility Rate (TFR) - Number of children a
  woman has during her lifetime.
• Replacement Level Fertility - Number of children
  needed to replace everyone in the population.
• Varies between regions (2.1).
• Zero Population Growth - Birth rate equals death
  rate.

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Social Factors

• Reducing fertility rates would be advantageous,
  especially in LDCs.
• Not everyone agrees.
• Major social factor determining family size is
  the role of women in society.
• In male dominated cultures, traditional role of
  women is to marry and raise children.

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Social Factors

• Lack of education opportunities for women reduces
  their options.
• When level of education increases, fertility
  rates fall.
• Financial independence leads to marriage later in
  life.
• Increased use of birth control.

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Social Factors

• Early marriages foster high fertility rates.
• In Africa, 17 of births are to women in the
  15-19 year-old range.
• Total Fertility Rate of 5.3
• Breast Feeding
• During the months a woman is breast feeding, she
  is less likely to become pregnant again.

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Social Factors

• Some cultures (women) desire large families
• Future Pension
• Young children can bring in income.
• Underdeveloped world - children are an economic
  gain.
• Developed world - children are an economic drain.

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Social Factors

• Religion
• Some religions advocate having more children
• Ex Catholics, fundamental Christian
• Anti-birth control

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Political Factors

• Governments can either reward or punish high
  fertility rates.
• Several European countries are concerned about
  low birth rates.
• Polices to encourage children.
• Funded Maternity Leave
• Childcare Facilities
• Child Tax Deductions

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Political Factors

• Most developing countries are concerned that
  population growth is too rapid.
• Programs to limit growth
• Family Planning
• Delay Age of First Marriage
• One-Child Policy
• Free or Cheap contraceptives

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Political Factors Immigration Policies

• Birthrates are so low in some countries, that
  immigration is encouraged.
• Aging european countries

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Political Factors Immigration Policies

• Developed countries are under intense pressure
  to accept immigrants. (US)

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Population Growth and Standard of Living

• Appears to be an inverse relationship between a
  countrys growth rate and its average standard of
  living.

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Standard of Living

• Standard of living difficult to quantify since
  various cultures have different desires.
• Economic Well-Being
• Health Conditions
• Social Status and Mobility

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Population and Poverty - A Viscous Cycle

• Poor People
• Cannot afford birth control.
• Need multiple avenues to obtain money.
• Have little access to health care.
• Women in poor countries low education
  monetarily dependent on husbands.
• High infant mortality rates spur desire for large
  numbers of offspring.

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Population and Poverty - A Viscous Cycle

• Potential solutions to breaking the cycle
• Economic well-being is tied to solving population
  problem.
• Rich countries must reduce consumption rates.
• Educational status of women must be promoted.
• Increased access to birth control and heath care.

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Hunger, Food Production and Environmental
Degradation

• As human population grows so does the demand for
  food.
• Most people in developed countries must purchase
  their own food.
• Most people in less-developed countries must grow
  their own food.
• Human populations can only increase in size if
  other plant and animal populations decrease in
  size.

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Hunger, Food Production and Environmental
Degradation

• People in less-developed countries generally feed
  at lower trophic levels than those in developed
  world.
• Long-term environmental health may be sacrificed
  for short-term population needs.
• Many people in more-developed countries suffer
  from overnutrition.
• 55 of North Americans are overweight, and 25
  are obese.

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Hunger, Food Production and Environmental
Degradation

• Humanitarian Food Aid
• Temporary relief of symptoms.
• Works against self-reliance.
• Emphasis must be on self-sufficiency.

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End for Exam I
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United States Population Picture

• United States population had a post-war baby boom
  period, significantly affecting population
  trends.
• 1947 - 1961
• Created population bulge.
• As members of this group have raised families,
  they have had a significant influence on U.S.
  population growth and trends.

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Changing Age Distribution of U.S. Population
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Baby Boomers

• Baby Boomers encouraged growth of industries
  needed by young families.
• Today these babies are having babies of their
  own.
• People are now living longer.
• Growing need now for services for the elderly.

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Immigration

• U.S. population is still growing 1.1 per year.
• 0.6 natural increase
• 0.5 immigration
• Immigration 50 of population growth by 2050.

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Immigration

• Immigration policy sends mixed signals
• Strong measures used to reduce illegal
  immigration across southern borders.
• Illegal immigrants add to state education and
  health care costs.
• Some segments of U.S. economy heavily use
  immigrant workers.
• U.S. policy allows reuniting families of U.S.
  residents.

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Likely Consequences of Continued Population Growth

• Differences in standard of living between
  developed and less-developed countries will
  remain significant.
• Largest population increase will be in
  less-developed countries.

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Likely Consequences of Continued Population Growth

• Developed countries may have to choose
• Helping developing nations.
• Allowing increased immigration from
  less-developed nations.
• Isolation from problems of developing nations.

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