Unit 1
Module 2
Lesson 3
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN
POPULATION
Key Vocabulary:
-Fertility
-Immigration
-Emigration
-Birth Rate
-Death Rate
Fertility and fecundity
Fertility, in demography, refers to the ability of females to
produce healthy offspring in abundance.
Fecundity is the potential reproductive capacity of a female.
Some of the more common demographic measures used in
relation to fertility and/or fecundity include:
Birth Rate
Birth rate (or crude birth rate): The number of live births per
1,000 population in a given year.
Birth rates
The average birth rate in the rich, industrialised countries is
around 12-13 per 1000; in poor developing countries it is
about 26-27 per 1000. There tends to be a general
relationship between birth rate and level of economic
development- the more economically developed the country,
the lower its birth rate.
Birth rates in all European countries are low. In contrast, many
countries in Africa and the Middle East have birth rates well
over 40 per 1000.
Death Rate
Death rate (or crude death rate): The number of deaths per
1,000 population in a given year.
Death rates
Unlike birth rates, death rates are similar between rich and poor
countries; the world average for both is between 9 and 10. During
the second half of the twentieth century, death rates fell
everywhere, due to the spread of medical knowledge and
improvements in primary and secondary healthcare.
Primary healthcare- preventing disease e.g. by immunisation
Secondary healthcare- treatment of illnesses by doctors and nurses.
Countries with death rates above 20 per 1000 are now quite
exceptional. Countries in southern Africa are badly affected by the
spread of HIV/Aids, unable to afford the anti-viral drugs. Sierra Leone
was wartorn for many years and Zimbabwe is in economic meltdown
What factors affect birth and fertility rates?
• Labor force
• Cost of raising and educating children
• Urbanization
• Infant deaths
• Education for women
• Marrying age
• Access to contraceptives
What factors affect death rates?
• Access to nutrition, medical care, clean water
• Community support for elders
• Increased life expectancy
• Usually higher for women
• Decrease in infant mortality
Mortality
Mortality refers to the finite nature of humanity: people die.
Mortality in demography is interested in the number of deaths in a
given time or place or the proportion of deaths in relation to a
population. Some of the more common demographic measures of
mortality include:
• crude death rate: the annual number of deaths per 1000 people
• infant mortality rate: the annual number of deaths of children less
than 1 year old per thousand live births
• life expectancy: the number of years which an individual at a given
age can expect to live at present mortality rates
Push-pull factors: A migration theory that suggests
that circumstances at the place of origin repel or push
people out of that place to other places that exert a
positive attraction or pull
Push factors
War or other armed conflict
Famine or drought
Disease
Poverty
Political corruption
Disagreement with politics
Religious intolerance
Natural disasters
Discontent with the natives, such as frequent
harassment, bullying, and abuse
Lack of employment opportunities
Pull factors
Higher incomes
Lower taxes
Better weather
Better availability of employment
Better medical facilities
Better education facilities
Better behaviour among people
Family reasons
Political stability
Religious tolerance
Relative freedom
National prestige
(Births + Immigrants) – (Deaths + Emigrants)
Leads to Population Leads to Population
Decline
Growth
Leads to
Population Growth
Life expectancy
The average number of additional years a person of a
given age could expect to live if current mortality
trends were to continue for the rest of that person’s
life. Most commonly cited as life expectancy at birth.
World map of human life expectancy, Updated 2009