Curriculum extra Unit 1

Focus on Geography: Population change

1 Tick () the correct definitions for the words.

1 birth rate
A the number of babies born per 1,000 people 
B how close the babies are in age in families 
2 dependents
A people who can earn money or provide food 
B people who need help from others to live 
3 life expectancy
A how safe and healthy people’s lives are 
B how long people live on average 
4 ageing population
A the youngest people in a country 
B a rise in the average age of people in a country 
5 death rate
A the number of people who die per 1,000 people 
B how often people die in hospital 
6 active population
A people who are able to do sport 
B people who are able to work 

2 Work with a partner. Look at the population pyramids and discuss the questions. Point to the parts of the
diagram which show you the answers.

1 2

1 Where do these labels belong on the pyramids? Spain 1970 2010

age female male percentage of population Age Male Female Male Female
2 Which country has … ? 100+ 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
A a high birth rate 90–99 0.0% 0.0% 0.2% 0.5%
B a high death rate for young people 80–89 0.0% 0.0% 1.6% 2.7%
C a longer life expectancy 70–79 1.8% 2.6% 3.3% 4.2%
D a higher number of old dependents 60–69 3.8% 4.6% 4.7% 5.1%
E a bigger active population 50–59 4.7% 5.4% 6.1% 6.2%
3 What type of country does each pyramid belong 40–49 6.5% 6.7% 8.0% 7.7%
to: an LEDC or an MEDC? Use your answers 30–39 6.6% 6.7% 9.0% 8.3%
from question 2 to give reasons.
20–29 7.2% 7.0% 6.5% 6.2%
3 With your partner, use the information about 10–19 8.6% 8.4% 4.8% 4.5%
Spain's population in 1970 and 2010 to draw one 0–9 9.9% 9.4% 5.4% 5.1%
population pyramid each in your notebook. Use
the pyramids in exercise 2 to help you. 4 Compare the two pyramids. Use these phrases
to help you.
went up / between
The birth / death rate
down (a little / 1970 and
Life expectancy
a lot / by X %) 2010.
The number of old /
was (much / a in 1970
young dependents
bit) higher / than in
The active population
lower 2010.