Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Population Dynamics
The world’s population was increasing exponentially (doubling i.e. it was growing extremely quickly).
World population growth has now slowed down. There are lots of reasons for this. People all around the
world now have less children because contraception is widely available, less people need children to work on
the land, better health care and vaccination programmes means that infant mortality rate is lower i.e. fewer
children die so families don’t need to have as many.
It is difficult to predict future population growth as there are many things that could influence it. New
medicines will mean less people die – this could mean an increase in population.
A new disease might develop with could mean a decrease in population (e.g. impact of AIDS in Africa).
A war may break out which would mean a decrease in population.
Population Pyramids show the structure of a population – it shows age groups and gender (male/female).
The overall shape of the pyramid tells us about the balances between the different age groups and between
males and females.
A Population at stage 2 of the DTM has a youthful population. It will have lots of children as there is a high
birth rate = it will have a wide base. The pyramid will drop off quickly – the numbers will decrease with each
age group as there is a high death rate. As there a few elderly as life expectancy is low it will have a narrow
top (apex)
A population at stage 5 of the DTM has an ageing population. This means that the base will be narrow as
there is a low birth rate (there are few children). The pyramid will be ‘top-heavy’ – it will be wider at the top
as there is a high % of elderly people.
Things that can affect population structures:
Mali Japan
Economic growth As Mali has become wealthier Japan is a very wealthy country. When
the birth rate has slowed as there is economic growth in a country i.e. it
there is better health care so becomes more developed women tend to
less children are dying. choose to have less children as they are
expensive and more women have careers.
Migration Many Malian men migrate There is limited migration into the country
south towards west Africa which is one of the reasons why it has such
looking for work – so there are an aging population. If there were more
more women than men. immigrants this would mean more
economically active people.
Conflict There are far few men that women aged
80+ due to WW2
Demographic Better health care means a Good health care means a high life
Factors lower death rate and a lower expectancy.
birth rate as more children
survive
If a country is overpopulated there will be pressure on resources such as food, energy, jobs, housing as there
will be too many people. This is often a youthful population which is rapidly growing.
Governments can manage their populations through trying to control birth rates or through controlling
migration.
Types of policies:
1. Pro-natalist = encouraging people to have more children.
Singapore 3 or more (if you can afford it)
Couples are given incentives to have more children:
Tax rebates for the third child and subsequent children
Cheap nurseries
Priority for best school places
Spacious apartments.
Pregnant women offered counselling to discourage abortions.
Positives: Help rebuild the country and met the shortage of labour
Negatives: Public money spent on meeting the needs of the immigrants e.g. housing, schools
When we went into a recession in the 1970’s the immigrants were an extra burden on employment.
There may be a set quota for the number of migrants allowed in the country each year.
Impacts of migration
Positive Negative
They do jobs and add to the economy Tensions arise
They often do the low paid jobs Hostility towards immigrants and discrimination
They pay taxes Riots
They create a dynamic and mixed culture They became separated in ‘Ghettos’ – often in
poor quality housing
Topic 2: Consuming Resources
Resources are things that people use and need.
There are 2 types of resources:
Natural – parts of the environment e.g. minerals, soil
Human – properties of a population e.g. technology, skills
2. Type
Energy – coal, oil
Mineral – iron ore
Physical – wind, sunlight
Biological – timber
There are differences in the global supply and global consumption of oil (non-renewable energy) and wind
(renewable energy)
Why are there variations in the global Why are there variations in the global consumption
supply
Oil Can only supply it if you have the Depends on wealth of country
technology to extract it (get it) Dependence of use of the car
If the environment is extreme it will be High standard of living = air-conditioning, heating etc.
difficult to get Low petrol prices = encourage more people to use it.
Oil supply has increased where more Rapid industrialisation (more industry to use energy)
has been discovered e.g. Tarsands in e.g. China
Canada
Wind If technology and money available to Does the country need to use wind energy – is it
build turbines will be able to use more running out of other resources?
wind energy
If the environment suitable i.e. is there
enough wind?
How will international relations affect the supply and consumption of wind and oil?
Russia has large reserves of fossil fuels, however it is an unstable country and this is worrying. The
UK will rely more on Russia as North Sea Oil decreases. The UK opened talks in 2000 to try and
guarantee access to Russian Gas Supply.
In the UK the government worry about our need to import fossil fuels. The government is increasing
turning to renewable energy sources such as wind power.
Malthus and Boserup put forward different theories about the relationship between population and
resources. Malthus was pessimistic. Boserup was optimistic.
National and local governments have attempted to manage resource consumption (the amount of resources
used) through education, conservation and recycling.
How can we reduce resource consumption?
Use farmers markets – buy food that is produced locally. This food has travelled less distance and
may have a lower carbon footprint.
Encourage people to cycle instead of using cars – reduces car pollution and CO2 emissions.
Encourage people to reuse and recycle. This means materials are saved and used again. Up-cycling is
becoming more popular.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy (e.g. solar)?
It may be unlimited
It is environmentally friendly i.e. minimal carbon emissions
As technology improves so does production
However you need lots of electricity for electrolysis – where will this come from?
Topic 3: Globalisation
Globalisation is the process in which the world’s countries are all becoming part of one vast global
economy i.e. countries in the world are increasingly working together, trading more etc.
Employment Sectors
There are 4 employment (job) sectors
Primary = working with natural resources e.g. fishing, farming
Secondary = making things e.g. Manufacturing (working in a car factory) construction (building a house)
Tertiary = providing a service e.g. teachers, doctors, working in a shop
Quaternary = research/hi-tech e.g. biotechnology
The employment sector of a country means how the workforce is divided up between the main sectors. The
importance of each sector changes over time and is different in different countries.
Pre-industrial
Most people work in the primary sector e.g. farming. This will be LEDC’s e.g. Ethiopia
Industrial
As a country develops the secondary and tertiary sector increase in importance. More people are
working in factories and less in farming. E.g. China
Post-industrial
The tertiary sector becomes the most important sector. Some people start to work in the
Quaternary sector e.g. UK.
Working conditions vary in countries at different stages of development
A Newly Industrialised Country (this is a country that has rapidly developed recently) e.g. China
Many people work in factories
Long hours
Unpleasant and unsafe environments
Earn more than in farming
Lots of people moving to the city where the work is.
People in mining – many accidents as little health and safety
More jobs in services – long hours but a more pleasant and safe environment.
MEDC
Men Some men have had to re-skill
More self employment and working from home
Well paid and good working conditions
Women More women in workforce as more flexible working hours. More part-
time work.
Some women still do not have equal pay to men
LEDC
Men Learning new skills.
Employed in manufacturing and services. More opportunities to get a
salary
Men may migrate to city
May be in the informal sector
Often poor working conditions
Women More opportunity to work
May have less children
May be exploited
Unsafe working environment
Left by men in rural areas to work the land
Child labour
We have seen a ‘global shift’ in industry and services. This means that economic activities (and jobs) have
moved from developed to developing countries.
It is the largest food retailer in the UK and the third largest retailer in the world.
One of the reasons for its success is that it diversified into new markets (i.e. didn’t just stick with
food but starting selling other products like clothes, toys, home products)
It now has 6,000 stores and employs over 500,000 people in 14 countries.
It opened its first supermarkets abroad in the 1990’s in Eastern Europe e.g. Hungary.
In 1998 it opened stores in Taiwan and Thailand. It then spread throughout Asia – China, Japan.
Today 60% of its profits come from Asia – it is successful because it has moved into Asia which is a
rapidly growing market both in terms of growing population and growing economy – people are
becoming richer and have more to spend.
It is successful because it has a clear brand image – you would recognise Tesco’s wherever you are in
the world (a bit like McDonalds)
It is also successful because it has products that it sells in all its stores – but it has also introduced
products in particular countries that reflect the diets and taste of the host country – gloclaisation.
It also outsources its products from other countries – i.e. products for Tesco’s are made all around
the world – this way they are able to get products cheaper.
Topic 4 Development Dilemmas
Development: Economic and Social progress that leads to an improvement in the quality of life for an
increasing proportion of the population.
Social development – the progress made by a country in terms of improving the lives of people.
Measures of development:
Gross Domestic Product – money made within a country in a year divided by the number of people.
There is data available to do this but it hides gaps between the rich and poor.
Human Development Index (HDI) considers GDP, literacy rates and life expectancy. This is good as it
covers a wide range of factors but again does not consider differences within a country i.e. there
may be some very rich and some living in poverty.
Political Freedom – measures political rights and freedom i.e. freedom to vote – it is based on
Western ideas of ‘freedom’. Political freedom is hard to measure. Some countries e.g. in Middle East
are very wealthy but have little political freedom.
The gap has widened since 1980 i.e. there is now a bigger difference between the rich and poor. Incomes in
MEDC’s and the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan) have rapidly increased,
whereas growth has been much slower in the rest of the world.
Development has rapidly occurred in China and India. There has been little progress in some African
countries such as Ethiopia.
For one developing country in sub-Saharan Africa, consider recent social, political and economic
development.
In the 1960’s and economic model was proposed by Rostow. He suggested that all countries would
develop in a series of stages based on what happened in countries like UK and USA.
He suggested that countries would go through 5 stages:
It states than unequal development is reinforced / maintained through unbalanced trade (poor
countries sell cheaply but buy expensive goods), poor countries having to repay debts.
Core and Periphery.
There are often different levels of development within a country.
The ‘rich core’ is based on urban areas where there is the majority of people, jobs, business
and industry.
The ‘poor periphery’ often remote countryside and mainly involved in primary industry e.g.
farming.
There is a clear core-periphery in Brazil:
Core
In the south-east of the country
Sao Paulo
Rio de Janeiro
Hospitable climate
Access to ports for trading
Good road and rail networks
Fertile soil for farming
This area has attracted people (rural-urban migration) and many TNC’s
Periphery
In the north and north-east
Acre = hot wet tropical climate
Difficult to get to/from due to rainforest
Limited access to the sea for trading.
Maranhao
Sparsely populated
Few resources
Semi-arid climate with frequent droughts.
A government would worry about these disparities because the quality of life would be much lower for
people living in the peripheral areas. People from the periphery many move to the core leading to
overcrowding.
Top-down vs Bottom up
A country can use different ways to promote development. There are 2 types of development approaches:
Top-down and bottom up.
Exam question: Using named examples compare the main features of a top down project and a bottom up
project. (6 marks) Main features = scale, aims, funding and technology.
Sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs to the present without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs’.
Sustainable development should be affordable, have long term benefits for the local people, limited impact
on the environment and use appropriate technology.
What has been the impact of one large scale project on different groups of people in a developing
country?
The building of the Three Gorges Dam affected many people in a positive way. Firstly the building of the dam
created 250,000 jobs for people from all over China. Once built the dam decreased the risk of flooding which
was important for the poor people living in the Hubei Province as they were are particular risk of flooding
and could lose their lives, homes and livelihoods during floods. The hydroelectricity generated from the dam
has also been a huge benefit to various groups of people. Businesses in the cities of shanghai and Beijing as
well as the residents now have a stable and efficient source of power. For businesses this could increase
profits and potentially create more jobs.
However the building of the dam also had a negative effect on people. 1.4 million people were forced to
relocate during the construction of the demeaning people lost their homes and communities. Fishermen in
the area were also affected as algae blooms have been recorded along the length of the dam which has
reduced fish numbers. As a result some fishermen have seen their income decrease. Finally although people
living in the Hubei province are now less affected by floods the building of the dam has increased the
potential for landslides in the area.
Topic 6: Changing Settlements in the UK
There have been many changes in urban areas in the last 50 years.
What has caused these changes?
Processes
Processes are things that have happened that have caused out urban areas to change. They include:
De-industrialisation – heavy industry e.g. ship building closing down
Government planning policies e.g. introducing greenbelts
Regeneration of inner city areas to improve the housing for people living in these areas
Immigration – migrants moving into an area.
These processes changed urban areas – some for the better, some for the worse! E.g. London vs Liverpool
The quality of urban areas has been affected by all the changes that have taken place.
Quality of urban areas considers housing, services, amenities and recreational areas.
In some areas the quality of the urban area is very high e.g. Chelsea in London.
In other areas the quality of the urban area is low – it is said to be deprived e.g. Newham
Deprivation is a measure of how either individuals or groups of people are at a disadvantage
compared with those living elsewhere.
Multiple Deprivation is when there are lots of aspects of an area that are of poor quality.
Some urban areas are more affluent (wealthier) than others. E.g. Overall Chelsea and St Albans are affluent
compared to Newham (less affluent / poorer)
An affluent area will have:
Expensive housing.
Good access to services such as doctors, schools, transport networks e.g. train station
Good access to amenities such as Parks, Golf courses, cinemas.
Good quality recreational areas e.g. open spaces and parks.
Facts: Chelsea has the 3rd highest proportion of people living in privately rented housing. 53% of residents
have at least a degree level education. 58% of residents are in very good health.
Facts: Incomes lower in Newham than anywhere else in England. People in Newham live in some of the
most densely packed housing estates in the UK. It is one of the most deprived areas in the UK
There can be variation within an urban area – think back to your controlled assessment about variations
within St Albans. i.e. differences between Sopwell (less affluent) and Veralum (more affluent)
Rural areas have also changed significantly over the last 50 years and new types of rural settlements have
developed.
Can you give an example of each? Explain what they are like? Explain how they developed?
Retirement communities Fairly accessible (easy to get to) Increased life expectancy = more
e.g. Eastbourne Attractive scenery elderly people
Elderly people tend to be
wealthier now than in the past –
want to move to peaceful, scenic
areas,
Elderly people may want to be
near people of a similar age so
retirement communities in certain
areas develop.
Commuter Villages These are located in more People who can afford to live in
e.g. Tyttenhanger Green, St Albans accessible rural areas, nearer the countryside but need to
urban areas. commute to the towns for work
Access to transport is needed as live in these villages.
people need to get to work As transport improves people
don’t need to live near work.
More people have flexible working
– able to work from home more.
Farmers are selling their land and
this land is being used for housing
developments = more housing
available in these villages.
Explain the variations in the quality of life and levels of deprivation between 2 contrasting rural areas.
What strategies can be used to improve the quality of rural settlements to make them more sustainable?
Many strategies can be used including Rural Development Schemes such as the Eden Project and Planning
Policies such as Greenbelts and National Parks.
The Eden project is an example of a rural development scheme that has been developed to stimulate
(improve) the economy of an area and also stop people migrating out of an area.
Facts:
A visitor attraction in Cornwall
Consists of 2 huge domes containing thousands of plants
Each area contains a different natural Biome
It has the world’s largest rainforest in captivity!
How successful have greenbelts and National Parks been in conserving valuable landscapes and allowing
economic development?
The demand to live in some urban areas is rising. This is placing pressure on the environment.
Question: What are the environmental, social and economic impacts of rising demand for residential areas in
one urban area? Case Study: St Albans.
What are the economic impacts of the rising demand to live in St Albans?
Positive
• Development of tourism
• Allow the expansion in some areas e.g. research
Negative
• Net-out migration
• No land for new offices
What are the environmental impacts of the rising demand to live in St Albans?
Positive
• Development of Brownfield sites
• Construction of new homes
• Redevelopment of college
Negative
• Pressure on land
What are the social impacts of the rising demand to live in St Albans?
• Schools
• Entertainment / Restaurants
• Housing – supply and prices
• Leisure facilities
• Ethnic mix
Strategies have been put in place to improve urban areas e.g. regeneration of the London Docklands
Be ready to Evaluate the strategy i.e. discuss the good things and negative things.
In 1981 the LDDC (London Docklands Development Corporation) was set up to try and improve the
economic, social and environmental conditions of the Docks.
What are the differences between megacities in the developed and developing world?
Developing World e.g. Shanghai, Mexico Developed World e.g. New York, Los
City Angeles
Economic Major centres of economic activity Major centres of economic activity including
activities (jobs) including manufacturing and financial and manufacturing and financial and service
service industries. industries.
Spatial Chaotic growth meaning less structure = Have clear / distinct zones. The CBD is in the
growth(how the less regular layout. Areas cannot be so centre and the inner city zones and suburbs
actual city easily defined as the city has grown so surround it.
grows) fast. People set up home on any land There still may be areas of poverty
they can find.
Expensive houses are separated from the
rest often along main roads.
Population The population structure tends to be There are high fertility rates and high
dominated by older people. This is natural increase in developing megacities
because fertility rates are low (women which means a youthful population.
don’t have many children).
In 2012 over 1 billion people, nearly 1/7th
Some people many still live in areas of of the world’s population lived in squatter
poor housing such as Newham. settlements.
Urban challenges in the developed world e.g. London
Challenges that cities in the developed world face include food, energy, transport and waste disposal
demands. These challenges could lead to higher resource consumption in these cities i.e. people who live in
cities use more resources.
Food Food not grown in London – it has to be transport from other places in the UK or other
countries = high carbon footprint (more carbon emissions) due to transport
Energy The demand for electricity in London is huge as there are so many homes and businesses.
Energy generated in power stations which use fossil fuels = increased carbon footprint.
Transport Congestion in London at peak times. Exhaust fumes pollute the air.
Congestion charge was introduced to reduce vehicles coming in to London.
Waste London produces 20 million tonnes of waste each year – mush of which is transported out
and put into landfill.
Slum housing City growing so fast they can’t cope with number of people. People build homes on any
spare land – often poor quality land prone to flooding/landslides. Lack of sewerage leads
to disease e.g. cholera. Often no electricity or running water.
Informal Most people work in the informal sector – shining shoes, selling water, making food to
economy sell. Often on street corners.
Pollution Water is often polluted and can lead to death. Water can be polluted by animal and
human waste, fertilisers, industrial chemicals.
Eco Footprint
The eco-footprint is a measure of how much land is needed to
provide a place with all the energy, water and materials it needs,
including how much is needed to absorb its pollution and waste.
Its purpose is to work out how sustainable any city is and what
changes need to be taken to improve the quality of life for people
now and in the future.
The bigger the eco-footprint the less sustainable the area is.
MEDC’s tend to have a larger eco-footprint than LEDC’s as they use
more energy and resources and generate more waste. LEDC’s grow
much of their own food, may use local wood for cooking, heating
and lighting. People are more likely to walk and cycle rather than
using cars and so produce less pollution.
The eco footprints may vary between cities depending on how far
food has to be transported, if there are recycling schemes, schemes
to reduce congestion in cities e.g. congestion change
How can all the problems that urban areas face be managed (improved)?
York is a city that is trying to reduce its eco-footprint by reducing its energy consumption (amount of energy
it is using) and waste generation (amount of waste it produces).
Introducing Sustainable transport is another way that cities can reduce their eco-footprint.
3. Urban Planning
e.g. Curitiba – a model for a greener urban future. The growth of Curitiba was very well planned.
Success based on public transport system– see notes above.
Another strategy to manage environmental challenges in the developing world is to develop less
polluted cities e.g. Masdar City.
Advantages:
Building angled to maximise shade from the sun = less air conditioning needed.
Solar panel on roofs = more sustainable energy
A steel tower acts as a wind tower drawing in cool breezes from above the city and directing
them into the courtyard.
Personal Rapid Transport (electrical cars) transport people around the city. No cars allowed
in Masdar = reduces pollution.
Disadvantages:
Huge cost $22 billion
Isolated from other communities
High cost of apartments – only wealthy can afford to live there
Whole plan dictated by government – community not involved.
However overall Masdar is seen as a model for innovation and sustainable ideas.