3. Population is the total
number of people living
in a specific area at a
particular time.
World: 6,775, 235, 741(Updated 2009)
4. Demography is the population to determine its
characteristics such as size, composition,
structure and distribution.
Policy makers need demographic information
to help them with zoning.
Health
Education
Housing
Social services
Welfare needs
Infrastructural development
Employment
5. An account and an analysis of a population.
Usually done every 10 years.
A census provides information on:
a) Population size
b) Number of persons in the labour force
c) Number of persons employed and unemployed
d) Male-female ratio
e) Age/sex ratio
f) Dependency ratio
g) Educational attainment of members of the population
h) Marital status of adults
i) Religion
j) Ethnic composition
k) Migration levels
6. Population Growth is the increase in the number
of persons in any given area.
The rate of growth is determined by natural
increase and migration.
Resultant changes in the structure of the
population – age and sex – will affect the
economic development of the country.
Census taken over a period of time indicates
changes in population size and periods of
growth.
7. Rapid Growth/expansive/broad-based
Represents a young population (0-24years) – developing
country.
Slow Growth/constrictive
Shows an aging population (50-60years) – represents a highly
developed country.
No Growth/stationary
Youthful population, elderly population – denotes a
developed country.
8. Crude birth rate= # of live births/1000
Crude death rate = # of deaths/1000
Natural Increase = increase brought about when
birth rate exceeds death rate.
Infant Mortality Rate = annual # of deaths/1000
infants
Life expectancy = average # of years are
expected to live
9.
10. YEAR POPULATION Use the information provided in the
SIZE (000s) table above to complete the following
statements by filling in the blank
spaces.
1911 831
• Between 1911 and 2001 the population of
1921 858 Jamaica increased by 1869 thousands.
• The period between 1921 & 1943 was
1943 1237 the period of greatest increase.
1960 1610 • The period between 1911 and 1921
showed an increase of 27 thousands.
1970 1814
• The rate of increase for the period 1911 to
1982 2190 1921 was 3% [(27/831)*100].
• The rate of increase for the period 1991 to
1991 2381 2001 was 13% [319/2381*100].
2001 2700
Population size varies from country to There is a direct relationship between
the population size and the economic
country. development of a country .
11. COUNTRY AREA (km2 ) POPULATION Mark each of the following
(000s) statements with True or False.
Barbados 431 264
TRUE The country with the
largest population is Jamaica.
Belize 22,960 217
TRUE The country with the
smallest population is Belize.
Guyana 214,799 800
TRUE The country with the
Jamaica 11,424 2500 largest area is Guyana.
FALSE The country with the
Trinidad and 5,128 1300 largest land area has the
Tobago smallest population.
Population Size Population Size
12. Population Density is the number of persons per unit
area of a country or region. Shows how populated an area is.
Population density is calculated by dividing the
population size by the land area.
For example:
Population of Belize = 217,000
Area of Belize = 22,960km2
Therefore the population density of Belize =
217,000/22,960 = 9 persons per km
13. Using the table in Activity 2, calculate
the densities of the following
countries:
Barbados = 612.5
Guyana = 13.7
Jamaica = 218.7
Trinidad and Tobago = 253.5
14. The distribution of
population over the
world’s surface is
uneven.
Some areas are
densely populated
while others are
sparsely populated.
17. The relief of the land
Climate
Fertile areas
Location of mineral resources
Developed areas
Type of vegetation
18.
19. Use the information Table: Birth and death Rates for some
Caribbean Countries: 1996.
given to calculate
Natural
the natural increase
COUNTRY Birth Death
Rate/1000 Rate/1000 Increase/
of each country and 1000
complete the table. Trinidad
and Tobago
18 6 12
The first one has
6
been done for you
Barbados 15 9
as an example. Belize 34 5 29
Dominica 15 7 8
Grenada 31 7 24
20. Birth rates are affected by: Death rate is affected by:
The number of women of child Medical facilities/health care
bearing age
Nutritional levels
Norms within a society for family
size
Economic prosperity/level of
The economic conditions of a development
country
Population structure
The educational level (especially of
Children)
Availability and acceptance of
family planning methods
Government policy towards
population control.
BIRTH RATE DEATH RATE
21. Infant mortality rate is obtained by calculating the number of
deaths each year for every 1000 children under one year old.
The life expectancy of a population is the average number of years
that persons in a given population are expected to live.
Other Population Characteristics
The composition of a country’s population includes:
Sex ratio
Age distribution
Ethnic origin
Religion
The age and sex distribution can be represented by a graph called a
population pyramid such as the ones shown below for Mexico,
Sweden and the United States of America.
22. Dependents: the persons in a population who
are below the age of 15 and those older than
65 years.
Those between the ages of 15 to 65 are
referred to as economically productive.
The term dependency ratio is used to
describe the ratio of dependents to the
economically productive group.
23. Overpopulated: the resources of a country are
not sufficient to provide for the needs of the
population.
Under-populated: when the amount of
resources available in a country can support a
larger population.
Optimum Population: the number of persons
in a country will make efficient use of the
available resources.
25. Fall in death rates as a result of improvement
in environmental sanitation and new
discoveries in medicine.
Lack of effective population education and
population control methods.
Under-development and use of natural
resources.
26. It adds to:
Low standard of living
High crime rates in the less than 20 age group
High unemployment
Pressure on education, health and housing
Low per capita income
27. Improve education on population control
methods
Greater use of technology in areas such as
agriculture to ensure greater productivity and
employment
The establishment of bi-lateral arrangements
with developed countries to encourage the
transfer of technology.
28.
29. Caribbean countries realize that they must
control population growth in order for economic
development to take place.
Families are encouraged to have fewer children
through use of contraceptives.
Raising awareness on consequences of
increased population, Teaching family life
education in schools.
30. Under-population occurs when the population is too
small to utilize the population’s resources.
Under-population can be caused by:
o Natural causes: volcanic eruptions, floods, earthquakes.
o Isolation & poor communication with the outside world
o Inadequate social facilities and infrastructure
o Lack of educational opportunities
o Wars
o Difficult terrain and lack of resources.
31.
32. Depopulation is a condition that exists when an area loses its
population as a result of:
People moving away as a result of famine caused by change in rainfall
distribution and poor soil quality.
People moving in search of new pastures for animals.
A decline in the economic activity for example, agriculture and mining
activities which has sustained the population.
An increase in criminal activities and violence, especially in inner city
areas.
People being relocated because of increase mining activities, for
example bauxite.
Political unrest and wars
Pollution associated with toxic wastes from manufacturing industries.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38. Brathwaite, S and Reynolds, P. (2004). The
Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate
(CSE) Social Studies for Self Study and
Distance Learning.
Population Growth. Microsoft Encarta. 2008.
1993-2007 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved.
Ramsawak, R. and Umraw, R. (1996). Modules
in Social Studies, Caribbean Educational
Publishers Ltd. Trinidad and Tobago
