Population Structure
Population Characteristics: Age,Gender,Fertility,Birth Rate (babies per 1000 people),Mortality (deaths per
1000 people),Migration
Population Groups: The Countries population is made up youth and elderly(dependents)
Working population- ages 16 to 60 and are economically active(labour force) and are willing to work
Dependency ratio proportion of dependent people of the working population
Factors Affecting Youth Population
• High Birth Rate: Improved sanitation, low infant mortality.
• Low Birth Rate: Lifestyle changes, higher costs, career focus.
Factors Affecting Elderly Population
• Large Elderly Population: Better healthcare, longer life expectancy.
• Small Elderly Population: Poor healthcare, shorter life expectancy.
3. Dependency Ratio
• Ratio of Dependents (youth + elderly) to the Working Population
Ageing population(a country with an ageing population can experience a number of problems)
- Fewer workers
- Pressure on healthcare and social care
- Higher pension cost and taxes due to claims
- High dependency ratio
Large youthful population
- Increase pressure on education, nursing and healthcare services.
- Increased dependency rate
- Higher taxes to fund the services demand
Small youthful population
- Potential for population decline
- Consumers and taxpayers impacting economic development
Population Indicators
• Birth Rate (no.births per 1000/year in a country )
• Death Rate (no.deaths per 1000/year in a country )
• Life Expectancy (average age at death) SA-2023 is 64.88 years in 2021 males 59,3 and females 64,6
• Fertility Rate (total number of children per woman) a total fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman insures a
broadly stable population
• Natural Increase (births - deaths) more than births is positive.
The rate at which a population is growing= population growth rate
• Infant morality rates (no of infant deaths per thousand life deaths)
Factors Influencing Population Growth
• Cost of education
• Labour and market precipitation
• Cultural attributes to fam size
• Net migration
• Healthcare standards
• Government policy
• Social norms
• Availability of contraception
• Stability of society
• Economic growth
Factors Influencing Population Growth
1. Economic Development
Higher population growth in early stages of economic development.
Agricultural-based societies:Children seen as income earners.
High child mortality rates lead to more births to ensure parents are taken care of.
2. Education
• Developed countries:
- Compulsory education makes children economic costs and no longer economic assets
- Higher cost of raising children (e.g., $230,000 per child in the U.S.).
- Higher education leads to smaller families.
• Developing countries:
- Less emphasis on education → larger families.
3. Quality of Children
• Gary Becker’s analysis:
Parents prefer fewer children but invest more in their education in developed countries.
• Smaller family size to provide better opportunities.
4. Welfare Payments (State Pension Systems)
• Developed countries:
Generous state schemes (don’t need children for retirement support)
• Developing countries:
Children act as “insurance” for parents’ old age → larger family sizes.
5. Social and Cultural Factors
• Cultural norms:
In developing countries like India and China (before the one-child policy), large families are the
norm.
• In developed countries, smaller families are more common.
6. Availability of Family Planning
• Access to contraceptives:
• Enables woman to limit family size
• Limited access → unplanned pregnancies and higher growth.
• Increased access leads to lower growth rates.
7. Female Labor Market Participation
• Developing countries:
Lower education and social mobility for women → larger families.
• Developed countries:
Women delay marriage and childbirth due to career priorities.
8. Death Rates and Medical Provision
• Improvements in medical care:
Decrease in death rates → increase in population growth. As well as the life expectancy
• Historical improvements in medicine (19th-20th century) led to population booms.
9. immigration Levels
• Countries with high net migration:
E.g., UK from 2000-2013, 50% of growth came from migration.
• Countries with strict immigration laws:
E.g., Japan’s population stagnation due to limited immigration.
10. Historical Factors
• Post-war= baby boom → population spikes after major conflicts (e.g., World War II). Since was
delayed having children
Types of Population Structures
1. Expansive (Rapid Growth)
• Pyramid-shaped.
• High birth rates, high death rates.
• Large young population (e.g., many developing countries).
2. Constrictive (Slow Growth or Decline)
• Narrower base.
• Low birth rates and death rates.
• Aging population (e.g., many developed countries).
3. Stationary (Stable Growth)
• Relatively uniform across age groups.
• Replacement-level fertility.
• Balanced population structure.
