|
Population
Studies
By
A. Swaby-Burton, Contributor
WELCOME
BACK. I do hope you had a wonderful
Christmas holiday and I do hope too
you did some studying. Well, all the
best for the coming semester. For
those of you writing the examination
this year, it's just around the corner,
so please don't waste time; start
your preparation now; with God's help
I know you will be successful. So
good luck and all of God's blessing
for the year ahead.
In
this week's issue, I will be dealing
with some questions on population
studies. I trust you will find them
helpful.
QUESTION
1
Study
the table at right and use the data
to answer the questions that follow.
(a)
Give a brief interpretation of the
data with respect to the Under 15
and over 64 age groups of the populations
of the countries in the table above.
(b)
The birth and death rates of Tanzania
and Vietnam reveal that a major problem
exists in both societies. Identity
this problem and its consequences.
ANSWER
(a)
The data outlines for us a burden
of age dependency at two extremes.
The developed countries at one end
and less developed countries at the
other end. For developed countries
such as the United Kingdom and the
United States of America, to a lesser
extent, the problem of age dependency
pertains to the over 64 age groups
of the populations. As a result, the
economies of the two countries could
be hard pressed to support pensions
and health services; for an increasing
elderly population will put strain
on the medical and social services.
On
the other hand, the less developed
countries such as Vietnam and Tanzania,
the age dependency problem stems from
their Under 15 age-groups. In both
countries, the under 15 age groups
represent 40 per cent and over of
their populations, and this situation
tends to place a heavy burden on their
adult population. So you see the dependency
on those working is so great. Furthermore,
their economies might not be strong
enough to take on the demand of the
growing under 15 age group - for example
building of more schools, parks, day
care centres and other programmes
for the young.
b)
An examination of the birth and death
rate of Vietnam reveals that a major
problem exists in both societies
that of rapid population growth. The
consequences of rapid population growth
are:
1)
shortage of food supply and other
basic necessities.
2)
Poverty
3)
Economic and political instability.
Population
growth is a serious and increasing
problem in poor societies. In poor
countries urban families average four
to five children in rural areas, the
number is often six to eight (The
World Bank). No one doubts that world
population simply cannot keep increasing
at anything like its current rate.
Join
me next week as I continue to look
at questions and answers on population
studies.
|
DEMOGRAPHIC
DATA ON TWO UNDERDEVELOPED AND
TWO DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
|
| |
Birth
rate
(per 1000)
|
Death
rate
(per 1000)
|
Infant
mortality
rate (per 1000)
|
%
of pop.
under 15
|
%
of pop.
over 64
|
|
Tanzania
|
47
|
22
|
167
|
47
|
2
|
| Vietnam |
41
|
19
|
115
|
41
|
4
|
| USA
|
15
|
9
|
15
|
24
|
11
|
| UK
|
12
|
12
|
14
|
23
|
14
|
(Source:
World Health Organisation)
|
