Transcript DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUES in developing countries

DEMOGRAPHIC ISSUES
In Developing Countries
POPULATION ADJUSTED WORLD MAP
World Population Map-Distorted
World Distorted According to GDP
Terms
1.
Demographic Trap

2.
Overpopulation

3.
A continuous cycle in which each consequence causes the
initial condition to recur
Population Control

5.
When the demands for a growing population exceeds the
carrying capacity.
Feedback Loop

4.
A situation where a developing country continues to have a
high birth rate with a low death rate. This means a high
natural increase in pop. It strains the economy.
Limitations of population growth through such measures
as sterilization, contraception, abortion or restrictions on
number of children.
Great Leap Forward

An attempt by China to revolutionize their economy by
organizing farm land into large collective farms and
speeding up industrialization.
How a country becomes trapped.

Low death rate yet a high birth rate.
– Means a high natural increase. This is the
problem.
– Why? (The government must now support this
new population as well as the old)

What does this prevent?
– Cannot spend $ on improving itself.
– A country cannot develop socially or
economically
– No post transition stage.
Problems with a booming population
 The
new population must be
supported.
– Example is India. Grows each year by
approx 18 million.
– Before they can improve their living
conditions in the country the new pop.
must be fed, sheltered, taught, and
medically taken care of.
– Eventually they will become
overpopulated.
India in the past
 Providing
enough food is the biggest
issue.
 What did India do?
– They were able to double their production
of rice and wheat without increasing the
amount of cropland used.
– New types that produced more.
 But
the amount of cropland per person
has drastically dropped and they may
not be able to improve productivity.
Education in India
 India
has an exploding population.
 They now have approx. 340 million
children under 15. Canada has approx.
6 (56 times more)
 They must educate these extra 334
million children on only 2.5 times the
money.
 What does this mean about their
education?
– Very low
India’s Population Shift

Like many countries throughout the world
the rural population is moving to the urban
areas for work.
– By looking at their education system why is this
shift not helpful?
– They are not educated and cannot take advantage
of the opportunities that exist in India’s growing
economy.
India does have a growing software industry
but it is hindered by the fact that qualified
workers are hard to come by.
 This feeds the feedback loop.

India’s Population Control
1950s it set up clinics that encouraged
sterilization and contraception. These still
exist today in both urban and rural areas.
 Problems

– Focused to much on a target quota not on
whether sustainable birth rates were achieved.
– No attention paid to role of women in society,
education and health.
– It was a one-size fits all program, but it did not
fit with cultural, and religious differences in
India.
– Often times there was mass sterilization
carried out without consent.

India has not been successful in reducing
birth rate or natural increase.
Great Leap Forward
Mao Tsetung brought this in during the 50’s
as a way to control population.
 An attempt by China to revolutionize their
economy by organizing farm land into large
collective farms and speeding up
industrialization.
 Result of it?

Because the reforms were not well planned, food
production dropped drastically. The population
was more controlled because so many people died
and few children were born. (Why low birth rate?)

When these reforms were changed, China’s
pop. Started growing once again.
China’s Population Control


Since Great Leap failed they tried the One Child
policy.
Many of the pieces of this policy would be
unacceptable throughout developed nations because
of Human Rights issues.
– 1 child per couple
– Marry later so they have fewer children
– All pregnancies must be authorized by the woman’s work.
(limited births per year.)
– Become pregnant without permission may be highly fined or
forced to abort the baby.
– Female sterilization is encouraged after the first child.
– A woman’s menstrual cycle may be publicly monitored.
– A woman may receive extra $ for following the policy.
Results?
 More
successful than India.
 Demographers feel it will start to
decline after 2045
 Human rights have been violated.
 Medical procedures used to conduct
sterilization and abortions are
sketchy.