Chapter 16 – End of Chapter Questions

Knowledge & Understanding

1. a) Birth Rate – the number of births per 1000 people in a population

Death Rate – the number of deaths per 1000 people in a populationImmigration Rate – the number of individuals, per 1000 people, who permanently enter a country from anotherEmigration Rate – the number of individuals, per 1000 people, who leave a country to live permanently in another

1. b) Describe how these 4 factors contribute to the rate at which a country’s population grows.

Birth Rate=15 Death Rate=9 Immigration Rate=1 Emigration Rate=2

Natural Increase Rate –

Net Migration Rate –

Population Growth Rate –

15−9=6

1−2=−1

6+(−1)=5

If the country starts the year with 10,000,000 people at the end of the year there would be: 10,000,000 + (10,000,000 x 5/1000) = 10,050,000 people.

2.a) The population growth of a country depends on both natural increase & net migration. Define these terms.

Natural Increase refers to the change in the population as a result of the difference between births & deaths

Net Migration refers to the change in the population as a result of the difference between immigration & emigration

B) Compare the importance of both in determining Canada’s population growth since 1956 – see Fig 16-5 Would this also be the case in other countries? Explain

In 1956 natural increase was high and now it is low in Canada. We grow now only from net migration. Developing countries have high natural increase rates and European countries have low natural increase rates.

3. Canada’s population has grown enormously since 1800, but it may stop growing in the next decades. How has death & birth control affected this?

Death control- factors that reduce death rate eg. Advanced medicine

Birth control- factors that reduce births eg. The pill

4a) What is the rule of 70?

A rule to find out how long it takes for a population to double. It is 70/growth rate=doubling time

Eg. A population growing at 2% will double in 35 years

B) Why is the Rule of 70 so useful?

It allows us to calculate in a quick way how long a population will take to double if it is growing at a constant rate.

C) How long would it take for a population to double with each of the following growth rates:

i. 0.5%: 140 years

ii. 1.0%: 70 years

iii. 1.5%: 47 years

iv. 2.0%: 35 years

v. 3.0%: 23 years

D) Does the rule of 70 apply to a negative population growth rate? Explain using Russia’s population growth rate of −0.4%.

The Rule of 70 still applies, but you get a halving time instead of doubling time. Ex. If Russia’s population growth rate continues at −0.4%, the population will halve in 175 years. (70/0.4)

5a) What is a population’s dependency load?

Dependency load refers to the part of the population that is not in the workforce, usually those under 16 and over 65. These people are dependent on others for their needs, such as food, shelter, schools, and nursing homes.

B) Describe why this would be a useful concept for

i. a government planner

The government needs to plan for such things as schools, pensions, immigration levels, old age homes, and healthcare facilities.

ii. The president of a major bank

A bank president must be able to anticipate the need for special types of savings plans for people of different ages. Eg. Education saving plans vs retirement saving plans.

C) Consider the ages used in determining the dependency load. For a developed country such as Canada, do they accurately describe the dependent population? Why or why not?

The age range is not accurate for Canada because many Canadians retire before 65 and have large savings and few Canadians start working full time at 16, they can be dependent well into their 20s or even 30s.

6a) What role does immigration play in Canada’s population?

Immigration has played an important role in Canada’s population for more than a century. Canada is a desirable destination for immigrants from all over the world, so there is no shortage of people who want to come to Canada.

B) How does this compare to most of the world’s countries?

Few other countries have a tradition of accepting as many immigrants as Canada. Europe and Japan will have to accept huge numbers of immigrants or face drastic population declines.

7a) Your parents (and some of your teachers) may be part of the baby boom. Why has this generation had such a big influence on Canada since the 1950s?

The size and wealth of this group. Schools were built to accommodate them, their culture dominated the 60s and 70s. Eg. The Rolling Stones are still popular with them.

B) Is this influence likely to continue?

Yes. As the baby boom generation ages, it continues to affect such things as the housing market, recreational activities, health related industries, and the political agenda of the country.

C) What effect has the baby boom had on your generation? How will it affect your future?

It has reduced the opportunity for advancement in the labour force for young workers. The baby boomers dominate the political agenda. There will be large numbers of seniors to take care of with health care and pension payments.