Population: Lesson 5 Population

issues and rapid population growth

overpopulation

The population of an area

exceeds the resources
available to support it

Resources

Population

Learning outcomes
1. To learn the reasons for population policies
due to rapid population growth
2. To understand Chinas one child policy
3. To know how the one-child policy has
changed over recent years
Key idea: A range of strategies have been tried
by countries experiencing rapid population
growth.

Population Growth Problems and

Solutions
Poorer, developing countries face the problems of trying to
cope with young and growing populations. This is the
consequence of much higher birth than death rates and a high
natural increase.

The problems may be economic, social, political and

environmental and may threaten the sustainability of a
population.
A sustainable population is one whose growth and
development is at a rate that does not threaten the success of
future generations. Stage 2 and 3 populations may not be
sustainable if population growth outstrips the countries
resources.

Population Control
Birth control programmes
Birth control programmes aim to _________the ___________. Some
governments do this by having ______about how many children couples are
allowed to have. Governments also help couples to ______(and limit) how
many children they have by offering _____________________and sex
education. This helps towards sustainable development because it means the
population wont get ______________. There wont be many more people
using up resources today, so there will be some left for future generations.
Immigration laws
Immigration laws aim to _________ immigration (people moving to a country
to live there _______________). Governments can _______the number of
people that are ___________to immigrate. They can also be selective about
who they let in, e.g. letting in _______ people of child-bearing age means
there will be fewer immigrants having children. This helps towards
sustainable development because it ___________the population growth rate.
reduce
limit
plan
birth rate

free contraception
control
allowed

fewer laws much bigger

permanently
slows down

Answers
Birth control programmes
Birth control programmes aim to reduce the birth rate. Some governments do
this by having laws about how many children couples are allowed to have.
Governments also help couples to plan (and limit) how many children they
have by offering free contraception and sex education. This helps towards
sustainable development because it means the population wont get much
bigger. There wont be many more people using up resources today, so there
will be some left for future generations.
Immigration laws
Immigration laws aim to control immigration (people moving to a country to
live there permanently). Governments can limit the number of people that
are allowed to immigrate. They can also be selective about who they let in,
e.g. letting in fewer people of child-bearing age means there will be fewer
immigrants having children. This helps towards sustainable development
because it slows down the population growth rate.

Problems of rapid population growth

Organise the sorting activity to understand the
problems that can arise from rapid population
growth

Sort into economic, social, political and

environmental factors

Answers

What is Chinas population?

http://www.geographylwc.org.uk/A/AS/ASpop
ulation/china1child1.html

1,354,040,000

Chinas population policy (ante-natalist policy) for

a country with a rapidly increasing population

Information to Include in your booklet

Title: Chinas One Child Policy
What were the early rules of the one child
policy? (1979)
What happened if people had a second child?
What were the problems of the policy?
What were the benefits?
What changes have been made to the policy
in the 1990s, 2000s and recently?

Demonstrating your understanding

Imagine you work for the Chinese government,
create an information booklet for the people of
China on the One Child Policy

Dont forget to include the latest information

about the policy tip: look on the BBC News
website for the updated amendments to the
policy.

How has this topic been used in the exam?

Describe how a named country has
attempted to cope with the effects of rapid
population growth. (8marks)
Study Figure 1 and Figure 2. Figure 1 is an
advertisement for Chinas One Child Policy.
Figure 2 shows some quotes about changes
made to Chinas One Child Policy in the
1990s.
(a) (i) Choose two of the quotes in Figure 2
and explain why these changes to the One
Child Policy were made. (4 marks)
(a) (ii) Describe one or more problem(s)
that Chinas One Child Policy has caused.
(8 marks)