Human Geography Human Geography Counting People

 Remember: demographers are people who study and analysis population  Demographers can only begin to study the patterns of population development after they have conducted a formal count of the people living in a particular region  This is known as a census

The Census  Dates back to ancient times  Used by governments today to plan and allocate resources on a national and provincial level  Canada conducts a more detailed census every 10 years and a less detailed one every 5 years  Next census: May 2016  Side note: Census is mandatory by law in Canada!

Census Questions  The Census asks a variety of questions to learn about the make-up and dynamics of each household in Canada  Basic questions include things like name, marital status, how many people live in your house and what language you speak  Some of the questions get even more personal...

 What is your ethnic origin?  What is your religion?  Are you living common-law?  Do you have any difficulties with daily activities?  Do you have a mental or physical illness or a disability?  Schooling: What kind? How long? Where?  Work related: what is your job? What duties does your job entail? Where is your job? Are you self-employed?  What is your income?  Who pays the rent or bills in your house?  Do you own or rent?  When was your residence built? Does it need repairs?  How much do you average monthly bills cost? (ex. Water or electricity)

Census Limitations  Rarely completely accurate:  Difficult to track individuals who not have a permanent address, who live on the streets or who choose to avoid the census  In some countries, many births or deaths go unrecorded – may be off by as much as 30%  Illiteracy and poor communication networks can undermine a country’s ability to maintain accurate records  With inaccurate results, it is difficult to combat the problems which led to the inaccuracies in the first place such as poverty and illiteracy

What is a census used for?  Used to help determine population distribution  How people are spread out or arranged over a particular geographic space  “Where are they living?”  Also used to determine population density  The concentration or number of people living in a geographic area  “How many people are there in that area?”

Calculating Population Density  To calculate population density, divide the total number of people living in an area by the actual area they occupy: Ex. 10,000 inhabitants = 100 people per = 100 people per 100 sq. km sq. km 100 sq. km sq. km

Where in the world do you think you would find the highest density of people?

Population Density in Numbers  Singapore = over 6000 people per square km.  Bangladesh = more than 1000 people per square km.  Canada = ~ 3 people per square km.  BC = ~ 4.2 people per square km.  The city of New York = more than 10,000 people per square km.  Downtown peninsula of Vancouver = more than 20,000 people per square km!!

The Important Numbers  The census also collects vital statistics  Population numbers that record births and deaths and other significant population related numbers  Used to plan and allocate necessary resources  Fertility or birth rate: rate of population reproduction  Mortality rate: rate at which people in a society pass away

Calculating Birth and Death Rates  To calculate birth rates: Total live births x 1000 Total population  To calculate death rates Total deaths x 1000 Total population

 Using these figures, demographers can determine:  Rate of Natural Increase: The sum total that a population increases over time  Population Structure: the general make-up of a population  Population Change: the changing or altering of a population’s make-up over a period of time Knowing these numbers helps a country to determine the impact that population will have on a country’s present and future resources and economics

Immigration and Emigration  Immigration: the process of people moving to another country or region from their country of origin  Emigration: process of people moving away from their country or region of origin to a new country or region to live  From our perspective: people who are leaving our country  Both immigration and emigration affect a population’s structure and rate of population change

Population Growth Rate  To get an accurate growth rate for a country like Canada we must look at all of the factors  Canada is a country that depends greatly on immigration, in addition to its natural birth and death rates

Calculating Population Growth Rate  First, determine net migration rate: Immigration rate (people arriving in Canada) – Emigration rate (people leaving Canada) = Net Migration Rate  Then, add net migration rate to the rate of natural increase: Birth rate – Death rate + Net Migration Rate = Population Growth Rate (this will be a percentage)

Doubling Time  When determining population growth rate, it is important to look at the implications  One way to put the numbers in context is to look at a population’s doubling time or how long it will take for a particular population to double in size  Use the “rule of seventy”: = Number of years for population % rate of population growth to double

 With Canada’s current population growth rate of 0.9%, it will take ~74 years for our current population to double  This assumes that our population growth rate stays the same for all those years  What happens if immigration slows or fertility rates drop?  Doubling time can only give you an indication, not an exact time – could be affected by a number of factors