1. The Study of Populations – And Why We Help
Demography
The Study of Populations – And Why We Help

2. Demography – What We Study
Birth rates, death rates, growth rates, doubling times, literacy rates, access to technology and fresh water, communication, education levels
Why?
What are we able to predict by looking at these things?

3. The Demographic Transition Model
Shows that populations do not keep getting larger forever (we can only pray)
Demonstrates the relative stages that a population will go through in it’s growth process
Depends completely on technological, economic and cultural changes

4. Demographic Transition Model
Stage 1
Stage 2
High birth and death rates
Low pop. growth
Low life expectancy
High birth rate but low death rate
Rapid pop. growth
Start of better nutrition, medical knowledge, sanitary practises

5. Demographic Transition Model
Stage 3
Stage 4
Low death rates, slowing birth rates
Slowing of growth
Social programs, urbanization decrease need for large families
Low birth and death rates
Very low pop. growth
Improved access as stage 3, more social equality

6. Demographic Transition Model
Stage 5
Birth rate drops below the death rate
Shrinking population
Puts less strain on the natural environment, but risks culture and language as people born in the country decrease

7. Population Pyramids – Focusing on Trends in Populations
Are charts which break down populations into age categories, usually of 4 or 5 years
Often used to look at a stage of development for a country, and predict future problems
Four major types – Early expanding, expanding, stable, declining

8. Population Pyramids – Early Expanding
Early expanding populations usually have a significantly greater portion of the population below the age of 20 and have a wide, downward curving base
Few citizens have regular access to health services or education, country is just starting to grow economically

10. Population Pyramids - Expanding
Expanding population pyramids usually have much wider bases than tips, but as birth and death rates are lowered, the base isn’t nearly as wide as on an early expanding pyramid
Citizens have more access to health and education services, which helps reduce the number of births, but also brings down the high death rates found at the early expanding stage

12. Population Pyramids – Stable populations
Usually found in countries that have finished their development and have a stable economy
Top tapers off gently and the rest of the age categories are fairly evenly distributed
Citizens have access to a wide range of education, healthcare, and social services, greatly decreasing birth and death rates

13. Stable population pyramid here

14. Population Pyramids - Declining
Has a wider middle and upper portion than base
Usually found in countries where the economy has been stable and developed for many years
Most citizens are literate, have access to both healthcare and education, as well as other social services; trend towards urbanization leads to smaller families, thus resulting in very low birth rates; most growth comes from immigration

16. Population Studies - Organizations
Canadian International Development Agency
Official Development Assistance
Canada Fund for Africa
La Francophonie

17. Population Studies - Organizations
Main focuses
CIDA – Human needs, women’s rights, infrastructure services, human rights, democracy, environment, private sector
Social Focuses – Education, health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS, child protection

18. Population Studies – Why bother?
The UN publishes a report yearly on the state of development around the world, ranking countries according to their development in certain human areas (ie. Literacy, women and children’s right, education levels etc.)
Why do we bother?

19. Environmental Issues

20. Agricultural Damage Creation of farmland destroys natural habitat
Certain chemicals/pesticides/herbicides can affect local water supplies
Also hurt animals
Use up nutrients in the soil
GMFs – not sure what the long term out comes could be

21. Water Damage Pollution destroying water supplies, natural habitats
Many natural underground formations that make pure, clean water are being affected; digging wells too deep, using up too much water
Affected by: farm waste, mining waste, industry waste
Leads to the spread of disease in developing nations

22. Air Pollution Leads to poor air quality
Ozone depletion – UV rays, heating up of many climates
Greenhouse effect – make things too warm, potential to melt polar ice caps, change weather patterns
Kyoto Protocol – an attempt by some developed nations to reduce harmful emissions

23. Developing Nations and the Environment
Many products and processes to keep environment clean are too expensive
Lack clean water and sanitation – populations have other concerns
Gov’ts unwilling to punish those who are damaging the environment
A “if you did it, so can we” attitude