C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GC S E® & O LEVEL

Chapter 1 Answers to student book questions

1 a i In 1100, the birth and death rates would their families. The better food means that
have been about the same. child mortality should fall, reducing the need
ii By 1800, the birth rate would have been to have more children.
higher than the death rate.  The provision of education will be greater and
iii By 1960, the birth rate would have been standards will become higher, so people will
much higher than the death rate. have more knowledge about contraception and
b i See the completed table. family planning.
 People become aware of the benefits to their
Year Estimated human Number of years
standard of living of having fewer children.
population to add one billion
 More women will become educated, giving
people
them the chance to pursue careers. This
2024 8 billion – means that they will tend to marry later and
2038 9 billion 14 have fewer children.
2056 10 billion 18 4 a The general change in death rates of the five
2100 11 billion 44 countries with the highest death rates is that
they fell between 2000 and 2016. Lithuania is
ii The trend shows that population growth is the anomaly, as its death rate increased
slowing down. between those years.
c i The natural population growth rates are: b The countries with the five highest death rates
 Niger 44.8 – 12.1 = 32.7 per in 2016 were from two continents, the highest
thousand (3.27%) in Africa but four from eastern Europe.
 Russia 11.3 – 13.6 = –2.3 per c The countries with the five lowest death rates
1000 (–0.23%) in 2016 were all in the Middle East.
(Remember to include the minus sign.) d The populations of Europe and North America
ii This means that Niger has a large annual contain large numbers of older people. More
natural increase in population, while people are living longer in these countries
Russia’s population is decreasing (net because of medical advances, so there are
immigration is also negative). more deaths among the elderly.
iii Niger’s birth rate is four times higher
than Russia’s, but its death rate is lower 5 a i Italy:
than Russia’s.  The natural change = birth rate – death
rate = 9.18 – 9.84 = –0.66 per 1000
2 a i All the countries with the five highest birth  So the population growth rate = –0.66 +
rates in 2016 were in Africa. 4.86 (net migration) = 4.2 per 1000
ii Of the countries with the five lowest birth (0.42%)
rates in 2016, two were in Europe and ii Mexico:
three in Asia.  The natural change = birth rate – death
b The birth rates fell in nine of the ten countries rate = 19.13 – 4.86 = 14.27 per 1000
between 2000 and 2016. The only anomaly to  So the population growth rate = 14.27 =
this pattern was Burundi, where the birth rate –3.24 = 11.03 per 1000 (1.10%)
rose by 1.2 per 1000. b Italy has a natural decrease in population (a
c The countries with the greatest decreases in negative growth), whereas Mexico has a large
birth rate were Mali (with a fall of 4.8 per 1000) natural increase. Italy has a positive net
and Uganda (with a fall of 4.6 per 1000). migration, whereas Mexico’s is negative.
3  As the economy grows, the government will be c Italy’s natural decrease is caused by the lower
able to spend more money on health care, number of births than deaths, whereas Mexico
which means that fewer children will die has a much larger birth rate than death rate.
young. This means there is less need for Italy has more immigrants than emigrants,
couples to have a large family to make sure whereas the opposite is true for Mexico.
that some children survive into adulthood. 6 a There are two possible answers:
 In a growing economy, more people will be  The rate of population increase has
employed and will earn higher incomes – with reduced in Botswana because of AIDS,
which they can afford a higher standard of which caused an increase in the death rate
living for their families (including better food). and a reduction in the birth rate.
The higher income means that there is less  The birth rate fell partly because AIDS
need for a large family to provide extra affected many women of childbearing age,
workers and income. Parents are also able to but also because of greater awareness of
afford contraception to influence the size of the benefits of limiting family sizes.

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 Chapter 1 Answers to SB questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GC S E® & O LEVEL

b HIV/AIDS in Botswana has caused the death

rate to increase sevenfold and the infant Rapid population growth
mortality rate to more than treble.

✓
LEARNING TIP  When describing, do so in This puts a strain on the country’s resources
detail by using descriptive words and/or illustrating by
statistics, as in this answer.
The economically active do not earn enough to support
the growing population (SI)
c Botswana might be winning the battle to
reduce deaths from HIV/AIDS, because the
death rate and infant mortality rate both
reduced and life expectancy at birth increased
There is a shortage of:
between 2001 and 2011 (Table 1.8). However,
 food ➜ hunger (SI)
as Table 1.7 shows, the effects of AIDS were
 schools ➜ poor education (SI) ➜ people lack the
much worse in 2002, after which they
skills to earn good salaries that would help the
improved.
country to develop (EI)
7 a  health care ➜ more illness and disease (SI) ➜ less
Under-populated Over-populated productivity and development (EI)
Australia Bangladesh
GDP per person 48 800 3900 ii The economic impacts in the above
(US$) diagram have been marked (EI), and the
social impacts have been marked (SI).
Value of exports 184 billion 33 billion
(US$) 9 a i 
Positive relationship – as the fertility rate
Population 0.0 1.05 increases the natural population growth
increase per year increases. This is because the more
(%) children a woman has the more are added
to the population.
Labour force 12.6 73.8 ii Negative relationship – life expectancy
(million) increases as natural population growth
Main sector of Services (75%) Agriculture (45%) decreases. This is because as a country
employment develops its health and education services
improve which improves life expectancy, as
Net migration rate 5.6 –3.1
people know how to keep healthy and have
(per 1000)
the food and exercise opportunities to do
Years of education 20 8 so. More women are educated and have a
Literacy rate (%) 99 61 career, so birth rates are reduced as they
have fewer children. Fewer children die, so
Infant mortality 0.46 3.3 the need to have more is no longer a
rate (%) factor. (There are other possible reasons in
connection with these points in Chapter 1.)
b The low GDP per person and low value of b i 
Wealth (GDP per capita) has an effect on
exports suggest that Bangladesh has few infant mortality rates because mother and
resources. Both these indicators are very high baby can afford nutritious foods and the
for Australia. mother is more likely to be educated so
8 a i The global population is growing fastest (by knows how to keep her and her baby
more than 2%) in most of the countries of healthy. Wealthy people can afford to retire
Africa (except in the north and the south), from work earlier whereas poor people
Afghanistan/Pakistan, Central Asia and often have to continue for much longer and
small countries of South East Asia. often do heavy manual work which is a
ii The population is declining (with natural strain on their health. There is a general
increase below 0%) in the Russian decrease in infant mortality as GDP per
Federation, Japan, and the countries of capita increases. The poorest country,
central and eastern Europe (e.g. Italy, Niger, has the second highest infant
Germany and Portugal). mortality rate while the richest country in
b i The effects of rapid population growth on a the table, Germany, has the lowest.
country’s development are shown in the ii There is a general correlation between GDP
flow diagram below. The country will per capita and natural population growth
continue on a downward spiral until the rate but it is less strong. The poorest
rapid population growth can be brought country has the highest population growth
under control. rate and the richest has the lowest, but the

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 Chapter 1 Answers to SB questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GC S E® & O LEVEL

countries in between show a less strong  There will be a shortage of workers, so the
relationship. Afghanistan’s population economy will not be able to grow to fund
growth rate would be expected to be higher the extra care needed.
and Angola’s lower for their poor GDPs. The
12 a Growth rate fell to zero in 2005 when the birth
richer country, Mexico, has a higher
and death rates were the same, so there was
population growth rate than expected, while
no natural population growth.
Brazil has a lower one. These examples
b i 1990–1996 the population grew rapidly by
indicate that there must be other
about 2.5 million because the difference
influencing factors, such as war and the
between the high birth rate and the low
relative use of contraception because of
death rate was greatest.
cultural or religious differences.
ii 1996–2005 the total population increased
iii Generally, the greater the wealth, the higher
more slowly as the growth rate fell because
the life expectancy in a country. The two
the gap between the birth and death rates
poorest countries, Niger and Afghanistan,
was narrowing, mainly due to the increase
have the lowest life expectancies while the
in the death rate.
richest, Germany, has the highest. Wealth
iii 2005–2016 The total population started to
(GDP per capita) has an effect on life
fall from 2005 and decreased by 1 million
expectancy because people in wealthy
by 2016 because the birth rate fell well
countries are more likely to be educated
below the death rate.
and to have access to good health
c i 1990–2011 the relationship between the
services, good nutrition and a healthy
birth rate and death rate was generally
lifestyle with plenty of exercise.
negative, as the birth rate fell (for most of
10 a 1995 the period, the death rate increased).
b 20 years ii 2011–2016 the death rate was always
c 13.5 million (somewhere between 13 and higher than the birth rate.
14 million) d The population growth rate is positive when
d The death rate fell more than the birth rate. the birth rate is higher than the death rate and
The death rate from 56 to 45 = 11 per 1000 is negative when the death rate is higher than
and the birth rate from 24.5 to 12 = 12.5 per the birth rate.
1000. e Between 2010 and 2016 Japan’s population
fell by approximately 0.4 million.
11 a The one-child policy was implemented in China
because the population was growing very 13 a Pull factors which may attract Mexicans to the
rapidly (the birth rate was 58 per 1000). This USA include the availability of work, better-paid
rate of increase was unsustainable, because jobs, better health care, good education, a
there was not enough food, water and energy better standard of living and less crime.
for such a large population. b The top two migration routes (Mexico to the
b The one-child policy has been very successful in USA and Bangladesh to India) have two
reducing population growth. Without it, China features in common:
would have had 300 million extra people to feed  They involve neighbouring countries, with
and to share its water and energy supplies. land borders that can be crossed by road
or railway.
✓  They involve movements from a poorer
LEARNING TIP  A question that includes the country to a richer country, where the
phrase ‘To what extent’ requires you to describe the degree opportunities for finding work and having a
to which something is true. It might mean that you have better standard of living are greater.
to state that it has been successful in certain ways (which 14 a
you state) but not in others (which, again, you state).
Reasons for temporary Reasons for perma-
involuntary nent involuntary
c Problems of the one-child policy that caused it migrations migrations
to change to a two-child policy include:
Fleeing hazards such as Fleeing religious or
 An ageing population, with fewer
volcanic eruptions, floods, political persecution.
economically active people to support it.
hurricanes, tsunami,
 One child having responsibility for the welfare
of up to four grandparents and two parents. earthquakes, droughts,
 A need for more old people’s homes and famines.
health care workers and premises, Fleeing from civil wars. Government resettlement
because the single child will not be able to schemes.
work and take care of parents and Nomads have to move to Land is taken over for
grandparents at the same time. seek new pasture for their reservoirs, plantations
 Because the one-child policy has led to a animals when an area and other economic land
greater number of males in the population, becomes overgrazed. uses.
there will be a shortage of brides in the
future and possible social tension.

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 Chapter 1 Answers to SB questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GC S E® & O LEVEL

b i Difficulties before international migrants 17 a

move: Pyramid shape What it indicates and
 The difficulty of obtaining a visa for the new reasons for it
country.
yywide base ... yymany children
 The difficulty of buying a ticket, because
caused by ... high birth rate
transport costs are high.
yynarrow top ... yyfew elderly
 The emotional difficulty of leaving family
caused by ... high death rate
and friends.
ii The difficulties experienced after international yylow top yylow life expectancy
migrants have moved include: caused by ... high death rate
 language barriers yypyramid shape ... yyfewer people in each
 different cultures and habits older age group
 might not get a job, or only a low-paid one caused by ... increased death rate
 might not be able to afford proper housing with each older
 may be discriminated against age group
 may experience hostility yy almost straight sides ... yy low death rate in
 separation from family can lead to home- young and middle
sickness aged
 if the migrant is illegal, they might not be yynarrow base ... yy 
fewer children than
able to access services or might fall under before
the control of gang-masters and be caused by ... low birth rate
exploited by factory owners. yywide top ... yy more elderly than in
c The benefits of immigration for the host earlier times
country include: yyshorter bars between deaths in war
 The availability of more workers – often longer ones above 15
more-skilled workers, like doctors and years, caused by ...
technicians, or workers willing to do yyhigh top caused by ... long life expectancy
low-paid or dirty jobs that the local people
do not want. b In 1950, Japan had an expanding population
 More workers means more taxes, which is and was typical of a country in Stage 2 of the
particularly important in countries with an demographic transition model. There were
ageing population and an increasing many young people but few elderly. The total
dependency ratio. dependent population was larger than the
 The development of a multicultural society, economically active population.
which improves people’s understanding of The many children under 15 were the result
different cultures. of a high birth rate. Most did not use
15
 Indonesia could have attempted to contraception at the time. Children were
introduce more family planning to slow wanted to look after their parents when they
the population growth rate by reducing the became old. Most women still did not work
birth rate. and were not educated to a high level, so
 Ways of intensifying agricultural production, knowledge about contraception and the
or increasing industrial production, could benefits of having fewer children was not
have been used so that the population widespread. Attitudes to women were
could be better supported and still traditional and they were expected to be
maintain a reasonable standard of living. housewives after marriage. Those who
worked had lower wages than men.
16 a Most LEDCs are in Stage 2 of the
demographic transition model. The small proportion of elderly people aged
b The birth rate is high but the death rate is over 65 was caused by a fairly high death rate.
falling, so natural increase is very high in The Second World War, which ended in 1945,
LEDCs. had put the economy and provision of services
c Most MEDCs are in Stage 4 of the under strain.
demographic transition model. 18 a The pyramid is indented on the male side for
d The birth and death rates are both low, so ages 25 to 39, suggesting deaths during the
there is little or no natural increase in Second World War.
population in MEDCs. b There are fewer men than women aged
over 75.
c There is a higher than expected percentage
in the 65–69 age group, born between 1950
and 1955, suggesting a baby boom when the
war finished.

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 Chapter 1 Answers to SB questions C O M P LETE GEO GR A P HY FO R C A M B R I D GE I GC S E® & O LEVEL

19 a In 1950, Japan was in Stage 2 of the  making the economically active unable to
demographic transition model. The evidence for buy so many luxury items or use so many
this is that, although there was a high birth rate services. So, in order to stay in business,
as a result of the baby boom at the end of the retailers and service providers have to
Second World War, all other characteristics of reduce their prices. This means that they
the pyramid indicate Stage 2: make less profit, which lowers their
 It has a triangular shape. standard of living.
 The pyramid was also tall. This shows that
21 a It has a narrow middle (so few of working age)
the death rate was declining and life
and a very wide base (so many children) and a
expectancy increasing as a result of more
few also in the narrow top (elderly
nutritious diets and better medical services.
dependents).
 The sides of the pyramid were inclined in a
b Niger is in early Stage 2 as it still has a high
straight line, except for the deficit of males
birth rate, shown by the large number in the
caused by wartime deaths.
youngest age group. However, it also has a
b By 2016, Japan was in Stage 5 of the high death rate, shown by the rapid fall in
demographic transition model: numbers from one age group to another.
 The younger dependents are now fewer c 0–4 age group: 3.6 million approximately.
than the elderly dependents, giving a 50–54 age group: much smaller at only
pyramid that tapers at the base (as the 0.5 million approximately.
birth rate declines) and bulges in the d One person has to support nearly 1.7 people
middle. in Niger.
 The higher life expectancy results in a e If child dependents work, they are reducing the
taller pyramid with a considerable number burden of the working age group. They will
of people aged over 90. often give their earnings to their parents.
f 49% divided by 48.4% = 1.01 x 100 = 101,
20 a An ageing population affects an economy by:
so every 100 adults of working age has to
 leaving fewer workers to pay taxes, so less
support just over 100 children (1 to just over
can be spent on providing for the needs of
1 child).
elderly dependents
 having a shortage of workers to maintain 22 a A high number of young dependents in a
industrial growth to improve the economy population results in:
 leaving people unable to maintain their  a high birth rate if the country is an MEDC
standards of living as the dependency ratio where early marriage occurs
increases. The economy suffers, as they  a very high birth rate in the future when
are able to purchase fewer goods. they reach the normal child-bearing age
 forcing the government to pay out more in  a depletion in food supplies as women are
pensions (if the country has a state too busy giving birth and looking after
pension scheme), so it can spend less on children to do much on the family farm and
other needs. there are also more mouths to feed on the
b Government measures to reduce Japan’s family income
spending have affected the elderly by:  the health service is under pressure,
 encouraging them to remain in work longer especially the maternity services and those
after reaching pension age caring for the many children who fall ill in
 raising the age at which people can claim a the countries where many diseases are
state pension prevalent
 making them pay for half the cost of their  schools lack sufficient teachers and
future medical and care needs through an classrooms so class sizes are very large
insurance scheme and schools are under-funded
 leaving an insufficient number of places in  when the children grow to working age,
care homes, because of cuts in unemployment will rise because there will
government subsidies to local authorities. be an insufficient number of jobs for them.
c An increase in the dependency ratio can lower b The government needs to adopt an anti-
the standard of living by: natalist population policy to reduce the
 causing an increased proportion of number of births.
government spending to be on non-
23 The population distribution in Bangladesh has a
productive social and health care for the
pattern. Most people live in Dhaka and the area
elderly, or schools for the young
around the capital city. A very high number of
 reducing the proportion of economically
people live within 60 km of it. There is also a very
active in the population, so more of their
large population in a broad band across the
income is needed in higher taxes to pay for
country that passes the Dhaka region and runs
the needs of the dependent population. This
from northwest to southeast, almost to the
lowers the living standards of the workforce.
Myanmar border.

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Fewer people live in the delta region between the  The small area around Vancouver in the south-
River Ganges and the Bay of Bengal and near the west has mild winters and warm summers.
border with Myanmar. The border with India also Vancouver developed into a major port
has relatively few people in the east, north east, because its sheltered inlet is deep enough to
north west and west. take large ships and it is a terminal of the
transcontinental railway. It developed
24 The table explains the reasons why Botswana’s
industries such as shipbuilding, fish canning
population is concentrated in the east of the
and oil refining.
country.
Physical reasons Economic reasons An area of low population density (1–10 persons
per square kilometre):
There is more than 400 mm A railway and tarred road run
 The Prairies in the south-central part of
of rainfall a year (the west of from the north to the south
Canada have a long enough growing season
the country is semi-desert). of the country in the east.
for wheat to be cultivated. Soils are rich in
Seasonal rivers for irrigation, The east is nearer to nitrogen and easy to farm. The gentle relief
and water from boreholes, economically important allows the use of large machines, and the
make farming possible. parts of South Africa for wheat belt of the Prairies is an example of
trade, e.g. Pretoria and extensive farming. The farms are very large
Johannesburg. but employ very few people. A few towns are
There are copper and nickel service centres. Winnipeg is a railway junction
deposits at Selebi-Phikwe town, which acts as a distribution centre for
and diamonds at Orapa and wheat and for the mining communities of
Jwaneng. the north.
An electricity supply is Areas with a very low population density (less
available. than 1 person per square kilometre):
 The coniferous forest belt lies to the north of
the Prairies and the St Lawrence Valley.
25 Most of Canada has a very low population density –
Summers are short and mean temperatures
most Canadians live in the south of the country
are below freezing point for at least
(along the border with the USA).
six months. Small settlements exist as
Areas of relatively dense population (with over forestry and mining centres, such as Sudbury
10 persons per square kilometre): (where nickel is mined).
 The St Lawrence Valley in the south-east.  The Rocky Mountains and Coast Ranges in
The St Lawrence Valley contains the cities of western Canada are high, steep and cold, with
Quebec, Toronto and Ottawa (the capital). a few settlements along valley routes,
It was the first area to be colonised by the (especially at valley confluences and along
French and British. It grew in importance partly routes to the passes over the mountains, such
because of its proximity to the north-eastern as Kamloops). In the warmer southern part,
USA, and also because it was a major route- valley floors are used for dairying and fruit
way. Ocean-going ships could always sail up growing (especially the Okanagan Valley, which
the St Lawrence estuary as far as Quebec, but is famous for apples and soft fruit). The big
they can now reach the Great Lakes by using valley known as the Rocky Mountain Trench is
the St Lawrence Seaway (a large canal). The a cattle-rearing area. Forestry takes place in
area also has a good rail and road network, the more accessible parts of coniferous
because the relief is mainly gently sloping forests on the lower valley sides.
lowland without major obstacles to movement.  North Canada is too cold for much human
Hydroelectricity is produced along the St activity. The sub-soil is permanently frozen and
Lawrence Valley and has led to the movement is difficult in the summer because
development of industries such as textiles, the surface is swampy and has many lakes. In
pulp and paper and aluminium production. winter it is snow covered. There are small
It is also a dairy farming area and has minerals mining settlements, such as Coppermine and
such as copper. Although very cold in the Yellowknife.
winter, the area has warm summers.

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