Migration
What is international migration?
Movement of people across national borders (acceptable: between countries / overseas movement).
What does “birth rate” measure?
Number of live births per 1,000 people per year.
What is an ageing population?
A population with a growing proportion of people aged 65+.
Which stage of the DTM has high birth and death rates?
Stage 1.
What is the movement of people from rural to urban areas called?
Urbanisation.
Give one common pull factor that attracts people to migrate.
Employment opportunities (also acceptable: safety, education, political stability, healthcare).
If a country’s birth rate is higher than its death rate, what happens to population size?
It increases (natural increase).
What is the dependency ratio?
The ratio of non-working dependents (young + elderly) to the working-age population.
Which stage of the DTM typically has falling birth rates but low death rates?
Stage 3.
What is a megacity?
A city with a population over 10 million.
Give one environmental push factor AND one economic pull factor.
Environmental push = drought, natural disaster, resource scarcity; Economic pull = jobs, higher wages, better standard of living.
Why might some countries experience rapid population growth even as fertility rates fall?
Population momentum (large proportion of young people still entering reproductive age).
Name one social AND one economic impact of an ageing population.
Social = pressure on healthcare/aged care services; Economic = higher pension costs, shrinking workforce.
Why does population growth slow down in Stage 4?
Birth and death rates both remain low, leading to population stabilisation.
Give one way urbanisation increases vulnerability to hazards.
Informal housing in risky areas increases exposure to floods, landslides, earthquakes, or heatwaves.
Explain the difference between voluntary and forced migration, with one example of each.
Voluntary = chosen, e.g. moving overseas for work/education. Forced = no choice, e.g. fleeing war, persecution, or natural disaster.
Define “carrying capacity” in a population context.
The maximum number of people an environment can sustainably support with available resources (e.g. food, water, land).
Give one strategy governments use to manage ageing populations.
Pro-natalist policies (increasing births), migration policies (bringing in young workers), raising retirement age.
Why do some demographers argue for a Stage 5 in the DTM?
Very low fertility rates and ageing populations cause natural decrease.
How can rapid population growth threaten food security?
Food demand rises faster than production, leading to shortages or reliance on imports.
According to Zelinsky’s migration transition theory, what happens to migration patterns as countries industrialise?
Early stages = high emigration from rural areas to cities/other countries; Later stages = high immigration and circulation of workers.
Explain the difference between absolute growth and growth rate, using an example.
Absolute growth = raw increase in people (e.g. +2 million). Growth rate = percentage change relative to total population (e.g. 1.5% growth).
Explain how migration can reduce the impacts of an ageing population.
Immigration of younger, working-age people balances dependency ratio, boosts tax revenue, and supports labour force.
How can the DTM help explain differences between developed and developing countries?
Developed = later stages (low fertility, ageing, stable/declining population). Developing = earlier stages (higher fertility, rapid growth).
Explain what is meant by “land cover change” from urban growth.
Natural land (e.g. forests, farmland, wetlands) is replaced by built-up environments, reducing ecosystem services and increasing environmental stress.