Roots

Demography• Demography is the study of population

characteristics• Changing population trends in the UK is an

important topic for Geographers to study• Over time our population has changed

significantly, as it is clear from family trees that we look at

• There are many reasons for this changing trend in population

• http://www.ancestry.co.uk

How do we know that population has changed?

• National scale: The UK census goes back to 1801, with a good level of detail recorded from 1841. Some census data is now available for the public to view

• Local scale: Church records e.g. births, baptisms, deaths and marriages have been recorded since the middle ages in UK

• Personal scale: Personal recollections of family members

Your family tree for 5 generations?

• Think about the jobs done by the family members, the number of children, migration?

• See p 96 Pearson

What has changed population structure

• Since the census in 1901 there have been a number of demographic, economic and migratory changes have been identified. These include:– Family size– Population structure– Migration– Employment– Social status and aspirations– Ethnicity

Changing factor

How this has changed

Family size Population rise from 37m in 1901 to 61 million in 2007. In 2011 it reached 63.2 billion. Even though household size has fallen (small families, gay couples, pensioners and divorcees) life expectancy has risen. This increases extended households.

Population structure

UK now has a top heavy population structure. In 1931, just 7% were aged over 65 and 24% under 16. However nowadays it has changed to 16% and 19% respectively. Life expectancy has also risen to 77 (men) and 82 (women) in 2007.

Migration The UK is more mobile now. People now migrate towards settlements with service jobs, generally, towards the south – east. 26% of the UK now live in London. Counter – urbanisation now exists as well as age selective migrations.

Employment

Industrial decline and manufacturing decline have changed where people live and what jobs they are employed in. There's been a move towards ‘white collar’ service work. See diagram p 122 Philip Allan.

Social status and aspirations

Social mobility has increased meaning that more people are moving around, and out of poverty into the middle classes. More people going into further education and into non – manual work.

Ethnicity Around 8% of the UK are made up of minority groups. From 1950s a large scale migration from the UK’s former colonies and then the expansion of the EU in early 2000 both changed the ethnic make up of the UK. Segregation exists in some districts.

What has changed in the UK since 1901?

Explaining the pattern of population change

• Birth rates and death rates ultimately control population size and structure

• We can think about population change before and after the 1970s

Before the 1970s• Population growing due to natural

increase• Death rate falling due to

improvements in food supply, health and hygiene

• Post war baby boom• Population grew from 38 million to 55

million between 1901 and 1971

Since 1970s• Population increased more slowly• Most growth now due to immigration• BR and DR at a fairly low rate• Family size small, life expectancy rising• Reports in 2007 suggested that BR was

on the rise due to child bearing age migrants

• Total population grew from 55 million in 1971 to 61 million in 2007

Demographic Model for the UK from 1700

Stage 1 Stage 4Stage 3Stage 2

• Read p 124-127 Philip Allan

Population Pyramids• These are a

great way to show the structure of a population

• Particularly plotting them over time

A population pyramid for the UK in 2010

Fall in Fertility• During the 20th Century fertility rates

fell• There have been a number of factors

that have lead to this:– Education about contraception– Knowing the risks of smoking and

drinking during pregnancy– Secularisation – decrease role of religion– Consumerism – increased consumption

Factors causing changes in births and life

expectancy in the UK

Falling births

Costs and consumerism

Contraception, abortion and

education

Global connectionsWoman’s

status, pay and rights

Nutrition, diet and lifestyle

Hygiene, sanitation and

safety

Global connections

Healthcare, treatment and

prevention Longer life expectancy

• See p 126 Philip Allan

Factors that have affected families in UK

• See p 127

An ageing population

The Greying of British Society

• As we’ve already talked about, the number of people over 65 is growing

• This means we are going to have a higher dependent population

• We can work this out with this equation

Dependency ratio =(Population under 16) + (Population over 65)

(Population 15 – 64)X 100

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4045261.stm

Advantages of greying population

Disadvantages of greying population

• Voluntary charitable work•Spending money on goods and services•Earning money and paying tax• Bringing wisdom and experience to some sectors

• Economic costs – providing health care, retirement homes and a pension is going to become increasingly expensive (Baby boomers will cost £30 billion a year)• Housing shortages due to longer life expectancy• Emotional burden

Aging population reading and tasks

• P128-130 Philip Allan• P 99-100

• What are the challenges and benefits of having an aging/greying population?

15 marks

• P 101 Pearson Questions