Population Structure
Geography: KS3, topic 4.1.5
Population Structure
The population structure of a country is how many men and women of each age group make up the population. It also includes the birth rate, death rate, life expectancy and infant mortality.
Birth rate
- The birth rate of a country is the number of live births per 1000 population per year.
- The higher the birth rate, the more people are being added to the country each year.
Death rate
- The death rate of a country is the number of deaths per 1000 population per year.
- Natural disasters, war or disease are examples of things that increase the death rate.
Natural increase and decrease
- Natural increase is where the birth rate of a population is higher than the death rate and so the population increases.
- Natural decrease is where the death rate of a population is higher than the birth rate and so the population decreases.
Life expectancy
- Life expectancy is the average number of years that a person can expect to live to.
- The higher the life expectancy of a country, the higher the quality of life because a high life expectancy requires a good healthcare system, access to healthy food and a lack of disease.
Infant mortality
- The infant mortality rate is the number of children who die before their first birthday, per 1000 live births per year.
- If a country has a good healthcare system, the infant mortality rate will be lower.
Test yourself on Population Structure
What is NOT an example of something that would INCREASE the death rate?
What is NOT something that would increase life expectancy?