Key Terms: Population change (AQA A Level Geography): Revision Note

Population change - key terms

Ageing population – A population with a growing proportion of elderly people due to declining birth rates and increased life expectancy.

Birth rate – The number of live births per 1,000 people per year in a population.

Death rate – The number of deaths per 1,000 people per year in a population.

Dependency ratio – A measure comparing the proportion of dependents (young and elderly) to the working-age population.

Fertility rate – The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime.

Infant mortality rate – The number of infant deaths (under 1 year old) per 1,000 live births in a year.

Natural increase – The growth of a population when birth rates exceed death rates.

Natural population change – Population growth or decline caused by the difference between birth and death rates.

Net production rate – The average number of daughters a woman would have in her lifetime, influencing replacement level.

Population density – The number of people per unit of area, usually measured in people per square kilometre.

Population distribution – The spatial pattern of where people live.

Population structure – The composition of a population in terms of age and gender, often shown using population pyramids.

Replacement level – The fertility rate needed for a population to replace itself without migration, usually about 2.1 children per woman.

Models of population change - key terms

Demographic dividend – The economic growth potential that can result from changes in a country’s age structure, particularly when the working-age population is larger than the dependent population.

Demographic transition model (DTM) – A model showing how population growth and structure change as countries develop, through five stages from high birth/death rates to decline.

Economically active – Individuals aged roughly 15–64 who are part of the workforce and economically productive.

Elderly dependents – People aged 65 and over who rely on the working population for support.

Life expectancy – The average number of years a person is expected to live from birth.

Population pyramid – A graphical representation of a population's age and gender structure.

Young dependents – Individuals aged 0–14 who rely on the economically active population for support.

International migration - key terms

Asylum seeker – A person who has fled their home country and is seeking protection and the right to remain in another country.

Brain drain – The emigration of highly skilled or educated individuals from a country, leading to a shortage of talent.

Causes of migration – Factors encouraging migration, including environmental (e.g. climate change) and socio-economic (e.g. poverty, conflict, job opportunities) reasons.

Destination country – The country that migrants move to.

Economic migrants – People who voluntarily migrate for better job opportunities and improved living standards.

Forced migration – When people are compelled to move due to conflict, persecution, natural disaster, or environmental change.

Globalisation and migration – The process by which international connections increase migration flows, both voluntary and involuntary.

International migration – The movement of people between countries, which can change the size and structure of populations.

Internal migration – The movement of people within a country, typically from rural to urban areas.

Intervening obstacles – Challenges faced during migration, such as border controls, costs, language barriers, and physical distance.

Lee’s Push-Pull Model – A migration model that explains movement through push factors (reasons to leave), pull factors (reasons to go), and intervening obstacles.

Migration – The movement of people from one location to another with the intention of settling temporarily or permanently.

Net migration – The difference between immigration (inflow) and emigration (outflow) in a country.

Push factors – Negative factors that encourage people to leave their place of origin (e.g. war, unemployment, poor healthcare).

Pull factors – Positive factors that attract people to a destination (e.g. job opportunities, safety, education).

Refugee – A person who has fled their home country due to fear of persecution and has been granted asylum or refugee status.

Remittances – Money sent home by migrants to support their families, often a major source of income in origin countries.