IGCSEGeographyCambridge (CIE)Exam QuestionsChanging PopulationsPopulation Change

Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2025

First exams 2027

Population Change (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Geography): Exam Questions

Exam code: 0460 & 0976

49 mins12 questions
Easy
Medium
1a1 mark

Insert the following words into the equation to show how overall population change is calculated.

  • death rate

  • migration

  • birth rate

..................... - ....................... + or - .................... = overall population change

How did you do?

1b2 marks

Use Figure 2.1 to state the average annual rate of population change between 2015 and 2020 of the following countries.

World map showing average annual population change (2015-2020). Various shades indicate rates from -1% to 5%, with highest in Africa, no data in white.

Angola ............................................................%

USA ............................................................%

How did you do?

1c3 marks

Use Figure 2.1 to compare the rates of population change in Africa and Europe.

How did you do?

23 marks

Figure 2.2 shows information about birth rates and death rates in China between 1962 and 2020

Graph showing birth and death rates per 1000 people from 1962 to 2020. Birth rate declines sharply; death rate remains steady. One-child policy indicated.

Which of the following statements are true about birth rates and death rates in China during the period shown in Figure 2.2?

Choose three answers.

The birth rate has always been higher than the death rate.

Both the birth rate and the death rate declined overall.

Natural population growth increased overall.

The birth rate has fluctuated more than the death rate.

The death rate has declined every year.

The death rate was higher than the birth rate in 2020.

How did you do?

3a1 mark

Study Fig. 1.1, which shows information about the total world population since 1800 with estimates up to 2100.

Graph showing world population growth from 1800 to 2100 in billions. Two estimates for future population, X showing steady growth and Y showing decline.

What was the total population of the world in 2020?

How did you do?

3b2 marks

Compare the growth of the world’s population from 1800 to 1950 with the growth between 1950 and 2020. Use statistics in your answer.

How did you do?

4a1 mark

Study Fig 3.1, which shows information about population change in Estonia (an HIC in Europe) in 2018.

Table displaying figures: births 14,270; deaths 15,670; immigration 13,030; emigration 6,940.
Fig 3.1

How is natural population change calculated?

How did you do?

4b
Sme Calculator2 marks

The total population of Estonia on 1 January 2018 was 1319130. Calculate the total population of Estonia by the end of 2018 using the statistics in Fig. 3.1. You should show your calculations.

How did you do?

5a1 mark

Study Fig 4.1, which shows information about population growth in Australia (a HIC).

Line graph showing Australian population growth from 1993 to 2018, including natural increase, net international migration, and total population growth.
Fig 4.1

In which year was total population growth highest in Australia?

How did you do?

5b1 mark

How is total population growth calculated?

How did you do?

6a1 mark

Study Fig 5.1, which shows the demographic transition model (DTM).

Demographic transition model chart showing birth, death, and total population rates across five stages from high stationary to negative growth.
The demographic transition model

The UK is a HIC. Which stage of the demographic transition model is the UK?

How did you do?

6b3 marks

What are three population characteristics of a country at stage 2 of the demographic transition model?

How did you do?

6c3 marks

State three reasons why the birth rate starts to fall rapidly in stage 3 of the model.

How did you do?

73 marks

Study Fig. 6.1, which shows information about population growth in The Gambia (an LEDC in Africa).

Text discussing The Gambia's high population growth rate due to low contraceptive use, polygamy, and reduced infant mortality, with family planning efforts since 1993.
Fig 6.1

Suggest three reasons why the use of contraceptives is not common in The Gambia.

How did you do?

15 marks

The one-child policy was a strategy used by the government of China to influence natural population growth rates.

Use Figure 2.2 to evaluate the impacts of the one-child policy on population growth in China.

Graph showing birth and death rates per 1000 people in China from 1962 to 2020, highlighting the impact of the one-child policy starting in 1980.

How did you do?

24 marks

Explain the limitations of the demographic transition model.

How did you do?

34 marks

Explain the strengths of the demographic transition model.

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45 marks

Study Fig. 6.1, which shows information about population growth in The Gambia (an LEDC in Africa).

Text discussing The Gambia's high population growth rate due to low contraceptive use, polygamy, and reduced infant mortality, with family planning efforts since 1993.
Fig 6.1

Explain why it is difficult to reduce natural population growth rates in LICs, such as The Gambia, even though the use of contraception has recently increased.

How did you do?

54 marks

Study Figs. 1.2 and 1.3, which show information about birth rates in Vietnam (an MIC in South East Asia).

q1b-specimen-2020-paper-1-cie-igcse-geo

The communist government of Vietnam is penalising couples who have more than two children. In the early 1960s it imposed a two-child limit for couples and there have been campaigns to promote contraception and abortion in the country since 1997.

By 2000, the birth rate had been reduced considerably by the use of fines and confiscation of land. The original policy ended in 2003 but was revived in 2008 after an increase in the birth rate.

Villagers in Thua Thien-Hue province are being fined for having more than two children under the government two-child policy. Catherine Pham Thi Thanh, 44, said that since 1996 she has been fined a total of 3800 kilograms of rice for having six children. This is a great loss for the family which makes an annual profit of only 700 kilograms of rice from their farm.

Fig 1.3

Suggest how government policies and other factors may have reduced Vietnam's birth rate.

How did you do?