Population

Which of the following is not a reason that the average family size is likely to be larger in developing countries than in developed countries?

May/June 2015

The charts illustrate a country’s population structure in 1960 and 2010. In that time, how did the birth and death rates alter?

May/June 2015

The diagrams illustrate the population structure of a country in 1960 and 2010. Across this period, in what way did the birth and death rates alter?

May/June 2015

Around 30% of Nigeria’s labour force works in agriculture, yet the nation still spends over US$12 billion each year bringing in food. The Nigerian Government wants to cut food imports, but a high birth rate and many small farms could make that hard to achieve.

May/June 2015

Poland is going through shifts in both its population and its economy. The country’s death rate is decreasing. Although Poland has a high unemployment rate, the number of people migrating there is rising, especially from Spain and Italy. Poland is becoming more like a market economy, with a growing share of the labour force working in the private sector.

May/June 2015

Predictions suggest that by 2050 China will have 53 million fewer children under 14, 100 million fewer workers and 234 million more people aged over 60. What is the likely effect in China of these changes?

May/June 2016

It is projected that India’s working-age population aged between 15 and 64 will grow by 125 million from 2015 to 2025, and then by a further 103 million in the decade after that. Naturally, not every person of working age will have a job or be looking for one. Shifts in population and in the labour force influence how successfully a government can meet its economic aims.

May/June 2016

The diagram gives population projections up to the year 2075 for selected areas. If there is no migration, which condition must be true for the population to change in the way illustrated in the diagram?

May/June 2017

The diagram gives population projections up to the year $2075$ for selected areas. If there is no migration, which condition must be present for the population to change in the way the diagram shows?

May/June 2017

Japan’s birth rate is declining. Its population is getting older, and it is shrinking more quickly than the population of any other country. This affects how much the Japanese Government spends on pensions. The government is considering policies to raise the birth rate and to promote immigration.

May/June 2017

In October 2015, the Chinese government moved from a one child policy to a two child policy in part because of the difficulties linked to an ageing population. The birth rate was already declining as a result of more women entering the labour force, improved education, later marriages and the sharply rising cost of housing.

May/June 2018

In a country, the birth rate rose but the population fell. What might have happened to the other factors to lead to this?

May/June 2019

In a country, the birth rate rose but the population fell. What changes in other factors could have caused this?

May/June 2019

The diagrams illustrate birth rate (BR) and death rate (DR) in three countries, X, Y and Z, in two years, 1 and 2. No migration occurred. In which country was population increasing in year 1 and decreasing in year 2?

May/June 2021

The diagrams illustrate birth rate (BR) and death rate (DR) for three countries, X, Y and Z, in two years, 1 and 2. No migration took place. In which country did the population increase in year 1 and decrease in year 2?

May/June 2021

Turkey's birth rate is declining, so its labour supply is likely to shrink. Even so, improvements in labour quality and the growing number of foreign multinational companies (MNCs) operating in Turkey (the host country to the MNCs) may help the economy avoid a recession. Economists are concerned that a recession could happen because the interest rate is expected to rise.

May/June 2021

Examine the source material carefully before you answer Question 1. Source material: Cyprus Cyprus is a small country that had a comparatively high HDI ranking in 2019. It exports a mixture of goods and services, such as fruit, pharmaceuticals and clothing. Cyprus imports most of the food it eats, although it grows most of its own grapes and potatoes. In 2019, bad weather affected the world grape harvest. Global grape production dropped by 35% and this created a shortage. Around 14% of Cyprus’s labour force works in the primary sector. The average age of Cyprus’s workers is rising, and a growing number now remain in employment beyond retirement age. This is especially true for highly qualified workers, who are often well-paid, healthy and employed in jobs that do not demand physical strength. Longer life expectancy and the growing cost of funding state pensions led some economists to propose increasing the retirement age. A move like this would affect the government’s budget balance. In 2019, the Cypriot government recorded a budget surplus. However, Cyprus had a deficit on the current account of its balance of payments. A country’s current account balance can be affected by its inflation rate. Fig. 1.1 displays selected countries’ inflation rates (%) and current account balances (% of GDP) in 2019. Cyprus had a very low interest rate in 2019. It was anticipated that this would affect the country’s investment. Since 2015, some firms in the country have become more capital-intensive. This shift has influenced Cyprus’s productivity and may have affected the quality of goods produced. In 2019, two possible future problems for Cyprus’s economy were that the quality of some agricultural land might deteriorate and that some of its leading entrepreneurs might leave the country.

May/June 2022

If all other factors remain unchanged, what would lead a population to grow and also become older?

May/June 2023

The chart shows the population pyramid for a country. Which factor is most likely to make the population pyramid look like this?

May/June 2024

An increase in which factor would lead to a higher population growth rate in a country?

May/June 2024

Which pair of statistics is used to calculate a country’s natural population growth?

May/June 2025

Japan’s population is becoming made up of a larger share of elderly people. What effect is this likely to have on the Japanese economy?

May/June 2025

The United Nations projects that the proportion of the global population living in developing countries will rise from 83% in 2003 to 88% in 2050. What is the most likely main reason for this forecast change?

Oct/Nov 2015

In developed countries, an ageing population has brought about changes in the population structure. What is the effect of this change?

Oct/Nov 2015

If nothing else changes, the population is most likely to rise when there is a decrease in

Oct/Nov 2015

The diagram presents population data for Japan in 1950, 2005 and 2050. What conclusion can be drawn from the diagram?

Oct/Nov 2015

In $2010$ there was a rise in net emigration from Ireland. What is the most likely reason for this rise?

Oct/Nov 2016

Which change would be most likely to make the population decrease if all other factors stayed constant?

Oct/Nov 2016

In developed countries, the share of people aged over 65 is high and continues to rise. Which economic consequence is most likely to arise from this type of population change?

Oct/Nov 2016

Which factor is most likely to lead to an increase in the population growth of a developing country?

Oct/Nov 2017

The charts illustrate a country’s population structure in 1960 and 2015. What fell between 1960 and 2015?

Oct/Nov 2017

At the beginning of the year, a developing country had a population of $1\,000\,000$, with a birth rate of $16.0$ per thousand per annum and a death rate of $8.0$ per thousand per annum. By the end of the year, the population had risen to $1\,005\,000$. What might account for this change in the population?

Oct/Nov 2017

A country has equal birth rate and death rate. What is likely to happen if the birth rate falls, while the death rate and migration stay the same?

Oct/Nov 2017

The graphs illustrate a country's population structure in 1960 and 2015. What had a lower value in 2015 than in 1960?

Oct/Nov 2017

Which factor will result in an ageing population if all other factors stay the same?

Oct/Nov 2018

In $2015$, Spain recorded a death rate that was higher than its birth rate for the first time since $1939$. Forecasts suggest that its population will decrease by $5.6$ million during the next $50$ years. A fall of this kind would probably affect both the number and the size of firms in the country and also affect the environment. There are several different ways in which a country’s population can be increased.

Oct/Nov 2018

In Botswana, improvements in healthcare have caused birth rates to decrease more quickly than death rates. In addition, the average number of children born to each woman has fallen from $6.4$ to $3.2$. What can be concluded from this information?

Oct/Nov 2019

In Botswana, improved healthcare has caused birth rates to decline more quickly than death rates. In addition, the average number of children born to each woman has dropped from 6.4 to 3.2. What can be concluded from this information?

Oct/Nov 2019

It is forecast that the UK economy will not fall into another recession over the next two decades, and that by 2040 its population will rise sharply. Immigration is expected to account for most of this increase. By 2040, one in twelve people is also expected to be aged over $80$. A number of countries, including some low-income countries, may experience population growth more quickly than high-income countries.

Oct/Nov 2019

Zambia is a middle-income nation, yet 60% of its population of 15 million live below the poverty line. In 2017, the Zambian government said that it was intending to shift the country’s capital away from Lusaka in the south of the country and to Ngabwe, a village in the centre of the country. Ngabwe at present has poor roads and other infrastructure. Moving to Ngabwe, however, could help the country deal with its rapid population growth and could also encourage entrepreneurs to establish new businesses there. In 2017, the country had a zero net migration rate, a birth rate of 41.8, a death rate of 12.4, and a life expectancy of 52.5 years. Zambia’s average economic growth rate was 6.8% between 2004 and 2014. After 2014, this rate declined, partly because of a depreciation in the kwacha, Zambia’s currency. The fall in the foreign exchange rate of the kwacha helped push the country’s inflation rate up from 10.1% in 2015 to 20.6% in 2016. In 2017, the labour force of 7.2 million made up 48% of the country’s population. People work in several industries including agriculture, banking, building, copper mining, and emerald mining. Fig. 1.1 shows the link between copper output and revenue from the sale of copper, with the index for 2010 set at 100. In 2017, Zambia’s central bank cut commercial bank lending. This reduced investment and household borrowing. Government spending increased more slowly and some cuts were made to government spending on training.

Oct/Nov 2019

What factors lead to a country’s birth rate falling?

Oct/Nov 2020

What impact does the net emigration of people aged 20-40 have on an economy?

Oct/Nov 2021

The table gives information on four countries, A-D. Which country is most likely to experience a declining population?

Oct/Nov 2021

What is the normal impact of net immigration on a high-income country?

Oct/Nov 2022

What is the most probable effect of an ageing population on a high-income economy?

Oct/Nov 2023

The table gives information about birth rate, death rate and net migration for a number of countries in one year. What conclusion can be drawn from the table?

Oct/Nov 2024

The population pyramids for country 1 and country 2 in a specific year are shown. From these population pyramids, what can be deduced?

Oct/Nov 2024

A country is experiencing a lower birth rate and a higher death rate, and a growing number of adults of working age (16-60 years) are going overseas to look for jobs. What effect is this likely to have on the population numbers in the country’s different age groups?

Oct/Nov 2025

The populations of four countries, A, B, C and D, are each the same size. Based on the changes shown in the table, which country is most likely to experience the greatest population growth?

Oct/Nov 2025