It is the number of live births per 1000 people per year. If this number is relatively high we expect to see increases in population.

Both high and low birth rates can put pressure on societies.

High birth rates lead to large numbers of young people within a society who subsequently need education and opportunities in the workforce.

Low birth rates, on the other hand, can lead to a lack of people to do certain jobs within a society and an ageing population that needs to be supported.

1. Limited access to birth control and family planning.
   Example: Nigeria has a high birth rate partly due to limited access to contraception and family planning services.

   
   

2. Government policies that encourage larger families through financial incentives or other support.
   Example: Hungary introduced the Family Protection Action Plan to encourage families to have more children by offering tax exemptions and housing aid.

   
   

3. Cultural or religious beliefs favoring large families
   Example: In the Philippines, cultural and religious values promote large families, contributing to a relatively high birth rate in the region.

1. Education about family planning and access to contraceptives
   Example: In many European countries like Germany, access to reproductive health education and services has helped reduce birth rates.

   
   

2. Female empowerment and career opportunities.
   Example: In South Korea, many women prioritize education and careers, contributing to one of the world’s lowest birth rates.

   
   

3. High cost of raising children and urban lifestyle pressures.
   Example: In Japan, the financial burden of child-rearing and work-life imbalance have led to a consistently low birth rate.

   
   

4. Ageing population and fewer people of reproductive age
   Example: China now faces a declining birth rate, even after removing the One-Child Policy, as fewer young couples are choosing to have children.

Key Factors:

• Higher development levels in a country lead to lower death rates and higher life expectancy.

  
  

• Better healthcare services, good doctor–patient ratios, and overall higher living standards contribute to this.

  
  

• Less developed countries often have poorer healthcare and living conditions, leading to higher death rates and lower life expectancy.

• Conflict and war

  Lead to dramatic loss of life as well as injuries to people that affect their overall quality of life.

  • Examples:

    • First World War — approximately 38 million deaths

    • Second World War — approximately 60 million deaths

      
      

• Epidemics

  • Diseases that spread as epidemics can have severe effects on population sizes. During the medieval era, outbreaks of the plague killed huge proportions of populations.

  • Example: Spanish Flu epidemic — approximately 50 million deaths.

    
    

• Natural disasters

  • Floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes and other natural disasters can strike with deadly consequences.

  • Example: Earthquake in Haiti in 2011 — approximately 316,000 deaths.

  
  

• Famine and drought

  • When the food or water supply becomes extremely low, the result is famine and drought.

  • Examples:

    • Ethiopian famine in 1984 — more than 400,000 deaths.

    • Famine in China during the late 1950s, early 1960s.

Key Factors:

• Medical improvements — New technologies like advanced medical equipment, better access to modern hospitals help detect and treat illnesses earlier.

• Improved diet and lifestyle changes — More awareness through health apps, fitness trackers, and online resources encourages people to make healthier choices.

• Improved living and working conditions — Modern building standards, air quality controls, and workplace safety laws keep living and working spaces safer and healthier.

• Safer societies — Better surveillance systems, emergency response services, and community programs help reduce crime and keep people safe.

• Peace — International cooperation and peacekeeping organizations help prevent conflicts and promote stability.

• Sanitation — Advanced water treatment plants, modern waste management, and widespread hygiene education help maintain clean environments.

This number fluctuates depending on a range of circumstances. The reasons why people leave a country or move to another country are known as push and pull factors.

Push Factors:

• Lack of economic opportunities – there may not be many jobs or wages may be too low

• Conflict – people may be trying to escape war

• Refugees – they can no longer live in their home country, often because of war or political oppression

• Natural disasters – if a country is prone to natural disasters, people may leave in order to be in a more safe or stable country.

Pull Factors:

• Education – the opportunity to study in a different country

• Choice – people may see a better quality of life in a different country

• Family and friends – people may move to be with family/friends in a different country

• Environment – another country may have appealing natural or urban environments

• Economic opportunities – another country may offer a variety of jobs, good pay and social security

• Create a magazine article about an area of the world where life expectancy is very high. You could choose a location from Figure 4.10.

  
  

• Within the article discuss the role of the following: diet, climate and environment, lifestyle, standards of healthcare and sanitation, safety of the society.

• Within your magazine article you should also answer the research question:

‘Explain the different reasons why people are living longer in [country name].’

NOTE:

• Aim to write 500–700 words to explain your article in detail.

• Include images to give your work some visual interest.

• Include a bibliography of the sources you used at the end of the article.

Many countries have taken steps to manage population changes. In aging societies like the UK, retirement ages are increasing to reduce pressure on pensions. Some countries encourage immigration of younger workers for the same reason. Others use pro-natalist policies, like France, which offers incentives for larger families. In contrast, China used an anti-natalist policy through its one-child rule from 1979 to 2016, aimed at curbing overpopulation. While successful in reducing birth rates, China now faces serious consequences: gender imbalance, social issues, and an aging population with fewer young people to support the elderly.

• Raising Retirement Age- This has recently happened in the UK; the retirement age will go up from 65 years to 66 in 2020 and then to 67 between 2026 and 2028.

  
  

• Encouraging Immigration- Other countries have tried to encourage immigration by people of working age, since their work will generate tax revenues and therefore pay for the older generation’s retirement.

Some countries have tried to encourage people to have more children. This is known as a pro-natalist policy.

The government gives perks to people who have larger families – this means three or more children, since to achieve an increase in population, each couple needs to produce more than the two children required to replace themselves.

• Example: France

  • Incentives: Cheaper nursery fees, longer maternity leave, fewer taxes.

  • Result: Fertility rate rose to 1.96 (highest in Europe in 2016).

  • Goal: Counter low birth rates by encouraging families with 3+ children.

"The more children you have, the better discounts you get."

An Anti-Natalist Policy is a set of measures designed to discourage childbirth and reduce population growth. Such policies often arise in response to concerns over resource scarcity, economic development, or environmental sustainability, promoting family planning and contraception while sometimes imposing restrictions on family size.

• Example: China (One-child Policy from 1979–2016)

  • Reason: Overpopulation after 1960s fertility boom (6 children per woman).

  • Exceptions: Rural families allowed a second child if the first was a girl (2005).

  • Adjustments: Two-child policy introduced in 2016.