Uneven Social Development

Birth and Death rates: Population growth depends on a balance between birth and death rates. Social, Economic and Political factors 

Birth rates: factors leading to higher birth rates:

children provide labour for farms and security for old age (economic)

Girls marry early and therefore extend their childbearing years (social)

women may lack education so may stay at home to raise a family instead of work (social)

Birth rates: factors leading to lower birth rates:

people tend to marry later so, therefore, reduce childbearing years (social)

women are educated so often follow careers which delay or prevent starting families (political)

high costs of living mean it is expensive to raise children (economic) 

Couples like to spend money on material things like holidays (economic)

Death Rates: factors leading to higher death rates:

HIV, Ebola and other hard to control diseases are having an impact on death rates in LIC's (social)

In HIC's there is a higher proportion of elderly people in ageing societies, leading to an increase in death rates (social)

Death Rates: factors leading to lower death rates:

Better healthcare and vaccination programmes are more available to people (political)

Less physically demanding jobs put less stress on people (social)

People are educated about health and hygiene (political)

Water supplies are more reliable and cleaner (political)

Factors which may influence results of population pyramid in Nigeria (sub-Saharan):

High Infant mortality rate of 74/1000 live births 

Average life expectancy is 52 years

Large families 

Low use of contraception

Poor sanitation and drinking water 

0.4 doctors per 1000 population 

High risk of catching major infectious diseases

Civil unrest since 2002 by Boko Haram 

Nigerian Government has a large amount of foreign debt 

Factors which may influence results of population pyramid in India (South Asia):

Infant mortality rate of 43 deaths/ 1000 live births

Average life expectancy is 67.8 years 

medium use of contraception 

poor sanitation and drinking water 

0.65 doctors per 1000 population 

In 2015 India was ranked the 7th largest country in economy yet it is still facing poverty and corruption 

Expenditure on health is 3.9 % of GDP

0.3% of population had HIV/AIDS

Glossary:

Birth Rate: Number of births pers per 1000 people per year 

Death Rate: Number of deaths per 1000 people per year

Population Pyramid: a graph that shows the age and gender distribution of a population