Grade 10-12 Geography

POPULATION IN ZAMBIA AND THE SUB-REGION

Grade 10-12 Geography

Author: C.I. Chilukusha (Mrs)

Summary: This lesson plan covers the reasons why populations change, characteristics of a
population pyramid, Zambian population’s structure, distribution factors, migration, rural/urban drift,
population in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

POPULATION

ZAMBIA

CONCEPTS

POPULATION - This is the total number of people in a city or region or country. The population total is
determined using a census i.e. the counting of people in a country. The Zambian census, takes place
every 10 (ten) years - latest being in 2000.

POPULATION CHANGE : This is the increase or decrease of population in a country, region or city.
Reasons for the change could be ;
a) NATURAL INCREASE –This is an increase as a result of an increased birth rate.
b) BIRTH RATE: - This is the rate at which children are born – births per 1000 in a year.
c) DEATH RATE: - This is the number of deaths per 1000. It reduces the population. Also called
crude death rate.
d) MIGRATION- This is the movement of people from one part the country to another. This is
called internal migration. People also move from one country to another – international
migration.
e) FERTILITY RATIO─ The ability to produce, live-born children. It’s the number of births in a
year per 1,000 women of reproductive age i.e. between 15-45 years. The rate may differ in
different areas due to access to birth control, income, death rate etc.
f) DEMOGRAPHY ─ This is the study of human population e.g. to find the size, composition,
distribution etc.
g) OPTIMUM POPULATION -This is the best or normal population density for a particular region.
This allows for normal distribution of resources. This includes the optimum death (normal) and
birth rates.
h) OVERPOPULATION ─ This is a condition of having too many people for the available
resources i.e. less food, less shelter, no health facilities etc. The country is therefore unable to
sustain a reasonable standard of living. This is not really related to the population density
which is the number of people per km2.
i) UNDER POPULATION -This is the opposite of over population i.e. Too many resources for the
available people.
j) INFANT MORTALITY RATE -This is the rate at which children die - under the age of five.
k) DEPENDANCY RATIO─ This is the measure used to find out to what extent children and the
old people are dependant on the productive population in the age between 15-64 years.
l) POPULATION GROWTH -This is the increase in the population of a city or country. This is
when there is a high birth rate compared to death rate.
m) POPULATION EXPLOTION-This is a large and rapid increase in population size. This could be
due to a decrease in death rate due to Improved medical facilities e.g. chemical sprays against
mosquitoes, medicines balanced diet, education and increased money etc.

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 n) POPULATION STRUCTURE: - This refers to the divisions of population in various groups of
sex and age. It’s a frequency distribution histogram showing sex and composition.
o) AGEING POPULATION-Fewer workers supporting increasing numbers of old people.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A POPULATION PYRAMID.

Horizontal bars indicate percentages of the total population or can be actual numbers or as
percentage of just the male or female population. Each horizontal bar represents a number of years
e.g. five year group. The lowest bar represents children. Males are usually on the left and females on
the right. Shape of the pyramid varies according to the population composition e.g. very broad base
reducing upward for developing nation like Zambia and almost pillar like for developed nation like
Sweden etc.
• Population density: This is the number of people per square kilometer.
• Population distribution: This is the way in which population is dispersed. It can be:
• Spacely populated – Very few people, low density
• Moderatery POPULATED─ Average number of people to medium density
• Densely POPULATED─ A lot of people per square kilometer high density
• URBANISATION ─ The total number of people living in urban areas.

ZAMBIA’S POPULATION

POPULATION SIZE – This is roughly 10 million showing an increase from 1990 census which showed
a total of 7, 82 millions
The population has increased from 1969. (From 3.4 to 7.82 million).
On average the Zambia population grows by 3.2% with death rate dropping to 1.3%.

Zambia’s population is counted using the followings:-

Registration of births, death and marriages
National census every 10 years.
National registration of people over 16 years.
Registration of pupils and students in learning institution.

Census determines, the employment status, provision of services and helps in natural and
infrastructure.

The increase in population in Zambia has been due to:-

Declining death rates due to better medical care and sanitation including social and cultural values.
Lack of family planning especially in rural areas.
Increased education e.g. proper / balanced diet.

POPULATION STUCTUERE
- Has a very young population – a dependent population.
- It has recorded an increase in death rate, especially as a result of HIV/AIDS; this has affected
almost all age groups especially the youth.
- This has reduced life expectancy (-the number of years a person is expected to live -) to above
45 from 57 years.
- There is an even distribution of males and females in the age groups –i.e. percentages are
almost the same.
- Only 34.2% of the total population is productive i.e. percentages are almost the same.
- Only 34.2% of the total population is productive i.e. 1/3 supporting 2/3 of the populations
- This is because of youth unemployment etc.

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POPULATION DENSITY
- Average density for Zambia is 104 people per km2
- Actual density varies according to regions and towns.
- Lusaka, Livingstone, Copperbelt has 100+ p/km2
- Valleys and natural parks have 0-1 p/km2

See map showing paper density. Ref: Naidoo - P 104

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION & FACTORS

PULL FACTORS IN GENNERAL

Good and fertile climate
Flat land e.g. plateau
Mineral resources e.g. copper on Copperbelt
Good transport e.g. rail and road
Availability of industries for employment
Availability of social services

THREE (3) MAJOR CATEGORIES OF DENSITIES

A. DENSELY POPULATED AREAS

Copperbelt , Livingstone, Lusaka and Kabwe due to:
- Mining providing employment
- Fertile soils for agriculture
- Good transport network eg rail & road
- Lusaka is capital city and route center.
- Availability of manufacturing industries
- Availability of social service eg schools.
- Moderate climate with moderate rainfall and moderate temperature.
- Livingstone is a tourist capital and a trade center

B. SPARCELY POPULATED AREAS

- These include Northwestern provinces middle Kafue valley and Luangwa valley.
- These areas have:
- Limited agriculture development due to droughts and sandy soils.
- Few industries
- Poor transport network i.e. lack of proper roads and railway liens.
- No mineral resources
- Some parts are tsetse fly infected eg Kafue national park and surrounding areas.
- Most of the areas are national parks eg Kafue, south Luangwa National park.

C. MODERATELY POUPLATED AREAS

These areas have average population and include Eastern provinces, upper Zambezi,
Luapula and Northern provinces, Mongu Reasons include:
Moderate rainfall and temperatures for settlement and agriculture.
Fertile soils especially in flood plain and plateau.
Good/availability of pasture for animals.
Luapula and upper Zambezi are good fishing areas.
Towns e.g. Mongu, Chipata, Mansa and Kasense are administrative areas,
commercial areas etc.
Availability of transport especially to provincial capitals eg Chipata by road.
Some of the towns are route centers eg Mpulungu and Nakonde etc.

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EFFECTS OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH
Lack of job opportunities
Overcrowding and creation of shanty compounds.
Low standard of living e.g. poor housing
Lack of social services eg no school places, no clinics, sanitation, poor garbage collection.
Underdevelopment of infrastructure e.g. roads.
Dependency on donors e.g. IMF and World Bank.
Increased crime e.g. stealing.
Increased prostitution in search for money.
Increase in number of street kids.
Increase in corrupt practices eg in search for jobs, school places etc.

POSIBLE SOLUTIONS
Increase family planning awareness.
Increase agricultural production.
Create more jobs e.g. in manufacturing industries.
Rural electrification to prevent overcrowding in towns.
Expand existing farming schemes.
Increase tax base to improve government revenue.
Promote gender existence.
Promotion of girl/female education.
Promote population education for youth.

RURAL-URBAN MIGRATION
This is the movement of people from rural areas to towns, mainly due to:
Education especial tertiary education eg colleges.
Employment in industries.
Strict customs or cultural practices eg initiation ceremonies in rural areas.
Social facilities in towns. e.g. proper hospitals, houses with electricity, roads etc
Others run away from witchcraft.
Reduced agriculture especially during droughts.

EFFECTS IN RURAL AREAS

Reduced population especially male.
Agriculture production reduces.
Lack of development.
Children and women are left alone.

EFFECTS IN URBAN AREAS

Unemployment
Housing shortage leading to increased rentals.
Poor sanitation.
Water shortage due to growing coverage.
Poor transport network.
Overcrowding and creation of squarter compounds.
Inadequate medical facilities.
Inadequate food.
Mixed or deteriorating cultural values.

GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO STOP RURAL-URBAN DRIFT

Encouraging farming co-operation.
Encouraging farming settlement schemes eg kanakantapa.
Building large scale industries in rural areas eg Luangwa bicycle plant (Chipata)

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Introducing small scale Industries Development (SIDO) and Village Industries (VIS) in rural areas.
Improving rural transport and communication eg mobile phones.
Building more schools and clinics in rural areas.
Developing rural areas e.g. electrification.

MIGRATION IN GENERAL
This is population mobility either temporary or permanent eg for employment or in search of education.
INTERNATIONAL - Between countries
INTERNAL - Within the country.

International migration is in two forms i.e.

a) IMMIGRANNTS-People who have entered the country.
b) EMIGRAMTS-People who leave their country.

Internal migration includes:

a) INMIGRANTS-People moving from one place to another within the country.
b) OUT MIGRANT-People moving from their original places.
RETURN MIGRANT-These are emigrants who come back to their original countries permanently.
NET MIGRATION -The difference between number of out migrants and in migrant or emigrants and
immigrants.

CAUSES OF MIGRATION

PUSH FACTORS (what causes people to move out).

Civil wars leading to refugees.
Political or ideological differences e.g. white farmers in Zimbabwe.
Tribal wars e.g. weak tribes migrate.
Natural disasters e.g. droughts.
Displacements forced by government eg people of area occupied by Lake Kariba.
Lack of jobs in urban areas.

PULL FACTORS (Attractions in new areas)

Employment
Social service
Education etc (as discussed earlier).
Accommodation.

URBANISATION in Zambia is between 40% to 49.9% especially because most of the rural areas have
been neglected in terms of development and provision of social services.

POPULATION - SUBREGION

MALAWI

Malawi’s population is 8 000 000.Its annual growth is 4%.

This increase is due to:-
NATURAL INCREASE .More births than deaths due to improved diet, medical facilities and good
sanitation .
IMMIGRATION - also increase the population e.g. people from Mozambique looking for employment
on tea estates.
PRO-NATALIST GOVERNMENT POLICY-this policy favored large families by discouraging birth
control family planning and sex education.

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RESULTS OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH
Low living standards due to lack of education, medical facilities and employment
Pressure on land leading to increased agriculture. This has later led to reduced timber stocks and
wildlife habitats.
Emigration - young men migrate to neighboring countries e.g. Zimbabwe, Zambia in search of jobs.

Malawi has both internal and international migration, internal migration involves people moving to the
Southern parts of Malawi for employment etc.

IMPACT OF MIGRATIONS
Rural areas are depopulated creating sex imbalance, i.e. more females and children than males. This
leads to decline in agricultural productivity because only the old men children and females are left in
villages. E.g. less people in Mzuzu and Mzimba.
Urban areas are overpopulation creating unemployment, housing shortages, poor sanitation and lack
of medical facilities.
In some cases retirees go back to villages with ideas of development e.g. setting up harmer mills,
groceries etc,
Increasing in crime and prostitution in urban areas

POPULATION DENSTY AND DISTRIBUTION

Malawi population density is 94 people per km2. (National density)
Different areas have different densities as can be seen below:-

DISTRIBUTION

HIGH DENSITY AREAS (130 People/km2)

These include the southern part of Malawi.
It has a total population of 41,400 000 people with a density of 130/km2

The high density is due to:-

Manufacturing and processing industries e.g. in Blantyre-Limbe, the largest industrial centre, provides
employment.
Trade focus- Imports and exports pass though Blantyre by rail, road and air.
Accessibility by road, rail and air to other countries and within Malawi e.g. Chileka international Airport.
Immigration- A lot of refugees from Mozambique to Mulanje and Thyolo districts.
Rural-urban migration from the North.
Extensive plateau areas of Mulanje, Zomba and shire have fertile soils, receive heavy rainfall and are
tsetse free hence they stimulate settlement.
Fishing on the lakes Chirwa, Chuta and Malawi.

MEDIUM DESITY AREAS

These include central Malawi accounting for 39% of total Population (3, 000 000).

REASONS FOR MEDIUM DESITY ARE:-

a) High and reliable rainfall of about 900-12500mm
b) Moderate temperatures of between 1890 and 24 degrees Celsius which are good for
settlement.
c) Absence of tsetse flies facilitating agriculture.
d) Good communication e.g. road, rail, air and water e.g. on the lake Malawi.
e) In-migration from the North and other rural areas.
f) Availability of electricity by ESCOM power for domestic and industrial purposes.

The central LILONGWE has many people due to:-

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Fertile soil on the Lilongwe plain.
Lilongwe is an administrative and route focus.
c) It is the Capital City and upcoming industrial town.
d) Government policy to decongest the southern part.

LOW DENSITY AREAS.

These include the north with a density if 35/km square accounting for only 11% of total population.
Reasons are:-
a) Hilly relief - e.g. Nyika and Vipya plateaus.
b) The soil s not fertile for agriculture.
c) Difficult in communication especially due to Hilly relief.
d) Lack of water in dry season and bleak climate making agriculture and settlement difficult.

ZIMBAMBWE

Census is held every 10 (ten) years.

A population Census reveals changes in population ages, numbers in each sex, places of birth
Educational standards, languages spoken, transport mode, types of houses, fire used for cooking,
water supply and toilet facilities.
Last recorded census was 1992 giving a total population of 10, 412 548 people in total.
This shows that population has doubled in the last 20 years.
Annual growth is 3.1 per cent.
Population comprises 3.2% non-Zimbabweans and 96.8% Africans - Zimbabwean

REASONS FOR POPULATION GROWTH

Excess of birth rates over death rates.
Excess of immigrants over emigrants.
Improved pre-natal care - few babies die at birth.
Traditional belief that large families give security in life e.g. provision of family labour,
Lowering of the death rate - long life expectancy due to improved diets, improved medical services
and work safely measures.

POPULATION STRUCTURE
Population structure is devised from the number of people in each sex group and their ages.
Half the population of Zimbabwe is under 15years, an age group dependent on others for food,
clothing and housing etc. Hence most of the people are non-producers.
1.8% of the population is over 65 years, also a dependant group.
Zimbabwe’s dependency ratio is over 100 meaning that it has more dependants than workers.
Zimbabwe’s population pyramid has a broad-based structure implying that it is a young population,
just like Zambia’s. The pyramid narrows gradually to a thin apex while AGEING populations in the
west have balanced shapes.

POPULATION DENSITY AND DISTRIBUTION

Distribution factors include:-
1) Relief - less people in the Eastern highlands, parts of the great dyke, the Zambezi escarpment
and remote rugged plateaus of mafungabusi. The high veld, middle veld and low veld have wide level
areas for settlement.
2) CLIMATE - low rainfall (below 650mm) has fewer people. Agriculture is supported by irrigation.
The low rainfall areas also have infertile soils.
Eastern highlands has less people due to very heavy rainfall and very low temperature.
3) TSETSE FLIES- mostly affected areas are the Zambezi area hindering mixed agriculture and
human settlement.

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4) ECONOMIC - The commercial zone, i.e. urban areas and commercial farms have high density
i.e. 22.2% of total population.
5) LEGISLATION- Division of land into African, European and National land.
Africans had communal lands.

In many areas of Zimbabwe land has become so poor that if can not support agriculture, a situation
referred to as land pressure.
- Little or no pressure areas include the North and North–west. These areas have tsetse flies,
rugged relief and hostile climate.
- Moderate pressure areas include 30℅ of the communal land in the south-west, South and
extreme North-East. Has potential pressure due to increasing population of overgrazing especially in
low rainfall zones.
- High to Extreme pressure areas covers 40% of communal land. South East middle veld and
save valley has very serious land degradation. Population here is increasing while national resources
are decreasing.
In relation to their resources Buheria is over-populated while Sebungwe is under-populated.
- The government has embanked on settlement schemes to redistribute the land.

MOVEMENTS OF POPULATION
- Zimbabwe has both internal and inter-national movements.

PULL FCTORS
These factors attract people to certain areas.
- Availability of better social services such as education and hospitals.
- Favorable climate e.g. moderate temperature and rainfall.
- Are favorable and safe political climate.
- Spirit of adventure.
- The government resettlement scheme is expected to move 162,000 families from communal
land onto of million Hectors of land in the general land area.
- The resettlement schemes intend to reduce land pressure and make use of under-developed
lands to the maximum.
- More than half of Zimbabwe’s population lives in urban areas.
- A lot white farmers have left due to the repossession of their farms and loss of jobs.
- Immigration has reduced due to unstable political and economic situation and restrictions on
the
number of people for employment e.g. only work which can not be by Zimbabweans is
considered

SOLUTIONS (SUGGESTED) TO THE PROBLEMS OF RAPID POPULATION GROWTH.

Increase in farming land e.g. irrigation, in the South East veld.
Reduction of non food crops e.g. tobacco.
Increase manufacturing industries to provide employment.
Birth control to reduce the population growth by implementing family planning promoted by the
Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council.

Author: C.I. Chilukusha (Mrs), Munali Girls School 2008.

For the iSchool Project www.ischool.zm.

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