UNIT I

I FOUNDATIONS
OF
DEMOGRAPHY

1
I INDEX

1. THE STRUCTURE OF
POPULATION

2. NATURAL
MOVEMENTS

I 3. POPULATION
PYRAMIDS

4. DEMOGRAPHIC
REGIMES

5. MIGRATION

2
 I II. NATURAL
MOVEMENTS. P. 14

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 The structure of population
Criteria we use to analyze a population:
Biological aspects: age (children, 0-14; adult, 15-64; and
elderly
I people - +65) and sex (men and women).
The economic situation of the population: active people
(employed and unemployed —but looking for a job—) and
inactive population.

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 DEMOGRAPHIC CONCEPTS

Birth rate. Is the number of births that takes place in a population during
one year.

Death rate. Is the number of deaths that takes place in a population

during one year.

Infant mortality rate. It is the part of the death rate related to the infants
that die under one year old (in one year).

Life expectancy. This concept reflects the number of years that one
person is expected to live.
I
Natural increase. It is the difference between the numbers of births and
deaths.
Positive: nº. of births > nº. of deaths.
Negative: nº. of deaths > nº. of births.

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 I III. POPULATION
PYRAMIDS

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 I POPULATION PYRAMIDS

A population pyramid is a graph that informs us about the

I birth rate, death rate, natural increase and life expectancy
of one society
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 DEATH RATE: HIGH
1. Poor nutrition
2. Low development of medicine and bad hygiene
* Catastrophics mortalities: famines, wars and
epidemics
LIFE EXPECTANCY: QUITE LOW
BIRTH RATE: HIGH
1. Infant death rate is very high.
2. Necessity of labour force to support family (no
retirement is available is this countries and life
expectancy is low).
3. No use of contraceptives.
4. Religious beliefs.
I POPULATION GROWTH: low
Low amount of children; a decreasing number of
adults; and utterly low number of elderly people
I I. TRIANGLE-SHAPED PYRAMID

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I II. BELL-SHAPED PYRAMID
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- DEATH RATE: LOWER
1. Progress in Health, medicines and hygiene.
2. Overcoming famine: high-productivity
crops such as potatoes.
BIRTH RATE: SAME AMOUNT AS
AN INERTIA OF THE PAST
LIFE EXPECTANCY: HIGHER
1. Higher regarding adults.
2. Same referring elderly people.
POPULATION GROWTH:
PRETTY HIGH
I
High amount of children; high amount of
adults; low amount of elderly people.
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 DEATH RATE: LOWEST ONE
I III. URN-SHAPED PYRAMID 1. Welfare we enjoy: universal healthcare, free
access to medicines, etc.
2. Death rate is concentrated on elderly people
because of natural reasons.
3. Lowest infant mortality rate.
LIFE EXPECTANCY: HIGHEST
ONE
POPULATION GROWTH: negative.
BIRTH RATE: LOWEST
1. Low salaries.
2. The entry of women to labour market is a
hindrance for family reconciliation and work life.
2. Use of contraceptives.
3. Religious beliefs are perishing.
I
Low amount of children; a decreasing number of
adults; a large number of elderly people

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I V. MIGRATIONS

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I. DEFINITION AND CAUSES
Migration is the movement of people from one place to
another.
Emigration: leaving the current place you are.
Immigration: arriving the place you want to.

Causes

Economic causes: looking for a job or searching for a better one.

Social causes: education, health and leisure.

I
Political causes: migrating for being persecuted due to their
religious and/or ideological beliefs or escaping from wars.

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 II. TYPES OF MIGRATION
Criteria
Duration: permanent or temporary.
Causes: forced or voluntary.
Spatial distribution: external or internal one.

Internal migration

3. A. ) Rural exodus: migration from the countryside to cities.

3. B. ) Seasonal migrations: some economic activities can be
I only carried out during a certain period of time.
3. C. ) Pendulum migrations: commuting between workplace
and the periphery of urban areas.

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 III. CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION
Problems of migration

A ) Situation of illegal immigration:

— Risking their lives travelling in an unsafe manners (small

boats).
— Lack of rights: not being able to perceive social welfare
payments and being under labour exploitation (earning lower
salaries, etc.)

B ) Difficulty of integration. Rejection of immigrants due to:

I
a) Economic reasons: immigrants may take job
opportunities from local people, receiving social welfare
payments instead of those who born in the country, etc.).

b) Clash of cultures.

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 IV. CONSEQUENCES OF MIGRATION
Consequences
Most of migrants are young people and entrepreneurs

For origin countries:

a) Decreasing in birth rates.

b) Less labor workforce.
b) Boost of economy due to remittances.

For host countries:

I a) Increase in birth rates.
b) Addition of work labor force
b) Clash of culture.

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