3.2 Characteristics of Countries

Look up China, India and Japan in the CIA fact file and find the following information for each country:

- Birth rate
- Death rate
- % of population >65yrs
- literacy rate
- GDP

What is the relationship between literacy rates and GDP?


Interpreting Population Data, Graphs, and Demographic Transition Models:

Interpreting Population Pyramids – pg 69 of Chittenden

1. The population age-sex structure of Laos is youthful whereas Japan has an ageing population.

2. The percentage of people <>Interpreting Scatter Graphs – pg 71 of Chittenden

1. The relationship shown on the scatter graph is that: The lower the birth rate the higher the GDP, and the higher the birth rate the lower the GDP.

Interpreting Population Pyramids – pg 72 of Chittenden

1. In 1950, China had youthful population, whereas in 1995 China had a more maturing population.

2. In 1905, Japan had a youthful population, whereas in 1995, Japan an ageing population.

Interpreting Demographic Transition Model data (birth rates, death rates, natural increase) – pg 73 of Chittenden

1. Nepal can be said to be in Stage 2 of the DTM because it has a high birth rate and high natural increase.

2. Pakistan changed to Stage 3 of the DTM in 1985-1990. This is because the birth rate is beginning to decrease, the death rate has dropped, but the natural increase is still relatively high meaning that the death rate has not dropped to the same rate as the birth rate.

3. The overall trend shown by India is that the death rate, birth rate and natural increase are all dropping.

4. India could reach stage 4 of the Demographic Transition Model in the 2010s.

Interpreting birth rates and death rates – pg 73 of Chittenden

1. Stages of the Demographic Transition Model
- Brunei: Stage 3 (similar to Japan)
- Bhutan: Stage 2 (similar to India)
- Sri Lanka: Stage 3 (similar to Japan)
- South Korea: Stage 3 (similar to Japan)
- China: Stage 3 (similar to Japan)