Importance of Population Data

Submitted to: Ms. Ambreena Mubashir

Submitted by: Rubaisa Tabassum

Date: 7-11-2016

Course: Population Geography

Major: Environmental Sciences

Semester: 3rd

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Table of Content
Sr.no Topic Page No.
1 Definitions 3
2 Types of Population Policies 3-4
Management of natural 5
increase and fertility
3 Pro-natalist and Anti-natalist 5-6
Policies
4 References 7

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Definition of Population Policy
A population policy is a policy that a country engages in in order to get its population to a level
that it feels is optimal for it. Though we often think of this in terms of policies that are meant to
reduce population growth, population policy can also be aimed at increasing the population.

Example
The most famous example of a population policy is China's one child policy. In this policy, China has
been trying to limit family sizes so as to reduce population growth. However, other countries, such as
Singapore, have at times tried to do things like offering tax incentives to encourage people to have more
children.

Explanation
Population policies are geared towards ensuring that the country has its optimum desired population
which the government believes is sufficient to maintain the GDP per capita ratio and labor force numbers,
and reduce the number of dependents on families' incomes or government social welfare. Population
policies depend on the policies of the elected party and the objectives of the government. That is,
population policies can either encourage or discourage the procreation of families (these policies usually
do not support procreation outside of wedlock).

Types of Population Policies

Direct or explicit government actions taken for the purpose of affecting a demographic
outcome, e.g., migration laws
Following are the factors of director explicit policies:
1. Provide free family planning services
2. Increase taxes for each additional child
3. Restrict immigration
4. Raise the age of marriage
Indirect or implicit government actions that only indirectly have some demographic effects,
e.g., promoting female education
Following are the factors of indirect or implicit policies:
1. Compulsory secondary education
2. Restrict child labor
3. Limit size of houses
4. Raise status of women
5. Provide old age security

Major Areas of Concern for Population Policies

Historically
Fertility: pronatalist
Migration: restrict emigration, encourage immigration
Currently
Migration: restrict immigration, encourage redistribution

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 Mortality: prolong survival
Fertility: primarily antinatalist

Natural Increase Focus on Fertility

Fertility is always kept in focus when it comes to population increase or decrease because emigration and
immigration doesnt account that much in population as the fertility does as every second there is births
are occurring.

Some geographers have related the fertility to the intake of protein i.e. the more consumption of protein
results in the decrease of the fertility rate. Demographic Transition Model also explain the relation
between the management of natural increase and fertility:

Demographic Transition Model

The Demographic Transition Model (DTM) is based on historical population trends of two demographic
characteristics birth rate and death rate to suggest that a countrys total population growth rate cycles
through stages as that country develops economically. Each stage is characterized by a specific
relationship between birth rate (number of annual births per one thousand people) and death rate (number
of annual deaths per one thousand people). As these rates change in relation to each other, their produced
impact greatly affects a countrys total population. Within the model, a country will progress over time
from one stage to the next as certain social and economic forces act upon the birth and death rates.

In Stage 1, which applied to most of the world before the Industrial Revolution, both birth rates
and death rates are high. As a result, population size remains fairly constant but can have major
swings with events such as wars or pandemics.
In Stage 2, the introduction of modern medicine lowers death rates, especially among children,
while birth rates remain high; the result is rapid population growth. Many of the least developed
countries today are in Stage 2.
In Stage 3, birth rates gradually decrease, usually as a result of improved economic conditions, an
increase in womens status, and access to contraception. Population growth continues, but at a
lower rate. Most developing countries are in Stage 3.

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 In Stage 4, birth and death rates are both low, stabilizing the population. These countries tend to
have stronger economies, higher levels of education, better healthcare, a higher proportion of
working women, and a fertility rate hovering around two children per woman. Most developed
countries are in Stage 4.
A possible Stage 5 would include countries in which fertility rates have fallen significantly below
replacement level (2 children) and the elderly population is greater than the youthful population.

Pro-Natalist Policies
A Pro-Natalist Policy is a governments way of convincing people to have more kids. In some cases they
might offer rewards or discounts on certain things. In Russia for example, they have the Russian Sex Day.
It is about 9 months from the countries national day, and if you give birth on the national day; you get
rewards. The rewards can range from SUVs to money. Governers even encourage having Wednesdays off
for making love.

Reasons for Pro-natalist Policies

Most countries that do have Pro-Natalist Policies have a declining or aging population. Which means that
they are not replacing the generation before. A Pro-Natalist policy increases the child birth and helps to
replace the generation before. It may not increase the countries replacement rate to 2.1 or more, but it
helps the country out quite a bit. An example of a Pro-Natalist Country is Canada. When Canadian
citizens give birth in Canada they give you money to help support the baby and they help with providing
money for health care.

Country Benefits

Pro-Natalist policies are definably good for a country, but only if the country is not replacing themselves.
For example, if a country like China or India decided to have Pro-Natalist policies, their population would
increase even more than what it already is and it would become even more populated. This could lead up
to more problems like poverty, scarcity in supplies of food and water, thta will have a harsh impact on the
environment.

Many countries that have a pro-natalist policy are quite often MEDC's because they can easily afford the
incentives to give. LEDC's can't easily use Pro-Natalist policies because they can't afford too many
rewards for all the people that give birth. Also, LEDC's have youthful populations which eliminate the
need to reproduce.

In some countries, they offer rewards such as jobs, money and cars. In Japan they offer extended
maternity vacations and other benefits.

The reason countries create pro-natalist policies is because they want to replace themselves and increase
their replacement rate up to 2.1 or more. Countries want to control their population to maintain their
economic growth as well. This is why many MEDC's have pro-natalist policies and not LEDCs because
especially in Europe, they are not replacing themselves. A lot of countries are scared that their nation will
die out in the future.

Anti-Natalist Policies

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Anti-Natalist Polices are sets of rules that were made by countries that are concerned about over-
population and main goal of these policies are to limit and lessen the population growth of a country.
(Countries such as China and India.)

Example

The republic of China has introduced a Anti-Natalist Policy in 1978 called "One-child Policy". It basically
restricts the number of children married couples can have to one. If the couples does not follow the policy,
they are fined unless they have a specific reason such as a twin. Although this may be effective in
lowering birth rate of a country, it also brings unexpected downfall to a country's population. Ever since
the "One-Child Policy" was introduced to china, abortion has been common for women with a female
child which brings a imbalance to male:female sex ratio at birth. This occurs because the culture of China
is that males traditionally carry on the family name, care for the parents in their old age and earn a living
for them.

Positive points:

birth rate of the country is lowered

the country achieved 400 million fewer births during the past 30 years (according to government
claims)
more affordable living (since there is only one child per family to care for)
the country was lifted out of a youthful population

Negative points:

Imbalance of male: female sex ratio (due to abortion being common for women with a female
child. This is because the Chinese culture that males traditionally carry on the family name, care
for the parents in their old age and earn a living to support them)
China (especially the first children born under the one-child policy) now has to face an aging
population, because Chinese families could have as many children as they liked before the one-
child policy was implemented
Parents with more than one child are either forced to hide him/her from the authorities (e.g.
listing the child under someone else's name), or made to pay a large fine for having a second child
The children born under the one-child policy are like "Little Emperors", spoiled by their parents.

REFERENCES

http://www.popline.org/node/425862
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition
http://volcanoesmakemeexplode.wikifoundry.com/page/Anti-Natalist+Policies

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 http://www.slideshare.net/stevenheath148/population-policies-38440460