What you need to know in unit 6.2...
6.2.1 Factors influencing population structures: natural increase and net migration.
6.2.2 The causes and impacts of youthful and ageing population structures, and an evaluation of their impacts.
6.2.3 One detailed specific example of a named country to include:
• reasons for population growth or decline
• the impacts of a population policy (pro or anti-natalist).
6.2.2 The causes and impacts of youthful and ageing population structures, and an evaluation of their impacts.
6.2.3 One detailed specific example of a named country to include:
• reasons for population growth or decline
• the impacts of a population policy (pro or anti-natalist).
6.2.1 Factors influencing population structures: natural increase and net migration...
Population structures (also called age/sex structures) show how a population is made up in terms of age groups and gender. They are usually presented in a population pyramid, which divides the population into males and females and into different age categories. This information is collected through a census, which is a national survey of the population usually carried out every 10 years. Census data provides governments with detailed information about how many people live in the country, their ages, and where they live.
Population structures are useful because they can show whether a country has a young population (common in LICs), an ageing population (common in HICs), or a more balanced structure. This helps governments plan for the future, for example by providing enough schools, jobs, or healthcare for older people.
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Task 1 - Your teacher will give you some key information on how to read and describe population pyramids. Use the Task 1 sheet to the right to take notes. See this example.
Task 2 - Download the worksheet above and complete all the activities set out. Task 3 - Age Sex Structure - Draw your own. You are going to complete a data task to construct your own age / sex structure for France. You will need a printed out copy of the worksheet to the right. Task 4 - Complete the worksheet below using your knowledge and understanding of what you have learnt about Population Pyramids so far. |
Natural Increase and Population Structure.
You have previously learned about the impacts that birth rates and death rates have on a country and how these rates can lead to population increase or decrease. You can now see those impacts visually represented on the population structures above.
Task 5 - Take a copy of the image above (Credit - Population Reference Bureau) and write a commentary using good quality descriptive terminology from Task 1 to explain how you can see these demographic patterns at work in each of the three countries above.
Net Migration & Population Structure
Net migration can change the population structure of a place by altering the balance of age groups and genders. For example, if many young adults migrate into a country for work, the pyramid will show a wider base in the working-age groups, while out-migration of young people can leave behind an ageing population.
Check out this famous population pyramid below.
You have previously learned about the impacts that birth rates and death rates have on a country and how these rates can lead to population increase or decrease. You can now see those impacts visually represented on the population structures above.
Task 5 - Take a copy of the image above (Credit - Population Reference Bureau) and write a commentary using good quality descriptive terminology from Task 1 to explain how you can see these demographic patterns at work in each of the three countries above.
Net Migration & Population Structure
Net migration can change the population structure of a place by altering the balance of age groups and genders. For example, if many young adults migrate into a country for work, the pyramid will show a wider base in the working-age groups, while out-migration of young people can leave behind an ageing population.
Check out this famous population pyramid below.
Task 6 - Create a new document, including a copy of the population structure above.
- Find out why it is so unbalanced and what the cause of this is.
- Make sure you find out where these people come from, what they are doing in this place
- Give an example of a recent global event that required the presence of worker migrants to make it happen.
6.2.2 The causes and impacts of youthful and ageing population structures, and an evaluation of their impacts.
Youthful populations: A youthful population has a high proportion of young people, usually due to high birth rates. This makes the base of the population pyramid wide. It can create challenges such as pressure on schools, healthcare, and future employment, but also opportunities for a large future workforce.
Ageing populations: An ageing population has a growing proportion of older people, usually caused by low birth rates and longer life expectancy. This makes the top of the population pyramid wider. It can create challenges such as increased demand for healthcare and pensions, and a shrinking workforce to support the economy.
Ageing populations: An ageing population has a growing proportion of older people, usually caused by low birth rates and longer life expectancy. This makes the top of the population pyramid wider. It can create challenges such as increased demand for healthcare and pensions, and a shrinking workforce to support the economy.
Task 7 - Split into pairs. One person will be choosing to focus on a country with a youthful population, and the other will focus on a country with an ageing population. Your task is to research the causes and impacts of the chosen structure, and to make an evaluation of the impacts that this is having.
Outcome: A short recorded podcast of no more than 5 minutes (the best will be published to Spotify) in a discussion format with both of you presenting your ideas as a duo and in a professional manner. Checkout the IGCSE podcast page on Spotify for an idea of how this works.
You will need the resources below to start your research process.
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Youthful Population
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Ageing Population
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Task 8 - Exam Corner
Question (6 marks):
Explain the challenges created by youthful and ageing populations. Use examples to support your answer.
Command word breakdown:
- Explain → Give reasons why youthful/ageing populations cause problems.
- Use examples → Students should refer to at least one real country for each (e.g. Uganda for youthful, Japan or Italy for ageing).
Marking guidance (what a strong answer would include):
- Youthful populations → high demand for schools, childcare, vaccinations, and later jobs (risk of unemployment). Example: Uganda has over 50% of its population under 15.
- Ageing populations → pressure on healthcare, pensions, and fewer working-age taxpayers. Example: Japan has 28% of its population over 65.
- Balanced answers should cover both youthful and ageing challenges.
Example of a well-completed podcast by Niklas and Elliot in 2025.
6.2.3 One detailed specific example of a named country to include:
• reasons for population growth or decline
• the impacts of a population policy (pro or anti-natalist).
An example of One Child Policy propaganda during the 1980's.
China is an important case study of a country that introduced an anti-natalist policy to slow down rapid population growth. The One Child Policy, introduced in 1979, was very successful in reducing birth rates and slowing population increase. However, in the long term it has also contributed to today’s problem of population decline.
Even though the policy was officially ended in 2015 and later replaced by a Two Child and then a Three Child Policy, many families still choose to have only one child. This is because the idea of small families has become deeply embedded in Chinese culture, and the high costs of housing, education, and childcare discourage larger families.
As a result, China now faces challenges linked to an ageing population and a shrinking workforce.
Task 9 - What is the situation in China in 2023/24? Use this 2023 report from the BBC news to complete the note taking document below.
Extension task for students - Read this 2023 article from the BBC News to understand the implications of a reduction in the population of China on the rest of the world.
Task 10 - Why do governments want to control the birth rate and how do they communicate this to their people?
i. You have five minutes to create your own slogan and poster to encourage (pro natalist) or discourage (anti natalist) the fertility rate of a population. BE CAREFUL!
Click here to be taken to a website that has some of the most famous policies and how they were 'advertised'.
ii. Choose three posters and copy them into this worksheet
iii. Annotate around each poster the message and how the government is trying to persuade their people to conform. Don't forget to explain what they are suggesting.
Extension task for students - Read this 2023 article from the BBC News to understand the implications of a reduction in the population of China on the rest of the world.
Task 10 - Why do governments want to control the birth rate and how do they communicate this to their people?
i. You have five minutes to create your own slogan and poster to encourage (pro natalist) or discourage (anti natalist) the fertility rate of a population. BE CAREFUL!
Click here to be taken to a website that has some of the most famous policies and how they were 'advertised'.
ii. Choose three posters and copy them into this worksheet
iii. Annotate around each poster the message and how the government is trying to persuade their people to conform. Don't forget to explain what they are suggesting.
Task 11 - - Study the graph above. Complete the Paper 1 type activities on the Task 9 worksheet.
Here is the original source of the graph embedded above.
CHINA POPULATION POLICY (1979 - 2016) - THE ONE CHILD POLICY
An anti-natalist policy is concerned with limiting population growth by encouraging the population to have less children. The most famous example of this is in China and a policy called 'The One Child Policy'.
Task 12 - You are going to use the work of a former IGCSE Geography student to see if you can just use images to tell a story of the Chinese One Child Policy. Click on the orange tab above.
You have 10 minutes to work with a partner to try to work out the story of the One Child Policy, just using the infographic. You can annotate what you want around the graph and scribble any words or sentences down that you like. You will then feedback to the class with what you think it all means!
Task 13 - So, perhaps you did pretty well, or perhaps were well off the story! Time to get your story straight and you will need to access this Geofile issue 717 from Oxford University Press.
Make some brief notes to accompany your infographic. You might want to use the structure below to help you out.
- WHAT was the One Child Policy?
- WHERE was the One Child Policy used? This section should include a map and a location description
- WHEN was the policy introduced? This section should be sequenced in chronological order
- WHY was the policy introduced? Here you should explain why the Chinese authorities introduce the policy.
- WHO was affected by the policy?
- HOW was the policy implemented? In this section you should describe and explain the methods that were used by the authorities to ensure people follow the policy.
- SUCCESSES and FAILURES of the One Child Policy. Make reference to:
- Prevention of 400 million births
- The 4-2-1 problem
- What is the Little Emperor Syndrome?
- Research the 'Spare Branches' problem
Revising the One Child Policy in China
Here is a podcast on Spotify generated by Notebook LM on the Chinese One Child Policy. Great for revision and to help you to complete your own IGCSE case study.
