Which of the following is most likely to increase a country's population growth rate?
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C. Immigration adds people to the population, while a rise in emigration removes people and a fall in the birth rate or a rise in the death rate slows population growth.
In Country A, the birth rate is 20 per 1,000, the death rate is 10 per 1,000 and net migration is +2 per 1,000. What is the population growth rate per 1,000?
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B. Population growth per 1,000 equals birth rate minus death rate plus net migration, so 20 - 10 + 2 = 12; option A wrongly subtracts net migration.
Which factor is most likely to reduce the birth rate in a country?
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A. Better education for girls often delays marriage and childbearing and increases paid employment, which tends to lower family size; option D would make contraception less available and is likely to raise the birth rate.
Which government policy is most likely to increase immigration into a country?
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D. Work visas make it easier and more attractive for foreign workers to enter, while tighter border controls and fewer jobs discourage immigration.
Which of the following is a push factor encouraging people to emigrate from a country?
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C. War and instability push people to leave their home country, whereas higher wages, better healthcare and family links abroad are pull factors attracting them to another country.
What is meant by the dependency ratio?
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A. The dependency ratio compares the number of dependents, usually the young and elderly, with the working-age population; the other options describe different demographic or labour market measures.
An ageing population is most likely to increase government spending on which area?
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D. A larger share of elderly people raises demand for pensions and health services, while schools, child benefits and maternity services are linked to younger populations.
A country with a high youth dependency ratio may need to spend more on which area?
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B. A high youth dependency ratio means many children relative to workers, so more resources are needed for education and childcare; the other options relate to an ageing population.
In Country B, the working-age population is 60 million and the dependent population is 30 million. What is the dependency ratio?
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C. The dependency ratio is dependents divided by working-age population times 100, so 30 million divided by 60 million times 100 equals 50%; option D reverses the calculation.
A fall in population size caused by high emigration is most likely to lead to which effect?
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A. Emigration can reduce the number of workers and create labour shortages; it may reduce pressure on housing rather than increase it, and its effect on the dependency ratio depends on who leaves.
Which of the following is most likely to be an economic benefit of a youthful population?
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D. A youthful population can provide more workers in the future, while it usually increases current spending on education and later requires job creation.
An increase in the proportion of elderly people in a population is likely to do what?
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B. More elderly dependents often means higher taxes or contributions to fund pensions and health care; it tends to raise, not reduce, the dependency ratio and healthcare demand.
Which factor affects the structure of a population rather than its total size?
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C. Age distribution describes how the population is divided into age groups, which is a feature of population structure; birth rate, death rate and net migration directly change population size.
High population growth is most likely to cause which effect?
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A. A rapidly growing population increases demand for roads, water, schools and hospitals, putting pressure on infrastructure; it usually raises demand for food and housing and expands the labour supply.
A country with a declining population may respond by doing what?
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B. Encouraging immigration can add workers and consumers to offset population decline; banning contraception may raise births but restricts choice, while reducing the retirement age or cutting healthcare does not directly reverse decline.