Topic 3 of 10Cambridge A Levels

Population & Migration

Population change, demographic transition, migration patterns

What You'll Learn

Natural increase = births − deathsDTM 5 stages: high-high → low-decliningPush factors repel, pull factors attract migrantsBrain drain vs remittances for source countries

Population change = (births − deaths) + (immigration − emigration). Natural increase = births − deaths only.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM):

Stage 1: High BR, high DR → low growth (pre-industrial)
Stage 2: High BR, falling DR → rapid growth (better healthcare, improved sanitation)
Stage 3: Falling BR, low DR → slower growth (urbanisation, education, contraception)
Stage 4: Low BR, low DR → stable (developed nations)
Stage 5: BR below DR → declining (ageing population, e.g., Japan, Germany)

Population pyramids: Triangular = young, growing (Stage 2-3). Columnar = stable (Stage 4). Inverted = ageing (Stage 5).

Migration:

Push factors: Poverty, conflict, persecution, environmental disaster
Pull factors: Employment, safety, education, healthcare, family reunification
Consequences: Source country loses working-age people (brain drain) but gains remittances. Host country gains labour but faces social integration challenges.

Population policies: China's former one-child (anti-natalist), France's family benefits (pro-natalist), Singapore's "Stop at Two" then reversal.

Key Points to Remember

1Natural increase = births − deaths
2DTM 5 stages: high-high → low-declining
3Push factors repel, pull factors attract migrants
4Brain drain vs remittances for source countries

Pakistan Example

Pakistan's Diaspora and Remittances — Migration Economics

Over 9 million Pakistanis live abroad (UAE, Saudi Arabia, UK, USA). Push: limited jobs, low wages. Pull: higher salaries, better opportunities. Remittances exceed $30 billion/year — Pakistan's largest foreign exchange source. But brain drain of doctors and engineers creates shortages domestically.

Quick Revision Infographic

Geography — Quick Revision