Module 8 Lesson 4 - 3 (Lab)
Lesson 4 — Measuring Population Growth
Population Growth Rates in Various Countries Lab
This is a data analysis lab that allows you to compare human population growth rates in various countries using demographic data gathered in 2013.
Problem
How do population growth rates differ by country?Materials
- A calculator
Procedure
Analyze the demographic information given in the data table.
| Canada | Ethiopia | Finland | Germany | Greece | India | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approx. Population size (N) | 35 200 000 |
94 100 000 |
5 400 000 |
80 500 000 |
11 100 000 |
1 252 000 000 |
176 600 000 |
| #births (approx.) | 387 200 |
3 011 200 |
59 400 |
724 500 |
99 900 |
25 040 000 |
7 064 000 |
| #deaths (approx.) |
246 400 |
658 700
|
54 000 |
885 500 |
122 100 |
8 764 000 |
2 295 800 |
| Annual population growth rate (gr) | |||||||
| Annual per capita growth rate (cgr) |
Analysis
-
Calculate the annual population growth rate for each country and place it on the chart.
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-
Calculate the per capita growth rate for each country and place it on the chart.
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-
Why is the cgr negative for some populations? Describe the growth curve for a population with negative annual cgr.
-
If the populations of the above countries were graphed over 10 years, which country would you expect to show the steepest growth curve? Why?
-
Is the initial size of the population more important than the per capita growth rate in determining the steepness of the growth curve? Explain.
-
Does a correlation occur between how developed the country is and its cgr? Justify your answer.
- Compare gr and cgr for the various countries. Which gives a better indicator of how fast the population will increase? Why?
| Canada | Ethiopia | Finland | Germany | Greece | India | Nigeria | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approx. Population size (N) | 35 200 000 |
94 100 000 |
5 400 000 |
80 500 000 |
11 100 000 |
1 252 000 000 |
176 600 000 |
| #births (approx.) | 387 200 |
3 011 200 |
59 400 |
724 500 |
99 900 |
25 040 000 |
7 064 000 |
| #deaths (approx.) |
246 400 |
658 700
|
54 000 |
885 500 |
122 100 |
8 764 000 |
2 295 800 |
| Annual population growth rate (gr) |
141 000 / year
|
2 352 500 / year
|
5400 / year
|
- 161 000 / year
|
- 22 200 / year
|
16 276 000 / year
|
4 768 200 / year
|
| Annual per capita growth rate (cgr) |
0.4 %
|
2.5 % |
0.1 %
|
- 0.2 %
|
- 0.2 %
|
1.3 %
|
2.7%
|
-
The annual per capita growth rate is negative for Germany and Greece because the number of deaths is greater than the number of births. The growth curve will be in a slight decline for these two country.
-
India has the steepest growth curve because it has the highest annual population growth rate.
-
The initial size of the population does not affect the steepness of the growth curve. The growth curve plots the population size vs. time. Therefore, the population growth rate affects the steepness of the growth curve.
-
Developed countries such as Canada, Finland, Germany, and Greece have lower per capita growth rates or negative per capita growth rates, indicating that the population growth has slowed or began to decline.
-
Per capita growth rate gives a better indication of how fast a population is increasing because it takes the original population size into account. Comparing the population growth rate for various countries is easier using cgr.
Conclusions
What conclusions can you make from this exercise? Can you extract at least three separate conclusions from the data? Refer to the problem statement.
Real World Applications
Although the rate of population growth for the entire human species is nearly exponential, you have seen in the analysis above that the human species consists of many sub-populations that have strikingly different growth patterns.
You are aware of all the factors that cause population numbers to change.
Apply your conclusions to the problem of human population control by devising a strategy that could be implemented to control human population growth rates. The strategy should have a specific goal, a target group, and a statement of specific components of the plan or steps of implementation. Consider whether you could apply the same strategy to all human populations. You may assume that the political and economic limitations are the same as those that exist now.