003 - Population and Development

Conceptual Question:

To what extent is population changed (influenced) by the levels of development of a country?

Approaches to Learning

Communication skills - Reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information -Take effective notes in class.


Key Terminology

            • Demography

            • Demographic Transition Model

Define the key terms above by using the 'Useful Links' below:


Useful Links

Activity One - Demography

Demography is the study of population. The Demographic Transition Model looks at the changes in the birth and death rates of a country and how this impacts the country's overall population size. There is a strong correlation between a country's birth and death rates and their level of development.


      1. Write a definition of demography in your own words.

      2. Describe what the Demographic Transition Model shows by reading the Slideshare.

      3. Collect a copy of the diagram and table below. Fill in the table using the Slideshare and the YouTube clip.

      4. Watch the second YouTube clip by Hans Rosling and add his thoughts to your table.

Taken From: https://www.populationeducation.org/sites/default/files/dtm.png

Image One - Stages of the Demographic Transition Model

Useful Resources

Demographic Transition Model

YouTube Clip One

Stages of the Demographic Transition Model

YouTube Clip Two

Hans Rosling

(Controversial Clip)

Activity Two - Thinking Critically

      1. We will be completing the 'Living Graph' in the 'Thinking Through Geography' book by David Leat. Add the sentences given to you to your graph.

      2. Devise five sentences of your own for the living graph and write them on the padlet page. http://padlet.com/geobecks/livinggraph

      3. Pick five sentences from your peers on the Padlet page and add them to your 'living graph'.

Activity Three - Investigating Countries/Regions

So, we have now look at what the Demographic Transition Model is and how it works in theory. Does it work like this in practice and what are its limitations. The class will be divided into teams to investigate a country of their choice in a given region.

  1. Choose a country.

  2. Collect a piece of A4 paper and turn it landscape. Draw a timeline on that paper that goes from 1800 to 2020 (1cm = 10 years).

  3. Click on the gapminder link in the 'Useful Resources' box.

  4. Play the gapminder and record the changes in life expectancy and wealth that your chosen country has gone through on your timeline.

  5. Group the data together on your time line to show the stages of the Demographic Transition Model.

  6. To what extent does your chosen country 'fit' with the expectations in the Demographic Transition Model?

  7. We will discuss the results of your chosen countries as a group.

  8. Suggest two or three limitations to the Demographic Transition Model.