G10 U4 Population Of Africa PDF

Unit Four Population of Africa UNIT FOUR 4. POPULATION OF AFRICA Introduction In the previous unit, you have learned about growth i...

Unit Four Population of Africa UNIT FOUR 4. POPULATION OF AFRICA Introduction In the previous unit, you have learned about growth in Africa, population characteristics the natural resource base of Africa, such as such as birth rates and death rates, population drainage systems, soils, natural vegetation, composition and methods of presenting wildlife and mineral resources. This unit sex and age distribution using population deals with population and demographic pyramids, population density, and settlement characteristics of Africa. The major topics to patterns of Africa’s population. be covered include the trends of population Unit Outcomes After completing this unit, students will be able to: analyze the demographic structure of the population of Africa; examine the population characteristics of the African continent; and describe the population distribution and settlement patterns in Africa. 81  Grade 10 | Geography Main Contents 4.1 OVERVIEW OF WORLD POPULATION GROWTH AND SIZE 4.2 AFRICA’S MAJOR DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS 4.3 POPULATION STRUCTURE 4.4 DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY OF AFRICA’S POPULATION 4.5 URBAN AND RURAL SETTLEMENT PATTERNS IN AFRICA 🌐 Unit Summary 🌐 Review Exercise 4.1 OVERVIEW OF WORLD POPULATION GROWTH AND SIZE At the end of this section, you will be able to: describe the demographic characteristics of world population; and describe the demographic characteristics of African population. 🔒 KEY TERMS մ Birth rates fertility մ Population changes մ Demographic characteristics մ Population doubling time մ Migrations մ World population մ Mortality A. Global Population Trends World population growth accelerated after World War II when the population of less developed countries began to increase dramatically. A billion people were added to the world’s population between 1960 and 1975; another billion were also added between 1975 and 1987. The human population entered the twentieth century with 1.6 billion people and left the century with 6.1 billion. 82 Unit Four Population of Africa Population growth and distribution differ significantly among the major regions. Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean all increased their share of the world population between 1970 and 2021. Asia’s share of the world population rose from 58% to 61%, Africa from 10 to 13%, the Caribbean and Latin America from 8 to 9%. During the same period (1970 and 2021), the share of Northern America declined from 6% in 1950 to 5% in 1998, and Europe from 18% to 12% (Bureau of Census, 2000). According to Population Reference Bureau (2021), by the mid of 2020, the world has more than 7 billion people. The continent of Asia is the most populous comprising 59.4% of the world population followed by Africa (17.5%). Although Asia as a continent has a majority of the world’s total population in 2020, estimated at 4.6 billion, the continent of Africa has contributed substantially to the rapid increase in the world’s population during this time. On the other hand, the total number of inhabitants of Oceania was only 43 million making the continent the least populated. Because of the large and increasing population size, the number of people added to the global population will remain high for several decades, even as growth rates continue to decline as it was observed in recent times. Table 4.1 below shows the growth of the world population from 1900 to 2021. There has been more population growth since 1950 than in the previous years of human existence. Table 4.1: Population Size of the World by Regions from 1900-2021 (in million) Regions Year 1900 1950 1999 2020 2021 World 1,650 2,521 5,978 7,795 7,875 Africa 133 221 767 1340 1373 Asia 947 1402 3634 4641 4680 Europe 408 547 729 747.6 747.7 Latin America and Caribbean 74 167 511 654 660 North America 82 172 307 592 596.6 Oceania 6 13 30 42.7 43.2 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 Our world has seen enormous changes in fertility rates and life expectancy over the past seven decades. For instance, in the early 1970s women had on average 4.5 children each; by 2015, total fertility for the world had fallen to below 2.5 children per woman. Meanwhile, average global lifespans have risen, from 64.6 years in the early 1990s to 70.8 years in 2020. However, although fertility levels have declined, they have not fallen at the same pace as mortality levels. Therefore, the world’s population showed continued growth as indicated in figure 4.1 below. 83  Grade 10 | Geography 👩 Figure 4.1: World Population Growth from 1950 to 2021 Why is the world population growing so rapidly? The high growth in the world population over the past centuries is largely the result of advances in modern medicines and improvements in living standards. These have significantly reduced infant, child and maternal mortality and have contributed to an increase in life expectancy of people. This in turn increases the world population. B. Population Size and Growth in Africa I. Population Size Africa has one of the world’s largest populations. The continent is the world’s second most populous next to Asia. According to the World Population Data Sheet, by the mid of 2020, the continent had a total population of more than 1.3 billion. This makes up 17.5 % of the world’s total population. As Table 4.2 depicts, Africa’s population is nearly one-third of Asia, the most populous, and 32 times that of Oceania, the least populous region in the world. 84 Unit Four Population of Africa Table 4.2: Share of World Population by Regions Region Percentage of World Total Asia 59.4 Africa 17.5 North America 4.8 Latin America & the Caribbean 8.4 Europe 9.4 Oceania 0.5 World Total 100 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is reputed to experience the world’s highest rate of natural increase in population, about 3% per year. Its population is projected to grow from about 700 million in 1995 to 1.6 billion people by 2030. This large growth stems from the high total fertility rate (TFR) of about 6.0 children per woman, which is twice the world average. Table 4.3 is an illustration of the percentage distribution of population change (1900 - 2100), comparing that of Africa with other regions. Table 4.3: Proportion of Population by Major Areas of the World, 1900-2050 Major World Percentage of World Population Regions 2000 2020 2030 2050 1900 1950 1960 1980 1990 1970 2010 2100 Africa 8.0 9.0 9.3 9.8 10.7 11.8 13.2 14.9 17.2 19.7 25.6 39.4 Asia 57.4 55.4 56.2 57.9 59.4 60.6 60.9 60.5 59.5 58.2 54.3 43.4 Europe 24.7 21.7 19.9 17.8 15.6 13.5 11.8 10.6 9.6 8.7 7.3 5.8 Latin America & 4.5 6.7 7.3 7.7 8.1 8.3 8.5 8.5 8.4 8.3 7.8 6.3 Caribbean North America 5 6.8 6.7 6.2 5.7 5.3 5.1 4.9 4.7 4.6 4.4 4.5 Oceania 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.7 World 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Source: UN World Population Data II. Population Growth Africa has one of the world’s fastest-growing population. The continent has been experiencing rapid changes in its population size as a result of many factors including the interactions between fertility and mortality. Despite the gradual decline in the birth 85  Grade 10 | Geography and death rates globally, the continent continues to experience a high rate of population growth. As some historical sources indicate, Africa’s population had been increasing very slowly until recent times. However, since 1950, the continent’s population began to increase very rapidly. As a result, the continent’s population experienced a rapid rise in number as opposed to other parts of the world. Figure 4.1 shows the trend in the population size of Africa between the years 1000 A.D and 2100 A.D. Figure 4.2: Trends of African Population from 1000 A.D. to 2100 Africa’s population had been increasing very slowly until the early 1950s. It had taken more than 700 years to nearly double itself between 1000-1700 AD. Another nearly 200 years were passed until the 1700’s population doubles itself again. Since the 1950s the continent’s population began to grow faster, and it took on average only about 25 years to double itself. Population doubling time is the time it takes for a population to double in size or value. This can be computed using the Rule of 70. It involves dividing 70 by the growth rate (r) of the population at a specific time. Therefore; 70 dt = r where; dt is doubling time, r is growth rate of the population. 86 Unit Four Population of Africa Example If the population size of Ethiopia is 110 million in 2020 with a population growth rate of 2.5, how many years would it take for the population of Ethiopia to double itself? 70 dt = 2.5 = 28 years dt = 28. Therefore, it takes Ethiopia 28 years to double its population size to 220 million. As a result, the population of Africa has grown rapidly over the past century and consequently shows a large youth bulge, further reinforced by a low life expectancy of below 50 years in some African countries. The total population as of 2018 was estimated to be more than 1.3 billion, with a growth rate of 2.5% per year. This appears to be the highest rate in the world and twice as fast as the world’s average growth rate. In terms of the period that Africa’s population needs to double itself, the continent has the world’s shortest doubling time. Such a rapid population growth rate and short doubling time is the result of the very high fertility rate that the continent has. Although birth rate is declining in the continent, it is still high when compared to the rest of the world. The declining mortality in the continent is also the highest in the world. The difference between the two has produced a very high rate of population growth and a short period of doubling time in Africa. Africa’s massive population growth in such a short period has also come with many interrelated challenges and opportunities. Some of the challenges include producing sufficient food to feed such a large number of people, providing healthcare, environmental degradation, increasing scarcity of freshwater, emigration of millions of Africans out of the continent, and providing adequate education to the hundreds of millions of young people living inside the continent. A. Factors Responsible for Africa’s Rapid Population Growth Many interrelated factors have contributed to the rapid and consistent growth of Africa’s population from 1950 to 2020. Many of these interrelated factors are demographic, while others are socioeconomic. Combined, these interrelated factors have come to be the engine behind Africa’s rapid and massive population growth in the post-World War era. 87  Grade 10 | Geography The interrelated factors are: Þ high crude birth rates; Þ high fertility rates; Þ child birth at a young age; Þ low rates of contraceptive use in most African nations; Þ decline in infant mortality rates; Þ decline in maternal mortality rates; Þ decline in overall death rates; and Þ increase in life expectancy; and decline in HIV/AIDS- related deaths. These interrelated demographic, social, and economic factors provide a comprehensive explanation for Africa’s rapid and massive population growth in the post-World War II era. III. Population Change in Africa Activity 4.1 1. Do you remember what you learnt about population change in your previous grades? 2. Which demographic variables are responsible to bring population change in a given region or country? Components of Population Change Population change is a function of three variables: fertility (births), mortality (deaths) and migrations (immigration or emigration). There are four ways in which the number of people in an area can change: Þ someone may be born in the area; Þ an inhabitant may die; Þ an outsider may move into the area; and Þ a resident may move out. Consequently, population analysis requires methods that permit calculation of accurate rates of birth, deaths and in and out- migration. These three “facts of life” are called demographic variables. The first two (Births and Deaths) are sometimes combined to form a composite variable: natural increase, or the excess (or deficit) of births over deaths. Consequently, Population changes in a given geographical area 88 Unit Four Population of Africa are affected by: Þ The difference between deaths and births also known as natural change Þ The balance between immigration (coming in) and emigration (going out) also known as net migration Thus, the change in a population can be calculated by the Demographic Balancing Equation. It is an equation that is used to calculate population changes from one year to the next in a given area, based on the number of births, deaths, and migrations. The general form of the equation is a mass balance equation, in which end population = starting population ± natural increase ± net migration, where natural increase = births – deaths, and net migration = immigrants – emigrants. The Balancing Equation Pt-Po= B-D+I-O, or Pt-Po = NI + NM Where; Pt = Population at the end of the period Po =Population at the beginning of the period B= Births D = Deaths I = In-migration O = Out-migration NI = Natural Increase (B-D) NM = Net Migration (I-O) Figure 4.3: Components of Population Change Activity 4.2 1. Which continent has a very short period of population doubling? 2. Rapid population growth rate has adverse effects on the quality of life of the people. Explain briefly. 3. Clarify the relationship between growth rate and period of population doubling in a given country. 89  Grade 10 | Geography 4.2 AFRICA’S MAJOR DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS At the end of this section, you will be able to: explain the demographic trends of African population. 🔒 KEY TERMS մ Crude birth rate մ Life expectancy մ Crude death rate մ Maternal mortality մ Fertility patterns մ Total fertility rate մ Infant mortality rate I. Fertility Patterns Fertility refers to the occurrence of birth in the human population. It is a natural positive factor that tends to increase the human population size. Demographers use different measures to analyze human fertility. In this section, the fertility patterns of Africa are discussed using measures of fertility like Total Fertility Rate and Crude Birth Rates. Definitions Total Fertility Rate (TFR): is the average number of children a woman would give birth to during her lifetime if she were to pass through her childbearing years (15-49 years) experiencing the present-day age- specific fertility rates. Crude Birth Rate (CBR): is the number of live births occurring among the population of a given geographical area in a given year, per 1,000 mid-year total population during the same year. For example, when we say the crude birth rate of Africa was 33/1000 by the mid of 2020, we mean that 33 births occurred for every 1000 people, on average, during the year under consideration. Mathematically, CBR = d n x 1000 Total annual number of live births Total mid - year population 90 Unit Four Population of Africa Example Assume that a hypothetical African country ‘X’ had 2, 407,500 live births in 2020 and it also had a total of 53,500,000 mid-year population in that year. Calculate the crude birth rate (CBR) for the country. B Solution, CBR = Px x1000 x Where, BX is the number of births in a year and PX is the total mid-year population in the same year. 2, 407, 500 CBR = 53, 500, 000 x 1000 = 45 Therefore, Country ‘X’ had 45 births per 1000 of the mid-year population in the year 2020. The total fertility rate (TFR) in Africa has steadily declined over the last two decades since 2004. For example, in 2004 TFR was 5.1 and stood at 4.7 children per woman in 2016 (Table 4.4). When compared with other continents, Africa’s fertility rates of 4.5 children per woman in 2017 seem high. Indeed, it has been the highest in the world. However, that figure is low compared with Africa’s birth rate in previous decades. For instance, the total fertility rate stood at an average of 6.6 children per woman in 1980. In spite of these declines, compared with other regions of the world, as it has been indicated in the previous paragraph, African countries still experience relatively high fertility - explained as a function of early sexual debut among women due to early marriage and unmet need for family planning. The proportion of individuals below 15 years is also projected to decline gradually to 36% in 2030 from 46% in 1990; on the other hand, those aged 15 to 59 years will increase from 456 million people in 2010 to reach 758 million in 2030. Table 4.4: Total Fertility Rate for Africa by Region Major Regions Year 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020 Northern Africa 3.4 3.0 3.1 3.4 2.9 Western Africa 5.8 5.7 5.4 5.4 5.1 Eastern Africa 5.7 5.4 5.1 4.8 4.3 Central Africa 6.4 6.1 5.9 6.0 5.8 Southern Africa 2.9 2.8 2.5 2.5 2.4 Source: Population Reference Bureau Reports (2019) 91  Grade 10 | Geography Although the overall TFR picture shows a steady decline within regions, the change in fertility has not been uniform. For example, Northern Africa has shown little change in the total fertility over the last two decades. In 2004, the total fertility for Northern Africa was 3.4 children per woman, which is the same in 2016 again even though it slightly declined to a TFR of 2.9 by 2020. Fertility change in Central Africa has stagnated at around 6 children per woman. The lowest fertility rate is in Southern Africa followed by Northern Africa while the highest is in Central Africa followed by Western Africa while in eastern Africa the total fertility rate stands at 4.3 in 2020 (Table 4.4). In addition to TFR, the Crude Birth Rate can also be taken as a means of analyzing the fertility pattern of human population. The crude birth rate refers to the occurrence of the annual number of live births for every 1000 of the mid-year total population. Even by this measure, Africa has the highest fertility in the world. For instance, according to the UN World Population Data Sheet for the year 2020, the Crude Birth Rate (CBR) for Africa is estimated to be 33 per 1000 population. This is the peak even for the standard of less developed countries, which is 20 per 1000 population. Although fertility is high in Africa, it still varies from country to country or region to region. The variation in crude birth rate is shown in Table 4.5 below. Table 4.5: Highest and Lowest Crude Birth Rates for Major Africa’s Regions, 2020 Major Region Major Region Northern Africa CBR (in 2020) Central Africa CBR (in 2020) Sudan 31/1000 Chad 47/1000 Tunisia 16/1000 Sao Tome and Principe 28/1000 Western Africa Eastern Africa Niger 47/1000 Somalia 49/1000 Cape Verde 18/1000 Ethiopia 32/1000 Southern Africa Mauritius 11/1000 Namibia 27/1000 South Africa 19/1000 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 There existed huge variation in the level of fertility between and among major regions in Africa’s continent (Table 4.5). Both the highest and lowest levels of fertility were observed in Eastern Africa; Somalia being a country with the highest level of crude birth rate (49/1000) as opposed to Mauritius which stood at 11/1000 population for the year 2020. Fertility for other African countries comprises rates ranging between the two extremes. 92 Unit Four Population of Africa Although the crude birth rate in Africa has been gradually decreasing in recent decades, they are still relatively high compared with other regions of the world and the world average. This is due to the following factors; Þ less access to contraceptives; Þ high level of poverty; Þ low status of women; Þ need for large number of children for the labor force; Þ considering children as the symbol of virility; Þ low educational background; and Þ influence of traditions and cultures on family size. A. Future Fertility Trends In projections to 2050, the African population is expected to peak at 2.5 billion from 1.0 billion in 2010 (Figure 4.3), which would represent 25% of the world’s population. These projections rely upon assumptions about vital fertility and mortality rates. The fertility rate is assumed to decline at a varying pace by country and follow a trajectory similar to the one observed in other major global areas. Figure 4.4: Africa’s Total Population (in billions) Source: Based on UN Population Division Data 93  Grade 10 | Geography Lower fertility rates will lower Africa’s overall annual population growth rate to 2% by 2030, compared to Asia at 1.0%, Latin America and the Caribbean at 1.2%, Eastern Europe-0.8%, and the world as a whole at 1.5%. The dynamics will be similar in all African sub-regions, except the North Africa region, where population growth will decline at about 0.8% a year by 2030 (Figure 4.4). Figure 4.4: Africa Population Growth Rates by Sub-Regions Source: Based on UN Population Division Data II. Mortality Patterns in Africa Mortality refers to the occurrence of death in the human population. It is a natural negative factor that tends to decrease the human population size. The level of mortality in a population can be measured by the crude death rate (number of deaths per thousand inhabitants), the infant mortality rate (number of infant deaths per thousand live births) and life expectancy (a summary measure of death risks/survival chances over different ages). Of these, the infant mortality rate is the most widely used indicator of the general health situation in a country. In this section, mortality patterns in Africa are discussed using measures of mortality like Crude Death Rate (CDR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR), Maternal Mortality Rate and Life Expectancy. 94 Unit Four Population of Africa Definitions Death Rate (DR): is the number of deaths per 1000 population in a year. For example, Africa’s death rate was 8/1000 by the mid of 2020. This is to say that 8 deaths were occurred for every 1000 people on average during the year under consideration. Crude Death Rate (CDR) is the number of deaths occurring among the population of a given geographical area during a given year, per 1,000 mid-year total population of the given geographical area during the same year. Mathematically, CDR = c TotalTotal annual death m mid - year population x 1000 Example Assume that a hypothetical African Country ‘X’ had 856,000 deaths in 2020 and it also had a total of 53,500,000 mid-year population in that year. Calculate the crude death rate (CDR) for Country ‘X’. Solution, D CDR = Px x1000 x Where, DX is number of deaths in a year and PX is the total mid-year population in same year. 856, 000 CDR = 53, 500, 000 x 1000 = 16 Therefore, Country ‘X’ had 16 deaths per 1000 of the mid-year population in the year 2020. Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): is the death of an infant before his or her first birthday. It is measured as an annual number of infant deaths for every 1,000 live births during the same year. Mathematically, IMR = c m x 1000 Total annual number of infant deaths Total annual live births 95  Grade 10 | Geography Example Suppose that Country ‘Y’ in the year 2020 had 10,000 infant deaths while it had 5,000 newly born babies (live births) during the same year. Calculate the infant mortality rate (IMR) for Country ‘Y’ during that year. D Solution, IMR = B0 x1000 x Where Do is total number of infants’ deaths before age one during a year and BX is the total number of live births in same year. 5, 000 IMR = 40, 000 x 1000 = 125 Therefore, Country ‘X’ had 125 infant deaths before age one per 1000 live births in the year 2020. The infant mortality rate is the most widely used indicator of the general health situation in a country. Maternal Mortality: The annual number of female deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its management (excluding accidental or incidental causes) during pregnancy and childbirth or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy, irrespective of the duration and site of the pregnancy. Demographers use Maternal Mortality Ratio to measure maternal deaths. Maternal Mortality Ratio is defined as the number of maternal deaths during a given time per 100,000 live births. Mathematically, MMR = b Total deaths due to maternal causes l Total annual livebirth x 100, 000 Example Suppose that Country ‘Z’ in 2020 had 3,500,000 live births while it had 10,000 maternal deaths during the same year. Calculate the Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR). Solution, MMR = DMC Bx x100, 000 Where DMC is total number of deaths due to maternal causes in a year and BX is the total number of live births in same year. 10, 000 MMR = 3, 500, 000 x100, 000 = 286 Therefore, Country ‘Z’ had 286 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in the year 2020. 96 Unit Four Population of Africa Life Expectancy refers to the number of years a person can expect to live. Life expectancy is based on an estimate of the average age that members of a population group will be when they die. Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn infant can be expected to live under current mortality levels. 👩 What is the pattern of Mortality in Africa? Is it increasing or decreasing across time? Deaths in Africa have reduced from an average of 14 persons per 1,000 population in 2007 to stand at 10 persons per 1,000 population in 2016. Africa further experienced decrease in death rate over the next five years. According to the World Population Data Sheet, the continent had a crude death rate of 8 deaths per 1000 population by the mid of 2020. When a regional comparison is made, the death rate ranges from 6/1000 in Northern Africa to 11/1000 in Southern Africa. Changes in the death rates for the general population are also reflected in the infant mortality rates. In terms of infant mortality rate, which is the death of infants under one year per 1000 live births, the continent still has the world’s largest rate of 47 deaths per 1000 live births. Infant mortality rates also vary from region to region. Accordingly, Central Africa has the highest rate of 62/1000 followed by Western Africa 55/1000 and Sub Sharan Africa50/1000 live births by the mid of the year 2020. The lowest Infant Mortality rate is in Northern Africa which was only 22/1000 during the same year. As it has been stated, despite these reductions, performance has not been uniformed within and between regions. The relatively high death rate, even though it is decreasing, in Africa is attributed to: Þ low standard of living; Þ low access to health facilities; Þ poor sanitary practices; Þ civil war and political instability; Þ widespread famine caused by recurrent drought; Þ poor nutrition; and Þ high incidence of disease and infections. 97  Grade 10 | Geography Table 4.6: CDR and IMR by Regions in Africa (2020) Region Crude Death Rate per 1000 Infant mortality Rate per 1000 Population Live Births World 8 31 Africa 8 47 Northern Africa 6 22 Western Africa 10 55 Eastern Africa 6 42 Central Africa 9 62 Southern Africa 11 26 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 A. Future Mortality Trends As it is stated in the previous section, Africa’s death rate is declining since World War II. This happened due to development in medical technology, and sanitary practices, and the discovery of medicines and vaccines for tropical diseases. Moreover, mortality rates are generally poised to improve over the coming decades as communicable diseases in Africa continue to be addressed, although malaria remains endemic in most African countries and continues to represent a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Much progress is nonetheless expected in child and infant mortality rates: child mortality (i.e. death of children before reaching five years of age) is projected to decline from 116 per 1000 live births in 2010 to 75 per 1000 live births in 2030 (Figure 4.4) due to better incomes, access to improved water supply and sanitation, and better health facilities. The North Africa and East Africa sub-regions are projected to benefit more from reduced child mortality than other regions. The relative reduction of the impact of HIV/AIDS would influence this decline. In general, trends in deaths from main causes appear to be decreasing as a result of increasing attention to communicable and chronic diseases, which is having a positive impact on longevity. 98 Unit Four Population of Africa Figure 4.6: Projected Child Mortality Rate in Africa Source: Based on UN Population Division Data (2020) III. Life Expectancy The current birth and death rates of Africa reflect a very young (and economically dependent) population with low life expectancy. Almost all sub-Saharan countries have a population of under 15 years of age- rated in percent of more than 40 percent. This has resulted in a high dependency ratio in the continent. The average life expectancy at birth for the whole continent is 64 years by the mid of 2020 (see Table 4.7). However, there exists variation in the level of life expectancy between and among major regions in Africa. North African countries have been successful in raising the life expectancy to an average of 74 years while Western African countries failed to do so where the average life expectancy stood only at an average of 59 years; a figure that is far below continental average. There also exists a marked disparity in life expectancy between rich and poor countries. However, the gap between the poor and the rich countries in life expectancy has shown a significant reduction over the last 50 years despite the widening wealth gap between the two economic regions. With reduced mortality, Africa should expect and plan for an ageing population. By 2030, the average life expectancy in Africa is projected to surpass 64 years. 99  Grade 10 | Geography Table 4.7: Life Expectancy by Regions in Africa (2020) Region Life Expectancy at Birth (Years) World 73 Africa 64 Sub Saharan Africa 62 Northern Africa 74 Western Africa 59 Eastern Africa 66 Central Africa 61 Southern Africa 62 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 Activity 4.3 1. Africa’s population growth rate is the highest in the world. What will happen if Africa’s population growth rate continues in such a manner? 2. Some developed countries’ population growth rate is stagnant. The old-age population number is growing from time to time. What sort of implication will this bring upon the socio-economic condition of these countries? 100 Unit Four Population of Africa 4.3 POPULATION STRUCTURE At the end of this section, you will be able to: 🔒 describe the demographic structure of African population. KEY TERMS մ Age dependency ratio մ Population structure մ Age structure մ Sex ratio մ Population pyramid մ Sex structure 👩 A. Age Structure How do you describe the age composition of Africa’s population? The age structure of a population can be expressed by the distribution of population into young, working and old age groups. Thus, one can deduce that Africa is a continent that is characterized by the dominance of the young age population. The age structure of the population can also be expressed from the median age perspective. If the median age is low, it implies that the population is young. For example, Africa’s median age has been 19.7 years by the mid of 2020. In contrast, if the median age is high, the population is likely to be adult and old age groups. For example, the median age for Europe has been 42.5 years by the mid of 2020. Low median age reflects high fertility and high population growth rates whereas high median age prevails in a population where the population growth rate is low and slow. Table 4.8: Africa’s Population by Age and Major Regions, 2020 Age Category Age Dependency Young Work Old Ratio (ADR) Region Population Population Population x 100 (0-14 years) (15-64) (65+) Sub-Saharan Africa 43 54 3 85.2 Northern Africa 33 62 5 61.3 Western Africa 44 53 3 88.7 Eastern Africa 42 55 3 81.8 Central Africa 46 51 3 96.1 Southern Africa 29 65 6 53.8 Africa 41 56 3 78.6 Source: UN World Population Data Sheet, 2021 101  Grade 10 | Geography Africa is the continent that has high young population, but it has very low old age population. In developing continents like Africa, the level of fertility is very high; and the rate of population growth is high, too. This is readily attributed to their predominantly young age structure. As high fertility persists, the pressure on scarce resources for development increases. The demand for food, education, health facilities, employment opportunities, housing and other services also increases. In order to maximize these needs to meet the demand of the growing population, physical and institutional infrastructures have to be increased abundantly. The persisting high rate of population growth constantly dwarfs whatever is achieved in the economic sector. Resources, which could be used for development purposes, could be shifted to the provision of basic supplies for the additional members. B. Sex Structure The sex structure of the population can be expressed using a sex ratio. It refers to the proportion of males to females in the overall population of a given area. The sex ratio is expressed in terms of the number of males for every 100 females. Sex Ratio = d n x100 Number of male population Number of female population The proportion of the two sexes in the population of a region has an impact on other demographic elements such as marriage rate, fertility, occupational structure, growth, etc. C. Population Pyramid A very effective and quite widely used method of graphically depicting the age-sex composition of a population is called a population’s pyramid. A population pyramid is designed to give a detailed picture of the age-sex structure of a population, indicating either single age or 5-year groups, or other age combinations. The basic pyramid form consists of bars, presenting age groups in ascending order from the lowest to the highest pyramid horizontally one on another. The bars for males are given on the left of a central vertical axis and the bars for females are on the right of the axis. The number of males or females in the particular age group is indicated by the length of the bars from the central axis. The age scale is usually shown stranding the central axis although it may be shown at the right or left of the pyramid only, or both on the right and left, perhaps in terms of both age and year of birth. In general, the age groups in a given pyramid must have the same class interval and must be represented by bars of equal thickness. Most commonly pyramids show 5-years age groups. 102 Unit Four Population of Africa Types of Population Pyramids While all countries’ population pyramids differ, three types have been identified by the fertility and mortality rate of a country. i. Expansive pyramid A population pyramid showing a broad base, indicating a high proportion of children, a rapid rate of population growth, and a low proportion of older people. This wide base indicates a large number of children. A steady upward narrowing pyramid shows that more people die at each higher age bond. This type of pyramid indicates a population in which there is a high birth rate, a high death rate and short life expectancy. It is the typical pattern for less economically developed countries, due to little access and incentive to use birth control, negative environmental factors and poor access to health care. ii. Constructive Pyramid With a population pyramid showing lower numbers or percentages of young people (ages 1 -14), the country will have a large elderly or aging population. Such a population pyramid usually displays a population percentage of ages 1-14 fewer than 30% and ages 75 and above over 6%. This is considered as an “aging population” that generally occurs in developed counties with adequate health services. iii. Stationary Pyramid A population pyramid showing an unchanging pattern of fertility and mortality (fertility and mortality are balanced), i.e., B = D, where, B = Birth, D = Death and Population growth rate is zero. As a result of the nature of population distribution into different age categories (i.e., young, working and old), most developing countries are characterized by expansive type of population pyramid which is almost triangular by shape. This kind of population pyramid has a broad base and tapering apex. The broader base is due to a high level of fertility among the population that results in high population growth rate. On the other hand, the tapering apex is typically indicative of low life expectancy. The population pyramid of most developing countries resembles the one indicated in Figure 4.7. Contrary to developing countries, since the level of fertility is less and life expectancy is high in most developed countries, they are best expressed by the type of population pyramid that is narrower at the base and that becomes wider at the top. 103  Grade 10 | Geography Figure 4.7: Model Population Pyramids Generally, the following are among the major characteristics of the African Population Þ High fertility and mortality rates; Þ Generally young population; Þ Triangular population pyramid indicating the prevalence of high fertility and mortality rates; Þ High age dependency ratio and youth dependency ratio and low old dependency ratio; Þ Low life expectancy; and Þ High population growth rate. Activity 4.4 1. Which continent is characterized by the highest percentage of the young population? Why? 2. Explain briefly the impact of having a high percentage of the young population on socio- economic changes. 3. Why is a large elderly dependent population generally viewed as a problem? 4. Compare and contrast (the shape and characteristics) of expansive, stationary and constructive population pyramids. 104 Unit Four Population of Africa 4.4 DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY OF AFRICA’S POPULATION At the end of this section, you will be able to: demonstrate distribution and density patterns of African population using 🔒 graphs, charts, and maps. KEY TERMS մ Population distribution մ Spatial variation մ Population density Population distribution refers to the way people inhabit and occupy the earth’s surface. As elsewhere in the rest of the world, Africa’s population distribution is uneven. As a result, there are areas of high and low population density. Some parts of the continent, particularly the vast Sahara, have few permanent residents. While others rank among the world’s most densely populated areas. The Nile Valley of Egypt, Mauritius, Rwanda, and Burundi are among the most densely populated areas in the continent. According to World Population Prospects Data, the continent’s average crude population density during the mid of 2019 was about 44 people/km2. Certain human and physical factors are responsible for such spatial variation in the distribution of population in the continent. Among the physical factors, some are climate, relief, availability of water, fertility of the soil, distribution of minerals and the like. On the other hand, the human factors that determine the extent to which humans inhabit a certain place include economic conditions, political situations and other social factors. However, there exists a significant regional variation in population density. As it can be seen from the following Table 4.9, both Eastern and Western Africa have the continent’s highest crude density of 65 Persons/Km followed by Sub Saharan Africa 2 with 49 Persons/Km. Contrary to this, Southern Africa has the continent’s lowest crude 2 density of 25 Persons/Km followed by Central Africa (27Persons/Km ) and Northern 2 2 Africa (31Persons/Km ). 2 On a country level, the most populous countries are Nigeria, Ethiopia, Egypt, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the Republic of South Africa (RSA). 105  Grade 10 | Geography However, being populous does not necessarily mean being densely populated. The most densely populated countries in Africa include; Mauritius, Rwanda, Burundi, Comoros, and Seychelles. Table 4.9: Population Density by Major Regions of Africa, 2019 Region Crude Population Density (Persons/Km2) Sub-Saharan Africa 49 Northern Africa 31 Western Africa 65 Eastern Africa 65 Central Africa 27 Southern Africa 25 Africa 44 Source: UN World Population Prospects, 2019 4.5 URBAN AND RURAL SETTLEMENT PATTERNS IN AFRICA At the end of this section, you will be able to: discuss the urban and rural settlement patterns in Africa.  KEY TERMS մ Rural մ Urban մ Settlement մ Urbanization Africa offers stark contrasts in terms of urbanization compared to other regions of the world. For example, Burundi, Rwanda, Malawi, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso are still predominantly rural, while Gabon and Western Sahara, more than 80% of their population lives in urban areas. African urban growth, which reflects sizeable migration flows from rural areas, presents major challenges for development, as migrants into cities require access to land, infrastructure and basic services. This has also stretched health care services. 106 Unit Four Population of Africa The top 20 countries in urbanization have at least 50% of the population in urban areas while the bottom 10 countries have less than a quarter of their population living in urban areas. Generally, countries in Northern and Western Africa regions are more urbanized compared to countries in the Eastern Africa region. The top countries include Gabon almost 90% of its population in urban areas. Other countries with a high rate of urbanization are Western Sahara, Libya, Djibouti, Algeria, Tunisia, Sao Tome and Principe, Cape Verde, Congo, South Africa, Angola, Morocco, Gambia, Mauritania, Botswana, Seychelles, Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana and Liberia. The bottom 10 countries in urbanization are Kenya, Eritrea, Chad, Niger, Swaziland, Ethiopia, Uganda, South Sudan, and Malawi while Burundi is the least urbanized at only 12%. Eastern Africa seems to be the least urbanized region while the most urbanized region is Southern Africa. The population in urban areas is currently estimated to be 41% of total and is projected to increase further, which will create an urban population larger than the rural population in about two decades (See Figure 4.8). Table 4.10: Proportion of Population in Urban Areas by Region (2016) Major Region Percent of Urban Population Northern Africa 51 Western Africa 45 Eastern Africa 26 Central Africa 47 Southern Africa 62 Source: Based on UN Population Division Data 107  Grade 10 | Geography Figure 4.8: Projected Africa’s Urban – Rural Population Distribution (2030-35) 108  Population of Africa UNIT SUMMARY Africa and other developing regions make up an increasing share of the world population. The world population has shown a tremendous increment from 1950 to 2020. Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean contribute the highest proportion to this share. The growth rate of the population is a vital demographic feature that can help us understand the population change that a given society has undergone and will undertake in the future. Africa is the only continent whose population is growing faster than other continents. There is not an even distribution of population in the world. Deductively, Africa’s population distribution is uneven. The unevenness of African population distribution is attributable to human and physical factors. The three major components that bring about a change in matters related to population in any country are fertility, mortality and migration. Africa’s rapid population growth and backward socio-economic development have turned Africa into the world’s lowest social amenities. As a result, poor health, inadequate education, deficient nutrition and inferior housing facility widely tangle the people of the continent. Africa’s rate of urbanization is the highest in the world. Currently, uncontrolled and rapid urbanization has depopulated rural areas. This has crippled agricultural production, especially the production of food crops. Generally speaking, rapid urban growth has become a major cause of growing poverty both in rural and urban areas in Africa. Unit Summary and Review Exercises 109  Grade 10 | Geography REVIEW QUESTIONS Instruction I: Determine whether each of the sentences below is True or False. 1. Secondary sector involves activities of people in the service sector. ________________ 2. Primary sector involves changing of raw materials into new products. ______________ 3. Primary sector involves extracting raw materials. _________________ 4. Africa is home to many religions and beliefs. _________________ 5. Africa is the most linguistically diverse continent. _________________ 6. Many African countries are highly multilingual. _________________ Instruction II: Choose the correct answer. 7. How many living languages are there is Africa? A. 100 C. 1000 B. 200 D. 2000 8. Which of the following economic activities is based on knowledge? A. Primary C.. Tertiary B. Secondary D. A and B 9. Developing countries (DVCs) are characterized by one of the following? A. A. they are the world’s unindustrialized nations B. B. they are the world’s heavily industrialized nations C. C. their economy largely depends on service sector D. D. no developing country is found in Africa 10. “Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future.” This goal of SDG is related to one of the following. A. Reduced inequalities B. Decent work and economic growth C. Gender Equality D. Responsible consumption and production 110