Topic 2.9

Essential Knowledge 

• Population aging is determined by birth and death rates and life expectancy.  
• An aging population has political, social, and economic consequences, including the dependency ratio.  

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration (1880s) 

• Most migrants move short distances. 
• Long-distance migrants often move to large cities. 
• Most migration occurs in steps (step migration). 
• Urban residents are less migratory than rural residents. 
• Most migrants are young adults. 
• Women migrate more internally, men more internationally (historical pattern). 

 
Types of Migration 

• Voluntary Migration: Choice, usually economic (jobs, better opportunities). 
• Forced Migration: No choice (conflict, slavery, natural disasters, persecution). 

Lee’s Push-Pull Model: 

• Push factors: war, poverty, lack of jobs. 
• Pull factors: safety, jobs, education. 
• Intervening obstacles: borders, cost, language, policies. 

 
Examples 

• Syrian Civil War refugees → forced migration. 
• Mexican workers to the U.S. → voluntary/economic migration. 
• Rural to urban migration in China → step migration for economic opportunity. 

Contextualization  

Video #1: Demographic Change, Productivity and the Role of Technology  

This video looks at the impact of aging populations on society in Asia 

Video #2: BBC: How an Aging Population will Change the World 

In Practice

Essential Question 

Explain the causes and consequences of an aging population.  

Conceptual Analysis Questions  

1. What is the dependency ratio? How does the dependency ratio impact a country economically?  
2. What are the political consequences of an aging population? 

Vocab Review  

Provide a shorthand working definition for each of the following terms. This means it needs to be in YOUR OWN WORDS. 

• Dependency Ratio 
• Dependent Population 
• Social Stratification  

MCQ:  

(You only need to write the letter for the answer you select). 

1. Which of Ravenstein’s laws is best demonstrated by rural-to-urban migration in China? 
   A. Most migrants are elderly. 
   B. Migration typically occurs in short steps toward urban centers. 
   C. Most migration is international rather than internal. 
   D. Women are more likely to migrate internationally than men. 
   E. Migrants typically return to their original homes after a short stay. 

2. Which of the following is an example of forced migration? 
   A. A farmer in Mexico moving to the U.S. for a higher-paying job 
   B. A Syrian family fleeing to Turkey due to civil war 
   C. A college student moving to New York City for university 
   D. A Japanese worker taking a contract in the U.S. 
   E. A retiree relocating to Florida for warmer weather 

3. Which concept is central to Lee’s push-pull model of migration? 
   A. Migration occurs randomly and without patterns. 
   B. Population density determines all migration flows. 
   C. People migrate because of a combination of negative push factors, attractive pull factors, and intervening obstacles. 
   D. Governments control all international migration. 
   E. Migration only occurs when fertility rates decline.