Human Population- Competence-Based Essay Questions with Answers | Form 4

 

HUMAN POPULATION – FORM FOUR GEOGRAPHY

Competence-Based Essay Questions with Answers

Questions 1–15

Question 1

A country has experienced a rapid increase in population during the last twenty years. Explain five factors that may have contributed to this population increase. Answer: i. High birth rate due to early marriages and preference for large families. ii. Decline in death rate due to improved medical services. iii. Improvement in food production, leading to better nutrition. iv. Improvement in sanitation and availability of clean water. v. Immigration of people from other countries or regions.

Question 2

The government of a developing country is concerned about the effects of rapid population growth. Explain six problems that may result from rapid population growth. Answer: i. Unemployment increases because job opportunities may not increase at the same rate as population. ii. Pressure on land may lead to land fragmentation and overuse. iii. Shortage of social services such as schools, hospitals and housing. iv. Food shortages may occur when food production cannot meet demand. v. Environmental degradation may increase through deforestation and overcultivation. vi. Poverty may increase because available resources are shared among many people.

Question 3

A district has a population of 240,000 people and an area of 6,000 km². Calculate its population density and explain what the result means. Answer: Population density = Population ÷ Area = 240,000 ÷ 6,000 = 40 people per km² This means that, on average, there are 40 people living in every square kilometre of the district.

Question 4

Many young people are moving from rural areas to towns in search of better living conditions. Explain six factors that encourage rural–urban migration. Answer: i. Availability of employment opportunities in urban areas. ii. Better educational facilities in towns. iii. Availability of better medical services. iv. Higher wages and income opportunities. v. Better transport and communication facilities. vi. Availability of modern social and recreational facilities.

Question 5

A rapidly growing town is experiencing overcrowding, unemployment and pressure on social services. Suggest six measures that the government can take to control these problems. Answer: i. Develop industries and businesses in rural areas. ii. Improve rural social services such as schools and hospitals. iii. Create employment opportunities in rural areas. iv. Improve transport and communication networks in rural areas. v. Promote family planning and population education. vi. Establish proper urban planning and affordable housing programmes.

Question 6

Population distribution in Tanzania is uneven. Explain six factors responsible for differences in population distribution. Answer: i. Availability of fertile soils attracts people for agriculture. ii. Reliable rainfall encourages settlement and farming. iii. Availability of water attracts people for domestic and economic activities. iv. Areas with mineral resources attract workers and investors. v. Availability of employment opportunities attracts people. vi. Good transport networks encourage settlement and economic activities.

Question 7

A region has a large proportion of children and young people compared with adults. Explain five possible effects of such a population structure on development. Answer: i. High dependency burden because many children depend on the working population. ii. Increased demand for schools and teachers. iii. Increased demand for health services. iv. The government may spend more money providing basic services for children. v. If properly educated and employed, the young population can provide a large future labour force.

Question 8

A country wants to reduce its high population growth rate without violating people's rights. Explain six appropriate measures it can use. Answer: i. Provide family planning education and services. ii. Encourage girls' and women's education. iii. Promote delayed marriages. iv. Improve access to reproductive health information. v. Encourage families to adopt responsible family sizes. vi. Improve economic opportunities for women to reduce excessive dependence on large families.

Question 9

Explain six positive contributions of a large population to the economic development of a country. Answer: i. Provides a large labour force for economic activities. ii. Creates a large market for goods and services. iii. Encourages expansion of industries to meet increased demand. iv. Provides a larger tax base when people are employed. v. Encourages development of infrastructure and social services. vi. Increases the potential number of skilled workers and professionals.

Question 10

A country has a very low population growth rate and an increasing number of elderly people. Explain five challenges that the country may face. Answer: i. Shortage of labour force in some economic sectors. ii. Increased expenditure on pensions and elderly care. iii. Increased demand for health services for older people. iv. Reduced working population may lower government revenue. v. Economic growth may slow down because of a smaller active labour force.

Question 11

A population census is conducted in a country every ten years. Explain six reasons why population census is important for national development. Answer: i. Helps the government to know the total population of the country. ii. Provides information about population distribution. iii. Helps in planning schools, hospitals and other social services. iv. Helps the government to allocate resources to different areas. v. Provides information about the size and characteristics of the labour force. vi. Helps in planning development projects and policies.

Question 12

A region has a high death rate compared with other regions. Explain six factors that may contribute to the high death rate. Answer: i. Poor medical and health services. ii. Frequent outbreaks of diseases. iii. Poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water. iv. Food shortages and malnutrition. v. High levels of poverty. vi. Natural disasters, conflicts or accidents that cause loss of life.

Question 13

A developing country is experiencing rapid population growth and limited resources. Explain six ways population growth can affect the environment. Answer: i. Deforestation may increase due to demand for farmland and settlement. ii. Overcultivation may lead to soil exhaustion. iii. Overgrazing may cause land degradation. iv. Increased waste production may cause pollution. v. Wetlands and other natural habitats may be destroyed. vi. Increased demand for water may cause water shortages and degradation of water sources.

Question 14

A government wants to improve the quality of life of its population. Explain six measures it can take to improve population welfare. Answer: i. Improve access to quality education. ii. Provide accessible and affordable health services. iii. Create employment opportunities. iv. Improve access to clean and safe water. v. Provide adequate and affordable housing. vi. Improve transport, communication and other basic infrastructure.

Question 15

A country has experienced a large number of people entering from neighbouring countries. Explain five possible effects of immigration on the receiving country. Answer: i. Immigration can increase the available labour force. ii. It can increase demand for land, housing and social services. iii. It can increase the market for goods and services. iv. It may increase government expenditure on public services. v. It can promote cultural exchange and the sharing of skills and knowledge.