Population
5.3What the syllabus asks of you
- Factors that affect population growth: definitions of: birth rate; death rate; net migration, immigration and emigration
- Factors that affect population growth: how birth rates, death rates and net migration can vary between countries
- Factors that affect population growth: reasons why birth rates, death rates and net migration rates can vary between countries
- The effects of changes in the size and structure of populations: the concept of an optimum population
- The effects of changes in the size and structure of populations: the effects of increases and decreases in population size and changes in the age and gender distribution of population
Read the notes first
Chapter 5: Population
Drill this topic
Every question on Population, untimed, marked as you go.
Make a worksheet
Choose the years and how many questions, then print it with the answers on separate pages.
41 questions
1Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aunder 16 years: fall; 16–60 years: fall; over 60 years: fall
Bunder 16 years: fall; 16–60 years: rise; over 60 years: rise
Cunder 16 years: rise; 16–60 years: fall; over 60 years: rise
Dunder 16 years: rise; 16–60 years: rise; over 60 years: fall
Mark scheme
2Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate: decreasing; death rate: increasing; net migration: unchanged
Bbirth rate: increasing; death rate: decreasing; net migration: increasing
Cbirth rate: increasing; death rate: increasing; net migration: decreasing
Dbirth rate: unchanged; death rate: increasing; net migration: decreasing
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3May / June 2025 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate / net immigration
Bdeath rate / birth rate
Cemigration / death rate
Dimmigration / emigration
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4May / June 2025 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aincreased government budget deficit
Bincreased rate of economic growth
Cincreased rate of emigration
Dincreased use of labour-intensive methods of production
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5Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AOnly one country, Nigeria, had a decreasing population.
BThe country with the lowest birth rate had the lowest death rate.
CThe country with the lowest death rate had the highest birth rate.
DThe country with the lowest natural rate of increase in population was the US.
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6Oct / Nov 2024 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
ACountry 1 has a greater population size than country 2.
BCountry 1 has a higher life expectancy than country 2.
CCountry 2 has a lower death rate than country 1.
DCountry 2 spends more money on childcare than country 1.
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7May / June 2024 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate: low; death rate: low
Bbirth rate: low; death rate: high
Cbirth rate: high; death rate: low
Dbirth rate: high; death rate: high
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8May / June 2024 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate
Bdeath rate
Cinfant mortality rate
Dnet emigration
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9Oct / Nov 2023 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AThere will be a fall in the dependency ratio.
BThere will be a fall in the level of immigration.
CThere will be an increase in geographic mobility.
DThere will be an increase in spending on healthcare.
Mark scheme
10May / June 2023 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in the birth rate
Ba fall in the death rate
Ca rise in both the birth rate and the death rate
Da rise in the death rate and a fall in the birth rate
Mark scheme
11Oct / Nov 2022 · Paper 13 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aan increase in the size of the labour force
Ba rise in the average age of the population
Clower economic growth
Dreduced demand for housing
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12May / June 2022 · Paper 11 · Q30Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in the average size of families
Ba fall in the birth rate
Ca reduction in the age of retirement
Dan increase in net immigration
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13May / June 2022 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in the average size of families
Ba fall in the birth rate
Ca reduction in the age of retirement
Dan increase in net immigration
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14Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aa more mobile labour force
Ban ageing population
Chigher government tax revenue
Drising house prices
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15Oct / Nov 2021 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Afalling / falling
Bfalling / rising
Crising / falling
Drising / rising
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16May / June 2021 · Paper 11 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AX and Z
BX only
CY and Z
DY only
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17May / June 2021 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AX and Z
BX only
CY and Z
DY only
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18Oct / Nov 2020 · Paper 12 · Q27Show mark scheme →
AFewer women work.
BInfant mortality rates rise.
CMedical supplies and healthcare improve.
DThe optimum population increases.
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19May / June 2020 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate falls, death rate falls, labour productivity rises
Bbirth rate falls, death rate rises, labour productivity falls
Cbirth rate rises, death rate falls, labour productivity falls
Dbirth rate rises, death rate rises, labour productivity rises
Mark scheme
20May / June 2020 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate falls; death rate falls; labour productivity rises
Bbirth rate falls; death rate rises; labour productivity falls
Cbirth rate rises; death rate falls; labour productivity falls
Dbirth rate rises; death rate rises; labour productivity rises
Mark scheme
21Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AGovernment spending on education will need to increase.
BMedical improvements have resulted in falling infant mortality rates.
CThere will be a decline in income for each person working.
DThere will, in the long run, be an increase in the working population.
Mark scheme
22Oct / Nov 2019 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AGovernment spending on education will need to increase.
BMedical improvements have resulted in falling infant mortality rates.
CThere will be a decline in income for each person working.
DThere will, in the long run, be an increase in the working population.
Mark scheme
23May / June 2019 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in infant mortality but no change in the death rate
Ba rise in net immigration but no change in the death rate
Cno change in migration but the death rate rose
Dthe death rate fell with no change in migration
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24May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
AThe average age of the population falls.
BThe fertility rate declines.
CThe infant mortality rate increases.
DThe primary sector expands.
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25May / June 2019 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in infant mortality but no change in the death rate
Ba rise in net immigration but no change in the death rate
Cno change in migration but the death rate rose
Dthe death rate fell with no change in migration
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26Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q10Show mark scheme →
Athe existence of a trade union
Bthe government's immigration policy
Cthe quality of university graduates
Dthe ratio of male to female employees
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27Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aa fall in the birth rate
Ba rise in the death rate
Can increase in the age of retirement
Dan increase in the state pension
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28Oct / Nov 2018 · Paper 13 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Agovernment spending increases
Bnet immigration increases
Cspending on pensions increases
Dworking population increases
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29Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in immigration
Ba decrease in the birth rate
Ca decrease in the death rate
Da decrease in the standard of living
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30Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aaverage age
Bnumber of people below 15
Cnumber of people over 60
Dtotal population
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31Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 12 · Q26Show mark scheme →
AThe birth rate rose.
BThe death rate fell.
CThere were 3000 emigrants.
DThere were 5000 immigrants.
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32Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 13 · Q21Show mark scheme →
Aa higher birth rate
Ba higher death rate
Ca higher fertility rate
Da higher rate of net immigration
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33Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 13 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Apopulation structure will remain the same
Bpopulation will decrease
Cthe standard of living will decrease
Dthe working population will increase
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34Oct / Nov 2017 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Aaverage age
Bnumber of people below 15
Cnumber of people over 60
Dtotal population
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35May / June 2017 · Paper 11 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate falling and death rate falling
Bbirth rate greater than death rate
Cdeath rate greater than birth rate
Ddeath rate rising and birth rate falling
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36May / June 2017 · Paper 12 · Q25Show mark scheme →
Abirth rate falling and death rate falling
Bbirth rate greater than death rate
Cdeath rate greater than birth rate
Ddeath rate rising and birth rate falling
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37Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 12 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in job security abroad
Ba decrease in wage rates abroad
Can increase in Ireland's real GDP
Dan increase in unemployment in Ireland
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38Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 13 · Q22Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in job security abroad
Ba decrease in wage rates abroad
Can increase in Ireland's real GDP
Dan increase in unemployment in Ireland
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39Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 13 · Q24Show mark scheme →
Aa decrease in the birth rate
Ba decrease in the death rate
Can increase in net immigration
Dan increase in the fertility rate
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40Oct / Nov 2016 · Paper 13 · Q25Show mark scheme →
AGovernment transfer payments will increase.
BMore facilities will be needed to retrain workers.
CThere will be a rise in the economic growth rate.
DThe total savings in the economy will increase.
Mark scheme
41May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Q26Show mark scheme →
AThe dependency ratio will fall.
BThe Government's expenditure will fall.
CThe Government's income will fall.
DThe total population will fall.
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