1.3.1 Population trends

Content

Geographic inquiry and concept(s)
- Population possibilities and power over the decision-making process
Geographic knowledge and understanding
- Global and regional/continental trends in family size, sex ratios, and ageing/greying
Case study or detailed examples
- Neither required by the syllabus
Aims of this lesson
- To be able to describe and explain global and regional trends in family size (household size), sex rations and ageing

Seventh intergenerational report also outlines how Australia is on the brink of an uncertain age of artificial intelligence

The Guardian · 21 September 2026

Household / Family size
- A group of persons who make common provision of food, shelter and other essentials for living, is a fundamental socioeconomic unit in human societies. Family size refers to the number of persons in the family. Economic family refers to a group of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling and are related to each other by blood, marriage, common-law union, adoption or a foster relationship.

Population Ageing
- Population ageing - the process by which older individuals become a proportionally larger share of the total population.

Log in or subscribe to continueUnlock the full lesson — the teaching content, lesson resources, and the complete Notion version.

Outline one global trend in family size over the past 50 years. [2]
Outline one consequence of population greying at the national scale. [2]
Explain two reasons why sex ratios may vary between regions. [4]
“The impacts of changing fertility rates are uneven across the world.” To what extent do you agree with this statement? [10]
Ageing populations represent a greater challenge to long-term resource security than rapidly growing populations. To what extent do you agree with this statement? [10]