Population and Employment.
Topical objectives;
By the end of the topic the learner should be able to;
i) Explain the basic concepts in population.
ii) Explain the implications of population size and population structure on the development of
a country.
iii) Explain the meaning of employment and unemployment.
iv) Discuss the various types and causes of unemployment.
v) Discuss the measures that may be taken to solve unemployment problems.
CONCEPTS / TERMS USED IN POPULATION
i) Population – refers to the total number of people living in a given geographical area
at a particular time.
ii) Demography- refers to the study of population. Population data is obtained through
National census head count, sample surveys and registration of birth and deaths.
iii) Birth rate- refers to the number of live births per thousand people in one year.
iv) Mortality rate/death rate/attrition rate-refers to the number of deaths per
thousand people in a population per year.
v) Infant mortality rate- refers to the number of child death per a thousand children
below the age of one year.
vi) Population growth rate- refers to the percentage change in the number of people
living in a particular area between two successive periods. It depends on birth rate,
death rate and migration.
vii) Fertility- ability of a woman in child bearing age of 15-49 years to give birth to a live
child.
viii) Life expectancy- refers to the average number of years a person born alive is
expected to live.
ix) Migration- is the movement of people from one place to another. It takes two
forms; Immigration and Emigration. Immigration is the movement of people int an
area. Emigration is the movement of people out of an area.
x) Population size- refers to the actual number of individuals in a population. Refers to
the number of people inhabiting a specified area. Aspects of population size
includes Optimum population, Under population and Over population.
Optimum population is the population where the number of people is in balance
with the existing resources.
Under population is the population level where the number of people is less than
the available resources in a country.
Over population is the population where there are too many people to be
supported by existing resources.
xi) Population structure- refers to the composition of the population according to age,
sex, income distribution and literacy levels.
Aspects of population structure include Young population, Ageing population and
Declining population.
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Young population/ Youthful population is the population which consists of a large
proportion of young people aged 15 years and below.
Ageing population is the population which has a high proportion of old people aged
65 years and above.
Declining population is the population that has been reducing over time. Where
death rate exceed birth rate. There is a negative growth in population.
Implications of population size on the development of a country.
Optimum Population;
There is maximum utilization of resources.
The population is capable of enjoying highest standards of living.
There is no strain on the use of available resources.
Any population below optimum population may find it impossible to utilize all
resources effectively to increase the per capita income.
Any population beyond optimum population may lead to a lower per capita income.
Demerits of over population
Overstretching of available resources
High levels of unemployment
High dependency ratios
Social problems such as crime, drug trafficking and growth of slums.
Leads to vicious cycle of poverty leading to poor ling standards.
Environmental degradation
Demerits of under population
There is under utilization of resources hence low economic growth.
There is low labour supply in the market.
It will be uneconomical to provide social amenities because the population is
sparsely distribution.
Limited specialization leads to poor quality goods and services.
Advantages of over population
High labour supply
Wide market for goods and services
Increased inventions and innovations
High labour mobility since people tend to move to other areas in search of work
Advantages of under population/ low population
Low dependency ratio
Low levels of unemployment
Low levels of environmental degradation are low
Low pressure on social amenities
Employment and Unemployment.
Employment is engagement in generating activities.
It is a situation whereby people who are capable of working have job opportunities.
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Unemployment.
Occurs when people are willing to work at ongoing wage rate but cannot secure
jobs.
Types of unemployment
a) Seasonal unemployment: occur during off-peak season when there is relatively
low demand for labour.
b) Frictional unemployment: occur when people are seeking for new jobs due to
time lags when changing jobs.
c) Structural unemployment: occur due to mismatch between skills required by
the industries and those that people have.
d) Cyclical unemployment: occurs when there is recession/depression (Low levels
of economic activities).
e) Disguised unemployment/under employment/ hidden unemployment: occurs
when the number of workers exceeds those required.
f) Residual unemployment: occurs when workers have handicaps such as mental
disorders, blindness and other physical disorders. Especially where there are
standard rates of pay, employers find it difficult to employ those with
disabilities.
g) Real wage unemployment/ Voluntary unemployment: occur when workers are
not willing to accept lower rates. There are opportunities but workers chose not
to work at lower rates.
h) Open unemployment/ involuntary unemployment: occur when people are
actively looking for job at prevailing wage rates and cannot secure jobs.
i) Keynesian unemployment: occurs when the economy is operating at a lower
capacity than normal hence producers lay off some of the workers.
Causes of unemployment.
a) Rapid population growth rate.
b) Inadequate capital or investment.
c) Use of inappropriate production system (capital Intensive methods);
d) Inappropriate education system
Measures of solving unemployment.
a) Encourage use of appropriate technology eg. labour intensive methods
of production.
b) Diversification of economic activities to reduce seasonal unemployment.
c) Adopting relevant education system to equip the youth with relevant
skills to the job market.
d) Delocalization of industries.
e) Increase government expenditure on projects that create /generate
more jobs.
f) Promoting informal sector to create self- employment.
g) Encourage population control measures eg. Family planning,
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