1
~10 min
How to play: Click a term on the left, then click its matching definition on the right. Correct pairs will turn green!
Score: 0 / 8
Terms
Birth Rate
Death Rate
Natural Increase
Dependency Ratio
Ageing Population
Infant Mortality Rate
Life Expectancy
Population Pyramid
Definitions
The average number of years a person is expected to live from birth.
The difference between the birth rate and death rate per 1,000 people.
The number of live births per 1,000 people in a year.
A population with a growing proportion of elderly people, usually in developed countries.
The ratio of non-working (young + elderly) to working-age people in a population.
A bar chart showing the age and sex structure of a population.
The number of deaths per 1,000 people in a year.
The number of deaths of children under 1 year old per 1,000 live births.
2
~15 min
Exam tip: In a "describe" question, use figures from the diagram and refer to the shape. Good answers mention both the base (young people) and the top (elderly people) of the pyramid.
Useful phrases:
wide base
narrow base
high birth rate
low birth rate
high death rate
low death rate
large elderly population
short life expectancy
concave/convex sides
Country A — Mozambique
Developing Country (Sub-Saharan Africa)
Country B — Italy
Developed Country (Western Europe)
3
~15 min
The DTM shows how birth and death rates change as a country develops. Stage 1 = high BR + high DR; Stage 4 = low BR + low DR. The exam often uses this model when asking you to explain population change.
Drag the cards below into the correct stage (or tap-to-select on mobile):
Stage 1
Pre-industrial
Stage 2
Early developing
Stage 3
Late developing
Stage 4
Developed
💉 Improved sanitation reduces death rate, but birth rate stays high
👴 Large ageing population; growing pressure on pensions
🌾 Subsistence farming; both birth and death rates are very high
👩💼 Women entering workforce; birth rate starts to fall
📉 Low birth rate and low death rate; slow population growth
📈 Rapidly growing population due to falling death rate
☠️ Many children die in infancy; life expectancy very short
🏙️ Urbanisation and better education reduce birth rate
🏥 Access to clean water and basic healthcare improves
💊 Greater access to contraception; smaller family size chosen
4
~20 min
Study the population pyramids for Mozambique (Country A) and Italy (Country B) shown below.
Explain the differences between the two population pyramids. You should refer to factors affecting birth rates and death rates in your answer.
6 marksCountry A — Mozambique
Country B — Italy
⏱ Time: 20:00
0 words
✅ Mark Scheme — Explain population pyramid differences (6 marks)
Award 1 mark per valid point; 2 marks for a developed point. Answers must be explanation — not description. Full marks require reference to both birth rates and death rates.
Birth Rate Points (Mozambique higher birth rate)
In Mozambique, birth rates are high because there is limited access to contraception, so families tend to be large
In Mozambique, children are needed to help work on farms, so parents have more children
With limited pensions/state welfare, families in Mozambique have many children to provide care in old age
High infant mortality in Mozambique means parents have more children to ensure some survive
In Italy, women often have careers and choose to have children later in life, reducing the birth rate
Children are expensive to raise in Italy; smaller family sizes are preferred
Greater access to and use of contraception in Italy keeps birth rates low
Death Rate Points (Mozambique higher death rate)
In Mozambique, a high death rate is caused by endemic diseases such as malaria and a lack of clean water/sanitation
Poor healthcare provision in Mozambique means many people die young; infant mortality is high
In Italy, advanced healthcare (e.g. vaccines, surgery) means fewer people die in each age group
In Italy, good access to clean water and nutritious food reduces deaths from preventable causes
In Italy, women live longer than men; this is shown by the wider female bars at 75+
📌 Common mistake: Writing "birth rate is high in Mozambique" = description (0 marks). Writing "birth rate is high in Mozambique because there is no access to contraception" = explanation (1 mark). A developed point adds detail: "…and many families rely on children to work on farms and support them in old age" (2 marks).
🎓
Revision Complete!
You've worked through all four activities — key terms, pyramid description, DTM sorting, and an exam question.
Before you close this page, self-assess your exam answer:
- I explained why birth rates differ (not just described)
- I explained why death rates differ (not just described)
- I referred to both birth rates AND death rates
- I used specific examples (e.g. malaria, contraception, careers)
- I developed at least 2 points with a reason + consequence
- I would award myself 5–6 marks