Variations in Population Characteristics (Edexcel A Level Geography)

Variation between Settlements

• In the UK, there are similar numbers of males (49%) and females (51%) for most ethnic groups 

  • The exceptions are Chinese, Black Caribbean and Other White ethnic groups, where females represent 53% of the population (2021 census)

• Settlements vary in their population characteristics (gender and ethnicity)

  • Some urban areas have more males than females due to the industries located there 

    • E.g. the offshore oil industry in Aberdeen is dominated by male employees

  • Rural areas have more single men than women (103 males for every 100 females) as women are more likely to move to urban areas for job opportunities

  • Coastal areas, especially the south coast and east coast of England, have higher rates of elderly people

    • On average, women live longer than men, so these coastal retirement locations tend to have more older women

  • There are more male international economic migrants than females as male immigrants are more likely to get a job compared to females

    • This often leads to inner city areas having more young male immigrants

    • The ethnic diversity of a place increases too

  • Urban areas attract more international migrants as they cater for a wider range of cultural needs e.g. places of worship for religious practice

• The population pyramids for Liverpool (an urban area) and Shetland (a rural area) show differences e.g.

  • Liverpool has a larger proportion of younger, working-age people, whilst Shetland has more of an ageing population

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Population pyramid for Liverpool (2019)

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Population pyramid for Shetland (2019)

• There are significant variations in population characteristics within larger urban settlements (towns and cities)

  • The inner city areas has a larger proportion of younger working age people, whilst the suburbs are dominated by families

  • The inner city attracts higher numbers of university students and graduates (internal migration), compared to the suburbs

  • The inner city has higher levels of international migrants, due to social clustering, than the suburbs

  • The population of inner cities has a wider ethnic diversity than the suburbs

Variations in Cultural Diversity

• The extent of ethnicity and cultural diversity of places within the UK is being driven by: 

  • The social clustering of immigrants 

    • Immigrants become highly concentrated in particular places within cities e.g. Brent’s (a borough in north-west Greater London) population consists of 56% non-UK born residents

    • Clustering occurs largely due to the availability of cheaper housing and the feeling of safety created by an already established community, with a shared language, religion and culture

  • The pull of accessible cities -  ethnic immigrant groups are more concentrated in Britain’s major cities (e.g. London, Birmingham) due to more job opportunities

  • Remote rural areas will be less culturally diverse due to physical factors making accessibility harder (mountainous terrain, difficult climates) 

  • Government policies

    • Since the European Union (EU) introduced free movement of EU citizens in 1995, the number of international migrants has doubled in the UK

    • Half of the international migrants settled in the South East region

    • Skills shortages in the knowledge-based industries force companies to recruit from overseas e.g. the EU, USA and Australia

    • Shortages of semi-skilled and unskilled workers (e.g. refuse collection, construction, childcare) are filled with workers from the EU, as well as southern Asia and West Africa

2021 (England) 2022 (Scotland) census data

• Ethnic diversity for Liverpool and Shetland is lower than the averages for England and Wales, where 18% identify as non-white

• Liverpool has a much wider range of ethnic diversity than Shetland

• Delving deeper into Liverpool’s ethnic diversity:

  • Approximately 5% of the population identify as “Other White”, predominantly from Poland

  • Between the 2011 and 2021 census, the amount of people identifying as “Other White” residents in Liverpool has doubled

  • After English, the highest non-English languages are Arabic and Polish

  • The area with the highest rate of non-White English/British is in Princes Park (69%), an inner city area of Liverpool

Changes in Cultural Characteristics

• The cultural characteristics of a place can be influenced by internal and international migration, as well as fertility and mortality rates 

• The majority of places experiencing cultural change will be urban areas that have higher levels of ethnic diversity

  • The concentration of ethnic groups in certain areas will lead to the introduction of food and clothing shops on the high streets 

  • Fertility rates could rise if the immigrants’ culture promotes larger families

• Internal migration can also lead to cultural changes within a place

  • The influx of students into a neighbourhood can lead to studentification of an area 

    • Family homes becoming a house of multiple occupation (HMOs) for students 

    • Increase in the amounts services directed at students e.g. discount stores, fast food outlets