Snapshots from around the world.What are the most populous pop·u·lous adj. Containing many people or inhabitants; having a large population. [Middle English, from Latin popul countries in the world? Where do people live longest? What is the most widely practiced religion on the planet? Check out the charts and graphs on these pages, then answer the questions. World at a Glance Total Population: 6.3 billion Population over age 65: 7 percent Sex ratio: 1.01 males to 1 female (1) Life expectancy Life Expectancy 1. The age until which a person is expected to live. 2. The remaining number of years an individual is expected to live, based on IRS issued life expectancy tables. : 67 years (65 years male; 69 years female) Annual birth rate: 22 births per 1,000 people Annual death rate: 9 deaths per 1,000 people Infant mortality rate infant mortality rate n. The ratio of the number of deaths in the first year of life to the number of live births occurring in the same population during the same period of time. : 55 deaths per 1,000 live births Fertility rate Noun 1. fertility rate - the ratio of live births in an area to the population of that area; expressed per 1000 population per year birth rate, birthrate, fertility, natality : 2.8 children per woman (2) Gross world product per capita [Latin, By the heads or polls.] A term used in the Descent and Distribution of the estate of one who dies without a will. It means to share and share alike according to the number of individuals. : $7,900 (3) Number of independent nations: 193 (1) 2003 estimate (2) Average number of children a woman bears in a lifetime (3) 2002 estimate Sources: 2003 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau The Population Reference Bureau is a non-governmental organization in the United States, founded in 1929 by Guy Irving Burch, with support of Raymond Pearl. It provides information about demography. ; The World Factbook 2003, Central Intelligence Agency
Wealthiest and Poorest Nations
(Based on per capita GDP
in U.S. dollars)
Wealthiest
Luxembourg $44,000
United States $37,600
San Marino $34,600 *
Norway $31,800
Switzerland $31,700
Ireland $30,500
Canada $29,400
Belgium $29,000
Denmark $29,000
Japan $28,000
Poorest
East Timor $500 *
Somalia $550 *
Sierra Leone $580
Burundi $600
D.R. of the Congo $610
Tanzania $630
Malawi $670
Afghanistan $700
Comoros $720
Eritrea $740
* 2001 estimate
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Sources: The World Factbook 2003, Central Intelligency
(All figures are 2002 estimates unless otherwise noted.)
Life
Expectancy
(Average lifespan
in years)
Male Female
Age Age
LONGEST
Japan 78 85
San Marino 77 84
Italy 77 83
Switzerland 77 83
Sweden 78 82
Australia 77 82
Canada 77 82
SHORTEST
Mozambique 33 34
Botswana 36 38
Lesotho 37 38
Malawi 39 40
Angola 39 41
Rwanda 39 41
Zambia 41 40
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Source: 2003 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau
Most Populous Countries
(Population in millions)
1. China 1,289
2. India 1,069
3. U.S. 292
4. Indonesia 221
5. Brazil 177
6. Pakistan 149
7. Bangladesh 147
8. Russia 146
9. Nigeria 134
10. Japan 128
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Source: 2003 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau
World Population Growth
(Population in billions by year)
1975 4.1
2000 6.1
2025 * 7.9
2050 * 9.1
* Projected
Note: Table made from bar graph.
Source: 2003 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau
Religions
of the
World
(Followers of major faiths)
Christianity 32.8%
Islam 19.6%
Hinduism 13.3%
Buddhism 5.9%
Sikhism 0.4%
Judaism 0.2%
Other religions 12.9%
Non-religious 12.5%
Atheist 2.4%
Note: Table made from pie chart.
Source: The World Factbook 2003, Central Intelligence Agency
QUESTIONS 1. Do more men or women live on the planet? -- 2. What is the average life expectancy for women in Mozambique? -- 3. After Christianity Christianity, religion founded in Palestine by the followers of Jesus. One of the world's major religions, it predominates in Europe and the Americas, where it has been a powerful historical force and cultural influence, but it also claims adherents in virtually , what religion has the most followers followers see dairy herd. ? -- 4. How many of the world's wealthiest nations are located in Europe? -- 5. How many births per 1,000 people occur annually worldwide? -- 6. What is the worldwide infant mortality rate? -- 7. On what continent are the two most populous countries? -- 8. What percentage of the world's people practice Buddhism? -- 9. What is the per capita gross domestic product in Afghanistan? -- 10. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. experts, what will the world population be in 2025? -- OBJECTIVES Students should understand: * How to use graphs and charts to compare and contrast the life expectancy, religions, and other facts about the various populations and countries of the world. TEACHING STRATEGY Ask students to guess which of the world's countries have the longest and shortest life expectancies. Then ask what factors they considered when forming their answers. THINKING SKILLS COMPREHENSION comprehension Act of or capacity for grasping with the intellect. The term is most often used in connection with tests of reading skills and language abilities, though other abilities (e.g., mathematical reasoning) may also be examined. : What information do you need to determine whether the world's population is increasing or decreasing? (You need to know the current annual birth and death rates to determine whether the world's population is growing or shrinking.) MAKING INFERENCES: Are the most populous nations also the poorest? (None of the 10 most populous countries is on the list of the 10 poorest. However, poverty is a problem in several of the most populous countries in Asia.) MAIN IDEA: According to the graph, how will the rate of population growth change after the year 2025? (The rate of population growth will slow down. From 2000 to 2025, the world population should increase by 1.8 billion, compared to the increase of 1.2 billion by 2050.) ACTIVITY CONTINENT SNAPSHOTS: Divide the class into six groups, and assign each group a continent to profile (excluding Antarctica). Instruct in·struct v. in·struct·ed, in·struct·ing, in·structs v.tr. 1. To provide with knowledge, especially in a methodical way. See Synonyms at teach. 2. To give orders to; direct. v. students to create their graphs and tables. For example, each group could create bar graphs showing which 10 countries on their continent have the highest gross domestic product, population figures, literacy rates, or largest area. STANDARDS SOCIAL STUDIES, GRADES 5-8 * Global connections Global Connections is a charitable organisation acting as a UK network of mission agencies, churches, colleges and support agencies involved in evangelism around the world. Amongst the several hundred organisations and churches that are members of the Global Connections network are many : How the different characteristics of a nation, such as population size, geography, and life expectancy, affect the quality of life for its people. RESOURCES * Kiernan, Denise, Great Graphs, Charts & Tables That Build Real-Life Math Skills (Scholastic, 2001). Grades 5-8, * Priestly priest·ly adj. priest·li·er, priest·li·est 1. Of or relating to a priest or the priesthood. 2. Characteristic of or suitable for a priest. , Michael, Scholastic Success with Charts, Tables, and Graphs (Scholastic, 2002). Grades 5-6. WEB SITES * UNESCO UNESCO: see United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO in full United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Statistics http://portal.unesco.org/uis/ ev.php?URL URL in full Uniform Resource Locator Address of a resource on the Internet. The resource can be any type of file stored on a server, such as a Web page, a text file, a graphics file, or an application program. _ID=2867&URL_ DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_ SECTION=201 * U.S. Census Bureau Noun 1. Census Bureau - the bureau of the Commerce Department responsible for taking the census; provides demographic information and analyses about the population of the United States Bureau of the Census http://www.census.gov/ ANSWERS 1. Men 2. 34 years 3. Islam 4. Seven 5. 22 6. 55 deaths per 1,000 live births 7. Asia 8. 5.9 percent 9. $700 10. 7.9 billion |
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