Activity 3.1 – Human Population

Country name: Afghanistan 
Birth rate: 32
Death rate: 6
Population growth rate (rate of natural increase): 2.6
Life expectancy for males and females: males 64, females 67
Fertility rate (average number of children per childbearing-aged female): 4.3
Gross National Income (GNI): 2,110

Country name: Singapore
Birth rate: 9
Death rate: 5
Population growth rate (rate of natural increase): 0.3
Life expectancy for males and females: males 81, females 86.
Fertility rate (average number of children per childbearing-aged female): 1.1    
Gross National Income (GNI): 86,480

World

Birth rate: 18

Death rate: 8

Population growth: 1.0

Life expectancy: males 71  females75

Fertility rate: 2.3

Gross National Income: 17,535

Population ecology studies a certain country's population and life. For this assignment I chose the countries of Afghanistan and Singapore. Although they are both Asian countries the quality of the average person in each one is drastically different. In every aspect shown on the chart provided these countries are, on average, in both opposite sides of the spectrum, with Singapore being the most developed country and Afghanistan one of the least and poorest countries in the world.

With the information found on the Word pop Data Sheet (2018) I have learned that the birth rate of Afghanistan is a high rate of 32. This means that for every 1,000 people living there, 32 of them are babies.

In contrast, there are only 9 babies for every 1000 people in Singapore. 

Another very notable difference I saw between the two countries is the average life expectancy. In Singapore the life expectancy of men and women is 81, and 86 in that order. On the other hand,  the life expectancy in Afghanistan is only 64 for males and 67 for women. This can be the result of malnutrition and other diseases. Despite the major age difference in average life expectancy, both countries share what is known as a type 1 survivorship curve. This explains how many years a certain country's habitants are expected to live until they die.

A type 1 survivorship curve refers to the life expectancy of most mammals whose probability of death radically increases once they reach a certain age. People living in countries with this kind of survivorship curve are more likely to reach their country's average old age.

Also note that the average number of children per childbearing-aged female is higher in Afghanistan at 4.3 compared to Singapore 1.1. It is common in less developed countries to have more birth rates. This is due to many factors including the lack of access to contraception, less education opportunities, women's low probability of joining the workforce, among others.

Despite all their differences, both Singapore and Afghanistan have a very similar low death rate of 5, and 6 on average. A low rate compared to the world average with is 8. The death rate in both countries means that there are 5, and 6 deaths per 1000 people. 

The GNI or average gross national income of Singapore is 86,480. This is a persons average "income" (babies and old people included) This is drastically higher compared to that of Afghanistan which is only a low 2110 and also the world with an average of 17,537.