Demography in the USA

Demography

Demography is the statistical study of human populations, especially with reference to size and density, distribution, and vital statistics. Contemporary demographic concerns include the global birth rates, the interplay between population and economic development, the effects of birth control, urban congestion, illegal immigration, and labour force statistics. Demographic research focuses on why people have the number of children they do; on factors that affect death rates; and on the reasons for immigration, emigration, and geographic mobility. Understanding a society's demography is an essential tool in determining current and future public health needs.

At the start of the twenty-first century, the population of the United States indicates historically low birthrates and death rates and relatively slow population growth. The U.S. average annual population growth rate was 0.83 percent between 1995 and 2000. About two-thirds of this growth rate is accounted for by more births than deaths in the United States each year. About one-third is due to the presence of more immigrants than emigrants each year.

A major influence on the U.S. population in 2000 is the "baby boom" that took place between approximately 1948 and 1965. Referring to this fact, it should be pointed out that, one of the reasons for the baby boom was the good economic climate conditions during the 1950s, which meant that couples could afford to have more children.

The baby boom will have major impact on the demography of the United States in the next several decades – baby boomers will contribute to the aging of the population. People born at the beginning of the baby boom are just beginning to approach retirement age in 2000. Between 2010 and 2030, most people in the baby boom cohorts will reach age 65. America's population will continue to grow older, on average, because of the aging of the baby boom cohorts. Another reason that Americans will be older on average is that fertility and death rates are low. It also means that people are living longer lives, on average, than in the past.

Another major demographic trend in the United States is immigration. The United States is a country of immigration. Almost all Americans are descended from immigrants to North America. Even Native Americans, who preceded European and African settlers by many centuries, are believed to have immigrated to North America from Asia. The volume of immigration to the United States has been increasing since the 1950s. Between 1992 and 1999, an average of 800,000 immigrants were legally admitted to the United States every year. This number includes family members of U.S. citizens and residents, as well as refugees, highly skilled workers, and farm workers and lower-skilled workers. An additional 250,000 immigrants probably entered the United States illegally during the same period. Approximately 220,000 people were estimated to emigrate (that is, to move to other countries) each year in the late 1990s.

1. What are the contemporary demographic concerns?

2. What was the reason of the baby boom in the USA in 1948?

3. Why the America’s population will continue to grow older?

4. Compare immigration in the USA and Russia?

5. What were the causes of the high mortality rate in Russia in 1900s?

a) Translate the following words and phrases from English into Russian

Density; vital statistics; birthrate; death rate; immigrants and emigrants; refugee; dire; mortality; substantial immigration; exacerbated; life expectancy; alcohol consumption; to underpin; shortage; wage arrear; to preclude; resurgence; reemergence of disease; to generate; fertility.

Дата добавления: 2017-01-13