Canada's Population example essay topic

The Age-sex Distribution Of The Canadian Population The Age-sex Distribution Of The Canadian Population From 1851 To 1999 The demographic changes which have occurred in Canada have reflected the growing population of Canada throughout the sixteenth to the twenty first century. Canada has experienced a population boom in the last century, however, it only constitutes for about one percent of the world's population. The age sex structure has changed due to a variety of causes in part due to the impact of western civilization such as better health and increase use of birth control. Relatively greater number of men rather then women came to New France in the early days of Canada. This resulted in a imbalance of men versus women until the late nineteenth century.

The population shifted from a mobile population to a settler one. The number of men has not decreased until the late twentieth century. The gradual aging of the population during the twentieth century and the longer life expectancies for women have eroded the percentage of men to women. The excess of men versus women can still be found in rural communities across Canada, however, in the cities the reverse has taken place.

Women tend to concentrate in cities due to the employment opportunities and better social services. The number of females outnumbered the males over seventy five because of the lower male life expectancy after sixty five. Canada's population has gradually aged as the importance of immigration has declined and natural increase has been the major factor in the nation's growth in the last one hundred years. For the first portion of Canada's history the population was dominate ly young. Canada's population has shifted to a? aged? population meaning that a large percentage of the population is going to be sixty five years old. This is a result of the baby boomer generation growing old and the low fertility rate in Canada.

This is similar in other western countries. The increase in the age of the population has been a result of falling mortality rates throughout Canada. This has been due to improvement of nutrition and medical services. The decrease of infectious diseases has also been a major factor, although, degenerative disease have taken their place. These are caused by stress and worsening environmental conditions... Before the nineteenth century fertility rates in North America were as high as the present levels in most developing countries.

This was a result of poor living conditions and lack of development. This reflected the agricultural settler society that was Canada at the time. Large families were needed to farm the land. After the early nineteenth century the birth rate declined as living conditions improved.

The population shifted to a more urban society resulting in smaller family sizes. Birthrates in Canada have been dropping in recent decades. Effective birth control and family planning has changed the demographics of the Canadian population resulting in a smaller number children. This phenomenon came about in the 1950's when birth control was introduced to women. Women were given more control over the number of children they are willing to bear resulting in lower birth rates in recent decades.

The age sex structure of Canada has reflected the changes which have taken place within Canadian society over the course of the last two centuries. The implication of the changes have been wide ranging resulting in smaller family units and emphasis placed on urban centers as opposed to rural communities. 391.