Activity 3.1 - Human Population
South Korea Data Sheet
South Korea | Births Per 1,000 | Death per 1,000 | Population/ rate of natural increase | Life expectancy male/female | Fertility Rate | Gross National Income (GNI) |
| 5 | 7 | -0.2 | male - 81 female - 87 | 0.8 | 50,730 |
Australia Data Sheet
Australia | Birth Per 1,000 | Death Per 1,000 | Population/ rate of national increase | Life Expectancy male/female | Fertility Rate | Gross National Income (GNI) |
| 11 | 7 | 0.4 | male- 81 female-85 | 1.6 | 60,350 |
Australia and South Korea Similarities
South Korea and Australia have quite a bit of similarities when it comes to population dynamics, urbanization, life expectancy, and the challenges associated with aging populations. Both South Korea and Australia can be seen as urbanized societies because most of their populations live within major urban areas. According to worldometers.info, about 82.1% of South Korea's population resides in urban areas. The city of Seoul is a major metropolitan focal point. Australia is even more urbanized than South Korea. As stated by statista.com around 86.62% of its people live in cities, particularly in major urban centers. This gathering of people in cities puts similar demands on both countries, an example being the need for dependable infrastructure, housing, and transportation systems. The reason being is so they can support the growing number of city residents/ population. South Korea and Australia both enjoy high life expectancies, meaning people live longer. South Korea's life expectancy age averages around 86 years old for women and around 80 years old for men. Australia's life expectancy age is about 85 years old for women and 81 years old for men. These long life expectancies reflect how advanced their healthcare systems are and their quality of life for both countries is important to them. However, these numbers also can be seen as issues or problems of an aging population, as people have longer life spans the need for healthcare and eldercare services rises. Concerning the matter of an aging population, both South Korea and Australia take on major challenges. Koreaherald.com states South Korea has a slightly older population, with 17.5% of people aged 65 and older. While Australia is close behind at around 16% recorded in the year 2020 by aihw.gov.au. This trend of an aging population in both countries means there are more elderly people compared to those who are in the working class, which also raises the dependency ratio. Essentially, fewer working-age individuals are responsible for supporting the growing number of older adults who may not work and fuel the economy. As a result, both South Korea and Australia do face social and economic pressures, such as their labor shortages and increasing healthcare costs. South Korea's fertility rate stands at just about 0.7 children per woman, compared to Australia's 1.66 children per woman. Both rates fall below the replacement level, which could create challenges for their populations. The challenge is that the birth rates increasing more than death rates. This can make it hard for the economy because it creates fewer jobs and more people become more dependent. With these similarities, both countries are struggling with the same issues of balancing their population growth with maintaining sustainability.
Australia and South Korea Differences
According to the information I found on the World Population Data Sheet based on the year 2023. South Korea and Australia display impressive but different demographic patterns, that are shaped by rough dynamics of social, economic, and cultural factors that influence population growth, age distribution, and family structures. South Korea, with a population of approximately 51 million people from the data sheet, is facing significant challenges because of the immense and alarming low birth rate, of just 1.1 children per woman, which is the lowest in the world, according to Worldometers.info. By the year 2050, approximately 20% of the population is predicted to be over the age of 65 years old, this contributes to the growing trend of an aging population (people living longer) based on the information I found on worldometers.info. High living costs and high-speed city growth can cause many people of the younger generations to choose to focus on their careers instead of wanting to start families, because of the fact that the economy is too expensive for the younger generations to afford to live independently or even support and care for a newborn/children. Many people in their twenties are adamantly opposed to having children at a young age or even at all, especially in today's world because they struggle to afford their living expenses. More and more young people are focusing on building their careers and getting an education to achieve financial stability for themselves and their families. On the other hand, Australia has a population of about 26 million people and a higher fertility/birthing rate of 1.7 children per woman. While this is still below what’s needed to keep the population stable, it is a better situation than South Korea’s. Australia also benefits from a significant number of migrants, which adds to its cultural diversity and ultimately strengthens its economy compared to South Korea. Since most Asian countries are traditional and are not as open to foreigners. Additionally, Australia has a more balanced age distribution than South Korea, with a smaller percentage of people aged 65 years and older. Both countries have high life expectancies 83 years in South Korea and 84 years in Australia, thanks to strong healthcare systems! However, South Korea faces challenges with a declining workforce caused by its aging population, while Australia's immigration policies help boost its labor market which promotes its economic growth. These differences showcase the unique challenges and opportunities that each country faces as it navigates its changing demographics. As South Korea addresses its declining birth rate and aging population, it may need to consider innovative policies to encourage family growth and attract foreign labor. Meanwhile, Australia can utilize its immigration policies to boost economic growth and promote a diverse, vibrant society.
Works Cited
Assisted by Grammarly
“Older Australians, Demographic Profile.” Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, www.aihw.gov.au/reports/older-people/older-australians/contents/demographic-profile. Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
Kyung-don, Nam. “[Graphic News] Senior Citizens Make up 17.5% of S. Korea’s Population in 2022.” The Korea Herald, The Korea Herald, 17 Oct. 2022, www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20221017000777.
“South Korea Population (Live).” Worldometer, www.worldometers.info/world-population/south-korea-population/#:~:text=The%20population%20density%20in%20South,(42%2C454%2C846%20people%20in%202024). Accessed 24 Sept. 2024.
O’Neill, Aaron. “Australia: Degree of Urbanization 1960-2023.” Statista, 4 July 2024, www.statista.com/statistics/260498/degree-of-urbanization-in-australia/#:~:text=Since%20the%201960s%2C%20Australia’s%20urbanization,the%20lowest%20in%20the%20world.
2023-World-Population-Data-Sheet-Booklet.Pdf, 2023-wpds.prb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/2023-World-Population-Data-Sheet-Booklet.pdf. Accessed 25 Sept. 2024.
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