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Analyzing Demographic Data: Russia and the Republics
Using the three data tables for Russia and the Republics, answer the following questions.
1. What is GDP per capita?
GDP stands for Gross Domestic Product and is the total amount of goods and services produced by a country
divided among the people. GDP (PPP) is an abbreviation for GDP per capita; per capita means per person. The
GDP is divided by the population to get the GDP per capita amount. It breaks down a huge number in the billions
or trillions into a number we can more easily understand.
2. Why is GDP an important indicator of standard of living?
A high GDP (PPP) usually indicates a high level of development. A low GDP (PPP) indicates a developing nation
with higher poverty levels.
3. Which five countries have the lowest GDP per capita? (find the answer on the Economic Data table)
4. What is the relationship between GDP per capita and Population Below the Poverty Line? Give examples.
If the GDP (PPP) is low, the country will have a higher percentage of people living below the poverty line. If the
GDP (PPP) is high, there will be a lower percentage of people living below the poverty line.
5. What is the relationship between the type of dominant economic activity (agriculture, industry, and services)
and the Population Below the Poverty Line? Give examples.
If the dominant economic activity is agriculture, the percentage of people below the poverty line will be higher. If
the dominant economic activity is services, the percentage of people below the poverty line will be lower.
However, like all generalizations, if you look at Ukraine on the Economic Data Table, you will see that agriculture
is the dominant activity with a relatively low percentage below the poverty line.
6. List the five countries with the “youngest” population, that is, those countries with the highest proportion of
population under 15 years old. (Use the Population Data Table for your answers)
7. List the five countries with the “oldest” population, that is, those countries with the highest proportion of
population over the age of 65. (Use the Population Data Table for your answers)
8. Why is age an important demographic?
Age can demonstrate a country’s standard of living, their cultural beliefs, and their access to nutrition and health
care
9. What can age tell you about the social and economic conditions of a country?
A high population growth rate probably means the country has large families and with an economy dominated
by agriculture (agricultural families tend to have large numbers of children to help work in the fields). An older
population requires a good healthcare system and decent nutrition. A large younger population may indicate the
parents’ concern that some of their children survive to adulthood to take care of them.
10. Which five countries have the highest births per 1,000? (Use the Population Data Table for your answers)
11. Which region has the majority of highest births?
Central Asia
12. Rank the five countries with the largest population growth rate? (Use the Population Data Table for your
answers)
13. What factors might influence population growth?
Education—when women learn that they have options other than raising children, the population growth rate
slows down.
14. Why is life expectancy a good indicator of standard of living?
Access to healthcare
15. What factors might influence life expectancy?
Nutrition
16. Which country has the most arable land by percent? (Use the Land Data Table for your answers)
17. Which country has the most arable land by total land area? (Use the Land Data Table for your answers)