Activity 3.1- Human Population

 Caribbean

Haiti

• Birth rate: 23 per 1,000 population
• Death rate: 8 per 1,000 population
• Population growth rate: 1.5
• Percent of population <15: 32
• Percent of population 65+: 5
• Life expectancy: 62 male, 67 female
• Fertility rate: 5.4 in 1990, 2.8 in 2020
• Gross National Income (GNI): $2,930

Puerto Rico

• Birth rate: 6 per 1,000 population
• Death rate: 9 per 1,000 population
• Population growth rate: -0.3
• Percent of population <15: 16
• Percent of population 65+: 21
• Life expectancy: 77 male, 84 female
• Fertility rate: 2.2 in 1990, 1.0 in 2020 
• Gross National Income (GNI): $24,010

Haiti takes the place of having the least developed, or "less industrialized" country average for births per 1,000 population, while Puerto Rico, on the other hand, was the most developed. You can see some particularly drastic differences in the averages between the two countries. These statistics fall into the category known as demographics. As explained in the U.S Census Bureau, "Demography applies the principles of population ecology to the human population.  Demographers study how human populations grow, shrink, and change in terms of age and gender compositions using vital statistics about people such as births, deaths, population size, and where people live (2.6 demographics)." We can also acknowledge that though these numbers might differ, the death rates are not too far off. As far as life expectancy goes, many countries have a female majority as a result of the longer life expectancy for females. This could apply to both Haiti and Puerto Rico. The life expectancy of the population within Puerto Rico actually surpasses Haiti, with the majority of females living to the age of 84, and males living to the age of 77. Meanwhile Haiti's numbers stay within the average 60's. For both countries, there are also noticeable drops in their fertility rates from the year 1990 to the more recent 2020. It seems Puerto Ricos rate was already pretty low to begin with, but it still dropped to a 1.0. Which is why they have the lower birth rate in comparison to Haiti. This is why it is so important to recognize the way in which these demographics fall back on one another in co-existence. The lower the numbers are for the country's birth rate, the higher their gross national income will be. Otherwise known as the GNI, this number is measured per capita, and serves as a way to look at the country’s income divided by its population and is the easiest way to compare income per person in a country. GNI per capita can also be considered as a strong indicator of the standard of living that the average person might have in that area. Puerto Rico for example, has a birth rate of 6, which makes their GNI at a whopping $24,010. Whereas Haiti's higher birth rate of 23, caused them to suffer from a GNI of $2,930.

Let's now discuss the difference these two countries are in comparison to the whole world's average demographics shown on the table. Though Puerto Rico was the most developed between the two countries, their numbers weren't strong enough to lead with the worlds expected average of a $47,551 GNI. This would be the biggest difference in all categories without a doubt. Puerto Rico also fell within the expected rate of natural increase, being at -0.3, while the world shows a -0.2. Haiti's GNI fell short as well, but nothing too dramatically unexpected, which goes for the following categories as well, the numbers all fell within the same scale.

References:

Population Reference Bureau. (2021). 2021 world population data sheet.

U.S. Census Bureau. (2018). International database. International Programs. https://www.census.gov/data-tools/demo/idb/informationGateway.php