Page 39 - bfw-APHG-1e

80°N 80°N
Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
60°N 60°N

40°N 40°N
ATLANTIC
OCEAN Tropic of Cancer
Tropic of Cancer
20°N PACIFIC 20°N
A
P P
PACIFIC
A
CIFIC
CIFIC
Females percent OCEAN
OCEAN
OCEAN
OCEAN
of the population, Equator
Equator
0° 0° 0° 0° 2016 0°
Above 52% INDIAN
OCEAN
51.1–52%
20°S 20°S
20°S
50.1–51% ATLANTIC Tropic of Capricorn
Tropic of Capricorn
50% OCEAN
40°S49–49.9% 0 2000 4000 miles 40°S
40°S
40°S
48–48.9%
Below 48% 0 2000 4000 km
140°W
160°W
No data 160°W 140°W 120°W 100°W 80°W 60°W 40°W 20°W 0° 20°E 40°E 60°E 80°E 100°E 120°E 140°E 160°E 180°
Figure 8.6 Females as a percentage of total population. What spatial patterns of unbalanced sex ratios does this map reveal?
Gender?). Figure 8.6 shows geographical differences in 100 females in that particular case is not a natural
the sex ratio. If couples can choose to have more than phenomenon; rather, it is the result of gender-selec-
one child, having a girl first is usually not a problem. tive abortion of female fetuses.
However, in countries with strict population control
programs, couples may have limited chances to have a Gender-Selective Migration Gender-selective migra-
male child. For example, China had a “one couple, one tion can cause gender imbalances in local communi-
child” policy until 2015. Such policies can lead to the ties. In the old mining towns of Colorado, for example,
abortion of female fetuses, even female infanticide (the the population was mostly male because mining at-
practice of killing female infants), contributing to the tracted male workers, not female workers. More re-
gender imbalance. cently, the small town of Williston, North Dakota, ex-
How do the sex ratios of China and India reflect perienced a 74 percent population increase between
the cultural preference for males? The naturally 2010 and 2017 as a result of its booming oil industry.
occurring sex ratio is 95 girls for every 100 boys. This industry attracted more male workers than fe-
But in China, a profound gender imbalance exists. male workers, resulting in a highly imbalanced lo-
In 2016, there were only 87 girls for every 100 boys, cal sex ratio, particularly among people aged 20–40.
the most skewed sex ratio in the world. In India, Similarly, several Middle Eastern countries, includ-
there were only 89 girls per 100 boys in 2016. The ing Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have
cultural preference for boys may continue even when highly imbalanced sex ratios because they “import-
women migrate. In one study conducted in Manitoba, ed” a large number of male workers. Recently settled
Canada, Indian-born women who already had two areas typically have more males than females, as is
daughters were almost twice as likely to have sons as evident in parts of Alaska, northern Canada, and
their third child. The sex ratio of 192 males for every tropical Australia. According to the U.S. Census Bu-
reau, in 2016 there were 107 males for every 100 of
Alaska’s female inhabitants.
TERMS TO KNOW . . .
infanticide: The practice of killing infants War War can cause an unbalanced sex ratio because
many more young men than women die in wars. Thus,

28 Unit 2 Population and Migration Patterns and Process
©2021 BFW Publishers. Sample material is NOT FINAL and corrections will be made prior to publication.

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