A real or perceived set of national or cultural characteristic that is shared by a particular group of people.
2. Using examples, describe what is meant by the term ‘ethnic minority.’ (2)
An ethnic minority is a group within a community with a different set of national or cultural traditions from the main population. In the UK this would include Afro-Caribbeans, Poles, Romanians or Spaniards.
3. With reference to figure 117, describe the ethnic diversity of the United Kingdom. (3)
While Britain’s population can be described as ethnically diverse, the majority white ethnic group makes up over 86% of the total population. The next largest ethnic group at 7.2% is made up of Asians, whose members have twice the numbers described as black. Just over 2% of the population described their ethnicity as mixed, with just 1% accounting for all other ethnic groups.
4. With reference to figure 116, compare the ethnic composition of London’s population with that of Wales. (3)
Just under 60% of the London population is described as white compared to over 95% of the Welsh population. Nearly 1 in 5 Londoners are described as Asian or Asian British compared with just around 1 in 40 for the Welsh population. I in 6 Londoners are described as Black or Black British compared to 1 in 165 for Wales.
5. Suggest reasons why people of similar ethnic minority groups may be found living close together, especially in inner cities. (4)
When people move from one country to another they often gravitate to areas where previous migrants from their own town, city or country have already settled. This may be because of family or clan ties which may help the newly arrived migrant settle in more effectively. The existence of religious and cultural communities (such as mosques, temples, etc.) can be a source of support from newly arrived migrants. As migrants are often from relatively poor communities they are often forced to rent accommodation in cheaper inner city areas (such as Moss Side or Cheetham Hill in Manchester). Conversely, rich migrants, such as bankers or other executive businessmen tend to find themselves living in affluent areas, such as Kensington and Chelsea in London.
6. Suggest reasons why London has the highest percentage of non-white ethnic groups in the UK. (3)
As the UK capital city, London is the centre of economic activity within the UK and has been for many hundreds of years. During the 20th and 21st Centuries London has provided many job opportunities for migrants arriving from former British colonies in the Caribbean or South Asia. The growth of ethnically-diverse neighbourhoods in London further encouraged newer migrants to settle in the areas because of their pre-existing support networks.
7. With reference to figure 109 (p34) describe the changes in Britain’s employment structure between 1901 and 2011. (3)
In 1900, 30% of the UK workforce was employed in primary industries such a mining or agriculture. However, by 2011 this figure had fallen by two-thirds to just 10%. Meanwhile, services in the tertiary sector increased from a minimal 25% to account for just over 70% by 2012. Manufacturing declined by over 75% falling to 10 by 2012. Meanwhile, new jobs in the quaternary sector increased to around 7.5% of total employment by 2012.
8. With reference to figure 110 which regions of the UK employ the highest and the lowest percentages of their workforce in production jobs? (3)
The region with the highest employment in production jobs is the East Midlands where around 13% of the workforce is employed in manufacturing. Meanwhile the region with the fewest production jobs in London where just around 2% of workers are employed in manufacturing.
9. What is meant by the term quaternary industries? (1)
Quaternary industries are often described as knowledge-based jobs such as Information technology as well as the creative industries such a film production.
10. Suggest reasons to explain why life expectancy is higher in London than in Greater Manchester. (3)
Life expectancy could be higher in London than Greater Manchester as there are more manual and shift work jobs in Greater Manchester then London and these jobs tend to reduced life expectancy. There are also greater pockets of extreme poverty in Greater Manchester, where 1 and 3 children live in poverty. A poor start in life can often impact negatively on life expectancy. Equally the positive start to life enjoyed by the children of the rich in London boroughs such as Kensington and Chelsea inflates the overall life expectancy for London compared to Greater Manchester.
11. With reference to Figure 111, (p35) describe the general pattern of life expectancy for England and Wales in 2011. (4)
Life expectancy ranges from 78 to 84.2 years across the UK. Generally, there is a pattern of higher life expectancy in the South East compared to the North West and North East, although there are some areas in South East with lower life expectancies than the regional average. In all regions female life expectancy is around 4 years higher than that for males.
12. With reference to Figure 114 (p36), which region of the UK shows the greatest variation in educational attainment? (2)
The North West of England shows the greatest variation in educational attainment with students in the best performing local authority gaining 88% 5 A*-C grades in 2015, while those in the worst performing authority less than half the students received the 5A*-C grades.
