Chapter 3Population

Introduction

Late 1700’s Thomas Malthus warns of the growing population in Great Britain. He issued warnings of massive famine and widespread suffering. Although it did not take hold in England, his predictions would follow suit in the growing world.

Focus of Chapter

Where? Geographers 1st study

population problems by describing where people are found across Earth’s space.

• = population distribution

2nd issue is the places where population is growing

Why? 3rd issue is why

populations are growing at different rates in different places

4th issue = overpopulation?

Demography Definition:

Study of the characteristics of human populations

Censuses Definition: straightforward count of the

number of people in a country, region, or city.

• Not usually simple The #’s are important, they determine

government funding Limitations

• Expensive, labor

• Undercounts• Many protest that not all of the population is counted

– homeless

• India- biometric census

Most nations repeat every 10 years• U.S. since 1790

• 1985- quinquennial (5 years)

Vital Records report:

• Births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and certain infectious diseases

• Collected at all levels

Other organizations• WHO, Immigration Bureau

Key Issue 1:Where is the world’s population distributed?

Important because: More people are alive! World’s population is

increasing at a faster rate

Almost all the population growth is located in LDC’s

POP CLOCKS

If distributed evenly, the world’s population density would be 108 persons per square mile. Greenland= .1 per square mile Bangladesh= 2300 per square

mile

World Population – 7 billion!!! About 77 million per year

since 1990 China and India = 38% of

world pop

Population Distribution

Degree of accessibility, topography, soil fertility, climate and weather, water availability and quality, and type and availability are some factors that shape population distribution.

A country’s political and economic experiences and characteristics can shape the population as well.

Ex. Brazil’s high pop concentration along the coast dates back to the Portuguese control in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Another important factor is culture as expressed in religion, tradition, or historical experience

Example: Mecca/ Medina

Population clusters All world’s inhabitants live on 10% of land Most live near edge of landmasses, near

water 90% live North of the equator Most of world’s pop lives in temperate, low-

lying areas with fertile soils

Asia most populated continent 2nd = Africa 3rd= Europe

Continent # in millions Total %

Asia 4,216 60% Africa 1,051 15% Europe 740 11% L. America596 8.5%

+ Caribbean N. America 346 5% Oceania 37 .05%

Sub-Saharan Africa is fastest growing population in the World!

2011 Data

Population Concentrations

2/3rds of the world’s population clustered in four regions! East Asia South Asia SE Asia Europe

All four regions have:- An ocean or river nearby- Low-lying areas- Fertile soil and average

climate- In the Northern Hemisphere

- Between 10 degrees and 55 degrees North

East Asia

1/4th of world’s population

Region includes: Border to Pacific Ocean Eastern China Japan Korean Pensinsula Taiwan

5/6ths live in People’s Republic of China Clustered near Pacific Ocean

Distribution Japan and South Korea

• 40% live in 3 larges Metro areas :

• Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul• Only 3% land area

South Asia

1/4th world’s population

Region includes: India

• Contains 3/4th of South Asia Pop. Pakistan Bangladesh Sri Lanka

Largest concentration of people in 1,500 mile corridor from Lahore, Pakistan to the Bay of Bengal Indus/ Ganges River plains Also coastline

•Most are farmers, live in rural areas

•Region contains 18 urban areas•Only 1/4th urban population

•Two physical barriers:• Himalayas• Taklimakan Desert confine the growing population.

•There is more pressure on the land in this region due to high densities!

Southeast Asia

600 million people Mainly islands

-including Java (4th most populous) - 100 million people

High Percentage of people live in rural areas along river valleys and deltas.

Europe

1/9th the world’s population

Four dozen countries Monaco to Russia

3/4th live in cities or metro areas Less than 10 % farmers Dense network of roads/ rail

lines

Highest population near industry Coalfields

Other Population Clusters

Western Hemisphere Northeastern U.S. +

Southeastern Canada 2% of world’s population Mainly urban

West Africa South-facing Atlantic coast ½ of population concentration in

Nigeria• Africa’s most pop. Nation

Work in agriculture• 5 urban areas

Sparsely Populated Regions

Ecumene portion of the earth’s surface

occupied by permanent settlement

Areas once considered too harsh to live has diminished and ecumene increased 7,000 years ago population

clustered in River Valleys 500 years ago North America

outside of ecumene

Ecumene today 3/4ths world population lives on

only 5% of earth’s surface• Oceans 71%

Dry Lands

20% of earth’s surface too dry for farming Largest desert region:

• North Africa to Southwest and Central Asia

• Sahara, Arabian, Thar, Takla Makan, and Gobi

Not enough water to sustain a population/ crops BUT: Adaption = camels Irrigation systems Natural resources

• oil

Wetlands

Located primarily near equator Between 20 degrees North and

South latitude

Rainfall averages more than 50 inches per year Most receive 90 inches +

Combination of heat and rain rapidly depletes soil of nutrients

Seasonally rainfall = more agriculture

Cold and High Lands

Cold Lands Near North and South poles Massive ice coverage Less precipitation but

snow/ice piles up over time Unsuitable for crops/

humans/ animals

High Lands High elevations Usually steep, snow-covered Example: Switzerland

• ½ of land above sea level• Only 5% live there

Exceptions:• Latin America

• Mexico City

• Africa

Population Density

Definition: A numerical measure of the

relationship between the number of people and some other unit expressed as a ratio

Several ways to determine Population Density

Arithmetic (Crude) Physiological/ Agricultural

Helps geographers describe distribution of people in comparison to available resources.

Arithmetic Density

Definition Total # of objects in an area Total # of people divided by

total land area• Example: United States

• 310 million people / 3.7 million square miles =

• 84 people per square mile

• Example: Bangladesh = 1,127 ppsm

used to compare conditions in different countries

enables geographers to compare # of people trying to live on a given piece of land in different regions of the world

One dimensional Tells us very little for about

the variations in the relationship between people and land

Problems with Arithmetic Density

Arithmetic Density does not always accurately portray population distribution.

Example: Egypt had a population of 73.3 million in 2004, and an arithmetic density of 190 per square mile. However, 98% of the population lives on only 3% of the land making the density meaningless.

Physiological Density

Definition: # of people per area of arable of

land in a region• Example: United States

• Physio density of 175 ppsm of arable land

• Example: Egypt• Physio density of 2,296 ppsm

the higher the physio density, the greater the pressure that people may place on the land to produce enough food

insight to the relationship between size of population and availability of resources in a region

Agricultural Density

Definition: ratio of farmers to the amount of

arable land Measures economic differences

MDC’s/ Core nations have LOW agricultural density because of technology.

Putting Agricultural and Physiological densities together allows you to look at the relationship between population and resources Example: Netherlands vs.

Bangladesh• Both have high physiological

densities• Dutch have low agricultural density• What does this mean?

• both put pressure on land but Dutch utlizes less famers

Population Composition

Another way to explore population patterns of distribution

Looks at subgroups: # of males/ females # senior citizens/ children # active in workforce/ not active

Addresses challenges Baby booms Aging population Women of childbearing age

Understanding population composition not only tells us about future demographics of regions but also is useful for the present

Geodemographic analysis Definition: assessing the location and

composition of particular populations