Unit 2: Population Migration Patterns & Processes

Demography

the statistical study of human populations

Ecumene

the regions of the world that are permanently inhabited

Characteristics of the Ecumene

* near an ocean
* near a river w/ access to the ocean
* in low-lying areas
* areas of fertile soil
* areas w/ temperate climates

Characteristics of the non-Ecumene

* dry lands (30 degrees N & S)
* wet lands (0-20 degrees N & S)
* cold lands (too far N & S)
* high lands (mountains)

5 Major Population Concentrations

* East Asia
* Southeast Asia
* South Asia
* Western Europe
* Northeastern United States

Arable land

land that can be used for agriculture

Political Consequences of Dense Population

* civil war
* political upheaval
* rise of dictators
* political corruption
* lack of freedom/democracy

Economic Consequences of Dense Population

* poverty
* high levels of crime
* low paying jobs
* lack of jobs
* difficulty fulfilling basic needs
* hard to raise children & have high standard of living

Social Consequences of Dense Population

* many uneducated
* females often have a lower status
* jobs require manual labor & long hours
* hunger is common
* lack of healthcare
* large family sizes

Environmental Consequences of Dense Population

* air, water, physical pollution
* depletion of natural resources
* poor sanitation
* destruction of farmland/natural areas

Carrying capacity

the maximum number of people an area can support without environmental degradation

Population pyramid

* a graphical illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in population
* Traits
* males always on the left, females on the right
* division from 0-90 years

\*wider the base = more children being born

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Sex ratio

proportion of males to females in a given population, usually expressed as the # of males per 100 females

Age distribution

the percentage of the total population at each age level

Baby boom

a significant/rapid increase in the birth rate (Ex: in the U.S. following WWII)

Baby boom echo

the children of a baby boom population, creating a secondary bulge in the population pyramid

Dependency ratio

the number of dependents per each 100 people in their productive years

Dependent

someone who relies on another physically/financially

What are the 2 ways population can grow?

1. more births than deaths
2. positive net migration

Fertility

factors that affect reproduction

Crude birth rate (CBR)

the total number of live births per 1000 in a society over a 1 year period

* MDCs → low
* LDCs → low status of women = high
* highest in Sub-Saharan Africa

Total fertility rate (TFR)

the average # of children a woman will have through her childbearing years

* MDCs → low

Mortality

factors that affect the number of deaths in a population

Crude death rate (CDR)

the total number of deaths per 1000 in a society over a 1-year period

* Europe → high; lots of old people
* Sub-Saharan Africa → high
* Afghanistan → high

Infant mortality rate (IMR)

the number of infants born alive, but die within their 1st year of life, divided by the total number of live births

* Africa & Afghanistan → high
* U.S. → not universal healthcare = high

Maternal mortality rate

the number of women who die from birth related causes per 100,000 live births

* Africa & South Asia → highest

Natural increase rate (NIR)

the difference between CBR & CDR (not including migration)

* NIger → highest (3.78%)
* Bulgaria → lowest (-2.79%)

Population doubling tune

the number of years that a current population will take to double in size if growth rates remain constant

* Rule of 70: used to calculate doubling time; divide 70 by the growth rate
* Overpopulation = want high doubling times

Malthusian Theory

* Made by Thomas Malthus, right around the Industrial Revolution
* Theory:
* Population grows exponentially/geometrically
* Food supplies increase arithmetically/linearly
* Population grows faster than food supply because opposite genders will always be attracted to each other & humankind needs food
* Natural checks on population = a decrease (poverty, famine, warfare)

Life expectancy

the average age of death in a population, based on current conditions

Replacement rate

the average number of children necessary to maintain zero population growth

* Sub-Saharan Africa → quite high because not a lot of children survive

Population explosion

the rapid increase in the world’s population due to an increasing birth rate, a decrease in infant mortality, & and an increase in life expectancy

Human J-Curve

a graph of human population growth, usually of the past 2,000 years, showing exponential growth in the last 300 years

Overpopulation

too many people compared to resources; population exceeds the carrying capacity of the land

* Problems (Malthus’ Checks on Population)
* overcrowding
* lack of adequate shelter
* lack of water
* famine
* warfare over resources

Neo-Malthusians

contemporary believers that believe overpopulation is a huge global problem & we need zero population growth

Why was Malthus wrong?

He didn’t know that England’s growing population would migrate to colonies, increasing the amount of land dedicated to farming

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New farming practices/technology = food has surpassed global population (though it’s not evenly distributed)

How do some criticize Malthus?

believe that high birthrates are better (more brains to solve issues, make new inventions/businesses, & provide goods/services)

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\*growing economies need growing populations

What are the social, political, & economic factors that influence population growth rates?

* lack of contraceptives


* lack of knowledge about birth control methods
* need for labor
* elder care
* high IMR (more kids as compensation)
* religious beliefs
* preference for sons

Anti-Natalist policies

* government policies that seek to discourage births
* used in LDCs (Ex: China, Singapore) w/ high birth/population rates
* Examples:
* education on family planning
* government provided birth control
* propaganda
* positive/negative incentives
* laws forbidding larger families
* forced sterilizations

\*Raising the status of women = most effective method of reducing birth rates

Pro-Natalist Policies

* government policies that seek to discourage births
* used in MDCs (done with the demographic transition, low birth rates, & negative growth rates)
* Ex: Russia, Canada, Singapore (after 1981)

\*Women have high status = less kids; not enough children to replace elders; slow economy
* Examples:
* ensuring paid maternity/paternity leave off of work
* free daycare & education
* reduced taxes per child (U.S. → Child Tax Credit)

Migration

a permanent/semi-permanent move from one location to another

Migrant

a person who moves from one location to another

Immigrant

a person arriving to a new location

Emigrant

a person leaving their current location

Net migration

add the number of immigrants, subtract the number of emigrants to the population

Positive net migration (net-in)

the # of immigrants exceeds the # of emigrants (more people coming in)

Negative net migration (net-out)

the # of emigrants exceeds the # of immigrants (more people coming out)

Inter-__ migration

from one place to another (international, interstate, interregional)

Intra-__ migration

within a place (intra-national, intra-state, intra-regional)

Rural to urban migration

movement from rural farmland to cities

* occurs in the 2nd Stage of Migration
* =s urbanization
* interregional migration

Suburbanization

movement from inner city to the outskirts of the city

* occurs in 3rd & 4th Demographic Transition stages
* urban to suburban

What’s the number 1 reason for migration?

job opportunities/economic reasons in general

Push factors

traits in the current location that make people want to leave their home

(chest list for examples)R

Pull factors

positive traits that draw people to a new location

(check list for examples)

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

1. most migration is over a short distance
2. migration occurs in steps
3. long-range migrants usually move to urban areas
4. counter migration → each migration produces a movement in the opposite direction (although not necessarily the same volume)
5. rural to urban migration → rural dwellers are more migratory than urban dwellers
6. within each country, females are more migratory; males are more migratory over long distances
7. most migrants are adults
8. large towns grow more by migration than by natural increase
9. migration increases with economic development
10. migration is mostly due to economic causes

Forced migration

migration in which an element of coercion exists, including threats to life/livelihood, whether arising from natural or man made causes

(Ex: floods, hurricanes, persecution, slavery)

Reluctant relocation

migration in which people are not forced to leave, but feel it’s necessary due to poor conditions at home

Refugee

a person who has been forced to leave their country to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster

* usually warfare
* hope to return
* often women, elderly, or children
* **Most Come From**: Colombia, Venezuela, Afghanistan, East Africa, Syria
* **Most Go To**: U.S., Turkey, & Lebanon

Internally displaced persons

someone forced to flee their home but remains within their country’s borders

* **Top Countries**: Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, South Sudan

Asylum seeker

someone who is seeking international protection, but whose claim for refugee status has not yet been decided

* held in detainment camps & sent back if found for economic opportunity

Voluntary migration

based on one’s free will & initiative, moving for a variety of reasons, looking at the push/pull factors before making a decision

Transnational migration

movement & settlement across international borders in which individuals maintain/build multiple networks of connection to their country of origin while at the same time settling in a new one

Internal migration

movement of households from 1 address to another within the same town, city, county, state, or between states without leaving the country

Chain migration

a series of migration within a family, beginning with one family member sending money to bring other members over to a new location

Step migration

a series of short, less extreme migrations from a person’s home eventually to a final destination

Guest workers

a foreign laborer working temporarily in an industrialized country & will return home

* European countries → normally the receiving country (want guest workers due to low birth rates)
* will never become legal citizens & have programs rather than a citizenship

Worldwide, what is the main type of migration?

Rural to urban, mainly in developing countries for economic advancement

What are the effects of migration on home countries?

1. helps to alleviate unemployment/increase the income of remaining workers
2. send remittances to family that remained in the country


1. **Top Senders to the U.S.**: Mexico, China, & India
3. young, healthy workers leave the elderly = economic drain
4. brain drain = progress in country undermined
5. emigrants may return to assist the home country (if they left for education)

What are the effects of immigration in receiving countries?

1. rapid population growth = strain on services
2. immigrants often do jobs native citizens won’t
3. immigrants provide workers, consumers, & employers in economies that might have slowed
4. create diversity, enriching a culture
5. diversity can cause ethnic conflicts
6. increased demands for goods/services = cost increasing
7. increased crowding
8. worker positions not filled by native citizens

Non-Ecumene Dry Lands

* 20% of Earth’s surface
* too dry for farming
* most oil reserves
* Ex: Sahara, Arabian, Thar, Taklamakan, & Gobi deserts

Non-Ecumene Wetlands

* high precipitation = can be inhospitable
* rain & heat = bad for agriculture
* Ex: interior of South America, Central Asia, & Southeast Asia

Non-Ecumene Cold Lands

* perpetually covered in ice/permafrost
* in poles

Non-Ecumene High Lands

* high elevations
* steep & snowy
* Exception: Latin America & Africa

Where are NIR, CBR, TFR, IMR, CDR, & life expectancy repetitious?

* MDCs → low rates of CBR, TFR, IMR, & NIR & high life expectancy
* LDCs → high rates of CBR, TFR, IMR, & NIR & low life expectancy
* CDRs → lower for LDCs than MDCs

Demographic Transition Model

a process of change in a society’s population, diffusing to individual countries at different rates, due to local/economic conditions, producing variations of natural increase, fertility, & mortality

DTM Stage 1

* low growth
* high CBR & CDR = no long-term changes in NIR
* food, disease, & war
* hunting & gathering
* die of contagious outbreaks of disease/lack of meds
* daily/seasonal migration

DTM Stage 2

* rapid growth
* high CBR & decreasing CDR = rapid change in NIR
* due to the invention of agriculture (early Stage 2) & the Industrial Revolution (late Stage 2)
* less famine & industrialization
* same number of babies but more are living
* rural to urban migration
* receding pandemics
* common child labor

DTM Stage 3

* moderate growth
* lower CBR & continued decreasing CBR
* urban to suburban migration
* die of old age/degenerative diseases
* too many expenses = less kids = slower growth
* economic development = high status of women/less time for kids = slower growth

DTM Stage 4

* zero population growth
* CBRs & CDRs → about equal
* die at an even older age (high life expectancy)
* continued urban to suburban migration

DTM Stage 5

* negative population growth
* CDR higher than CBR
* inverted population pyramid
* most of the population is old people
* return of pandemics
* viruses adapting to vaccines/medicines
* improved transportation = easy spread

Epidemiology

branch of medical science concerned with incidence, distribution, & control of diseases prevalent among population at special times & produced by causes not normally present in localities

Epidemiologic Transition Stage 1

* **stage of pestilence & famine**
* principal causes of death: infectious/parasitic disease, accidents, attacks of humans/animals

Epidemiologic Transition Stage 2

* **stage of receding pandemics**
* Industrial Revolution = reduced infectious diseases
* improved sanitation, medicine, & nutrition
* struggle in poorer areas

Epidemiologic Transition Stage 3

* stage of degenerative & human created diseases
* high CBR from chronic disorders of aging
* cardiovascular, cancer
* decrease in infectious diseases

Epidemiologic Transition Stage 4

* **stage of delayed degenerative diseases**
* degenerative diseases still exist but delayed through medical advances

Possible Epidemiologic Transition Stage 5

* **stage of reemergence of infectious/parasitic diseases**
* reasons:


1. evolution (of microbes)
2. poverty
3. improved travel

Mobility

general term that covers all types of movements from 1 place to another

Circulation

short term, repetitive movements that recur on a regular basis (daily, monthly, annually)

Floodplain

the area of a river subject to flooding after a specific number of years, based on historical trends

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(Ex: 100 year floodplain, flooding on an average of once a century)

Migration transition

coinciding with other transitions, the change of migration pattern in a society that results from social/economic changes that also produce the DTM

Migration Transition Stage 1-4

* Stage 1: daily/seasonal mobility; no permanent migration
* Stage 2: international/interregional migration due to technological advances
* Interregional → rural to urban
* International → migration to industrialized countries
* Stage 3 & 4: international migrants coming from Stage 2 countries for economic reasons
* internal migration → from cities to suburbs

Gender of Migrants

* 19th/20th cent: 55% male migrants (more likely to find work)
* 90s/21st cent: 55% female migrants

Family Status of Migrants

* mostly young adults seeking work
* little elderly
* increasing percentage of kids

Global Net Migration

* Net-Out: Asia, Latin America
* Net-In: North America, Europe, Oceania

\*Asia → Europe; Asia/Latin America → North America

1st Main American Era of Immigrants

* **initial settlements of colonies**
* **main migrants**: Europeans/African slaves
* forced migration for Africans
* economic/persecution for Europeans

2nd Main American Era of Immigrants

* **mid-19th to early 20th cent.**
* **main migrants**: nearly all Europeans (by far, most German)
* **peaked at certain points**
* 1840s/50s: mainly from Germany (political unrest) & Ireland (economy)
* 1870s: west Europeans after a decline during the Civil War
* 1880s: Industrial Revolution = Scandinavia
* 1900-1914: South/East Europe → coinciding with diffusion of Industrial Revolution

3rd Main American Era of Immigrants

* **1970s to today**
* **main migrants**: Latin Americans & Asians
* dropped sharply during the Depression & WWII
* surged in the 1st decade of the 21st cent.

Principal Obstacles of Migrants

Formerly: environmental

Currently: cultural (getting permission to enter/hostilities from current citizens)

2 Systems to Control Migrants

1. Quota system
2. Temporary work

Quota system

limits the # of foreign citizens who can migrate permanently, used by the U.S., designed so most migrants are European, w/ global quotas