AP Human Geography - Unit 2 Flashcards (Condensed)

dispersed

A population pattern where a population is spread out without any type of order or organization.

population distribution

Where people live within a geographic area; shows the specific spatial arrangements or patterns that a population is organized into.

climate

The long-term patterns of weather in an area (temperature, precipitation, etc.) that greatly affects population distribution.

temperate climate

A moderate climate with moderate temperatures and adequate precipitation amounts; areas with this climate are usually more densely populated.

landforms

The natural features of Earth's surface that influence population distribution; people generally prefer lowlands due to ease of building, planting, and transporting goods.

human migration

Occurs when people make a permanent move from one place to another, often influenced by economic, political, or cultural factors.

population density

A measurement of how many people can be found in a certain unit of area.

arithmetic density

Calculates how many people there are on average per every unit of land in an area (Total Population / Total Land Area).

physiological density

Calculates how many people there are on average per every unit of arable, or farmable, land in an area (Total Population / Arable Land Area).

arable land

Land that is farmable or suitable for growing crops.

agricultural density

Calculates how many farmers there are on average for every unit of arable land (Total Farmers / Arable Land Area).

subsistence agriculture

Growing food to feed one's family or self, with little to no surplus for sale.

Why do geographers study populations at different scales?

To be able to predict how populations will interact with Earth and its environment, as well as change over time.

Uniform Population Pattern

A population pattern that is distributed very evenly throughout an area.

Clustered Population Pattern

A population pattern that is grouped or clumped together around a central node or point.

Linear Population Pattern

A population pattern that is arranged in a line (straight or curved), often along a river, coast, or road.

Random Population Pattern

A population pattern that is spread out without any type of order or organization.

Four most populated regions on Earth

East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Western Europe.

How do physical/environmental factors influence population distribution?

People settle where there are moderate/temperate climates, rich soils (alluvial plains/lowlands), and adequate water. Extreme climates and high elevations limit settlement.

How do human factors influence population distribution?

Economic factors (job opportunities/agricultural land) are major pulls, while political instability (war/forced migration) or government policy (new capital cities) can push/redistribute population. Cultural/historical ties can also keep populations concentrated.

How did Saudi Arabia adapt to make agriculture viable in the desert?

They use central-pivot irrigation (a rotating sprinkler system) and drill deep to unearth underground water reserves to use as the water source.

Which measure of density is most helpful in assessing a country's carrying capacity?

Physiological density is most helpful because it compares the total population (the people needing support) to the total amount of arable land (the primary resource for support).

What does low arithmetic density + high physiological density indicate about a country?

It indicates that the country has a low amount of farmable land for the people who live there, suggesting a strong reliance on non-agricultural economic activities or food imports.

What does high arithmetic density + high physiological density indicate about a country?

It indicates that the country is very highly populated, and there is not a whole lot of land suitable for agriculture.

Positive consequence of high population density (clustering)

People do not have to travel as far to get to work or access services, as everything is concentrated in one area.

Negative consequence of low population density (dispersed)

It costs more to provide public services (police, medical, waste management) because more services must be deployed over a wider area to reach everybody.

How do population density maps provide a truer picture than arithmetic density data?

Arithmetic density is just a single average for the entire country. The maps reveal the distinct and often uneven patterns of population distribution, showing that certain parts of the country are very densely populated while others are empty, making the average less accurate for local analysis.

Physical factor contributing to Taiwan's waste management success

The limited amount of inhabitable land forced them to develop a system to reuse as much waste as possible to avoid filling available land with waste.

Human factor contributing to Taiwan's waste management success

The concentration of the population on the west coast means all waste is generated from a single, manageable area.

Remittances

Money migrants send back to family and friends in their origin country.

Brain Drain

The emigration of highly trained or intelligent people from a particular country.

Emigration

Migration from a location (out-migration).

Immigration

Migration to a new location (in-migration).

Net Migration

The difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants.

Youth Dependency Ratio

The ratio of people under age 15 to those in the working-age group (often 15-64).

Elderly Dependency Ratio

The ratio of people age 65 and older to those in the working-age group (often 15-64).

Wide Base Population Pyramid

Indicates a high youth dependency ratio and typically a rapidly growing population.

Large Top Population Pyramid

Indicates a large elderly dependency ratio and typically a slow-growing or declining population.

Climate Migration

The movement of a person or groups of people who are forced or choose to leave their homes due to changes in climate.

Refugee

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

Internally Displaced Person (IDP)

Someone who has been forced to flee their home but remains within their country's borders.

Asylum Seeker

Someone who has migrated to another country hoping to be recognized as a refugee.

Push Factors

Negative conditions that cause people to leave their homes (e.g., war, poverty, persecution).

Pull Factors

Positive conditions that attract people to a new location (e.g., jobs, better education, political stability).

Intervening Obstacle

An environmental or cultural feature that hinders migration (e.g., a desert, an ocean, a lack of documentation).

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model that shows a country's population change over time as its birth and death rates shift from high to low.

Stage 1 (DTM)

High birth rate, High death rate, Low natural increase, Low/stable population.

Stage 2 (DTM)

High birth rate, Rapidly falling death rate, Very High natural increase, Rapidly growing population (e.g., Industrial Revolution, medical advancements).

Stage 3 (DTM)

Falling birth rate, Slowly falling death rate, Slower natural increase, Slower population growth (e.g., urbanization, women's education).

Stage 4 (DTM)

Low birth rate, Low death rate, Low/stable natural increase, Stable population (e.g., most developed countries).

Stage 5 (DTM) - Potential

Birth rate falls below death rate, Negative natural increase, Declining population.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years (15-49).

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

The annual number of deaths of infants under one year of age, compared with total live births.

Natural Increase Rate (NIR)

The percentage by which a population grows in a year (Birth Rate - Death Rate / 10, then as a percentage).

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population size of a species that the environment can sustain indefinitely.