AP Human Geography - Population Distribution and Density Flashcards

Flashcards covering key concepts related to population distribution, density, growth, and decline, as well as related models and theories.

List examples of physical factors that influence population distribution.

Climate, landforms, and water bodies.

List examples of human factors that influence population distribution.

Culture, economics, history, and politics.

Name the three basic dispersion patterns.

Uniform, Random, and Clumped.

How do stable/fair governments impact population density?

They have a higher population density

How do areas with developed markets and skilled workers impact population density?

They bring in high populations.

What is Population Density?

The number of people per unit of land.

Name the major population clusters.

East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, Nigeria, Europe, and the Northeastern United States.

What are the three methods for calculating population density?

Arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural.

What is arithmetic density?

The number of people living in a given unit of land.

What is physiological density?

The number of people per unit of arable land.

What is arable land?

Land that can be used for agriculture.

What is agricultural density?

The number of farmers per unit of arable land.

How do population distribution and density affect political processes?

Clustered populations usually have more political influence.

How do population distribution and density affect economic processes?

More people can lead to more economic opportunity, but also uneven economic development.

How do population distribution and density affect social processes?

Clustered populations allow for more efficient services, but dispersed populations have fewer services available.

How does population distribution and density affect the environment?

More people put more strain on resources and increase pollution.

What is carrying capacity?

The number of people an area can support without environmental degradation.

What is a population pyramid?

A graph that shows the age-sex distribution of a given population.

What are population pyramids used for?

To assess population growth and decline and to predict markets for goods and services.

What demographic factors determine a population's growth and decline?

Fertility, mortality, and migration.

What is Crude Birth Rate (CBR)?

The number of births per year per 1000 people.

What is Crude Death Rate (CDR)?

The number of deaths per year per 1000 people.

What is Total Fertility Rate (TFR)?

The average number of children a woman will have in her lifetime.

How is mortality measured?

Using Crude Death Rate (CDR).

What is Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)?

The number of deaths of children under the age of 1 per 1000 people.

What is Rate of Natural Increase (RNI)?

Percentage of natural population growth in an area (births minus deaths, not including migration).

What is doubling time?

The amount of time it takes for a population to double in size.

How is doubling time calculated?

DT=70/RNI

What is Life Expectancy?

The average number of years a person is expected to live.

How political factors influence population growth and decline?

Government enacted population policies try to control population growth/decline such as anti-natalist and pro-natalist policies. War leads to high CDR and low CBR due to spouses being away from home, while peace causes rapid population growth.

List examples of anti-natalist policies.

Paying extra taxes whenever you have a child, increased education of women, and more education and availability of contraceptives.

List examples of pro-natalist policies

Free or cheap childcare, when mothers are on maternity leave, they are still paid, and baby items are less expensive (diapers, baby food, etc).

According to Ravenstein's Laws, what are the reasons why women migrate?

Women tend to migrate for economic & marriage reasons.

What does higher education for women contribute to the economy?

Decrease in TFR because less time to care for children.

What does the Demographic Transition Model explain?

Population change over time.

What are the stages of the Demographic Transition Model?

Stage 1: High stationary, Stage 2: Early expanding, Stage 3: Late expanding, Stage 4: Low Stationary, Stage 5: Declining.

State the basic characteristics of Stage 1 of the DTM

High birth rates, high death rates, steady and low population

State the basic characteristics of Stage 2 of the DTM

Birth rates stay high, death rates drop, rapid population increase

State the basic characteristics of Stage 3 of the DTM

Birth rates go down, death rates drop, population increase

State the basic characteristics of Stage 4 of the DTM

Birth rates low and steady, death rates low and steady, population increase

State the basic characteristics of Stage 5 of the DTM

Birth rates decrease slightly, death rates low and steady, population decrease

What is Malthusian Theory?

Population growth leads to poverty and misery.

What are positive checks in Malthusian theory?

Factors that reduce population, such as famine and disease.

What are preventative checks in Malthusian theory?

Actions to prevent population growth, such as postponing marriage and less sex.

Who was Ester Boserup and what was her theory?

A Danish economist and main critic of Malthus, and that as the population grows, there would be more technologies to produce more food.