AP Human Geography Unit 2 Vocabulary

Demography

The study of population characteristics.

Birth rate

The number of births per 1,000 people in the population.

Crude Death rate

The number of deaths per 1,000 people in the population.

Population explosion

A crisis in which population growth occurs in countries ill-prepared to handle the growing numbers of people.

Ecumene

Habitable land with adequate water sources, flat terrain, and available food sources.

Underpopulation

Too few of people reside in a region that can environmentally and economically sustain a much larger group.

Overpopulation

There are too many people for the environment’s resources to provide for and sustain.

Carrying capacity

The maximum amount of people that the environment can sustain.

Environmental degradation

The harming of the environment due to increased human habitation and strain on resources.

Arithmetic density

Population density per square foot. Is calculated by dividing the total population by total land area.

Physiologic density

The number of people per farmable or arable land.

Thomas Malthus

British reverend who concluded that population growth would soon surpass agricultural production. The world would become overpopulated.

Linear growth

Growth that occurs evenly across each unit over time.

Exponential growth

Growth expressed as a percentage of the total population.

Neo-Malthusian

Earth’s resources can only sustain a finite population.

Demographic transition model

An indicator of population changes based on birth rate, death rate, and total population. It has 5 stages.

S-curve

A curve reflecting population growth that stabilizes in stage 4 of the demographic transition model.

Zero population growth

A phenomenon where the birth rate equals the death rate in tertiary societies.

Sex ratio

The number of males compared to 100 females in a population.

Population pyramid

A graph that charts populations based on gender and age.

Age distribution

Brackets demonstrating age groupings in population pyramids.

Population projection

Estimation of future population based on demographic data.

Dependency ratio

A the number of people in the dependent age group divided by the number of people in the working age group.

Demographic momentum

Continued population increase due to a large young population, even if there are low fertility rates.

Negative growth

Occurs when the natural increase rate falls below two, leading to population decline. When the natural increase is below death rate.

Demographic equation

An equation determining the population growth rate by total population plusnatural increase plus net migration is equal to balanced population.

Infant mortality rate

Number of deaths of children under the age of one per 100 live births.

Natality rate

Another term for birth rate.

Doubling time

The number of years it takes for a country to double its population.

Sustainability

Saving resources for future generations while also using them to meet the needs of today.

J-curve

Reflects exponential population growth in ideal environments.

Disease diffusion

The spread of disease.

Migration

The movement of people.

Emigrants

People who leave a region or country.

Emigrants

People who leave a region or country.

Net migration

The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants.

Push factor

A negative perception that induces migration away from a location.

Pull factor

A positive perception that induces migration to a location.

Refugees

People forced to flee their country due to fear of persecution or death.

Voluntary migration

Migration chosen by individuals.

Place utility

A measure of an individual’s percieved satisfaction or approval of a place due to cultural, social, and environmental qualities.

Internal migration

Movement of people within the same country.

Ravenstein’s laws of migration

Ten statements about migration trends developed by E. G. Ravenstein.

Human capital model

A theory stating people weigh costs and benefits of migration to improve income.

Life course theory

A theory suggesting early life decisions influence future migration preferences.

Intercontinental migration

Movement of people across oceans or continents.

Distance decay

As distance increases, interaction decreases.

Acculturation

The transfer of cultures where native influence diminishes in a new country.

Chain migration

Migration to a location due to already established friends and family in this location.

Interregional migration

Movement within a country from one region to another.

International migration

Movement between countries.

Intraregional migration

Movement within the same region.

Cyclic migration

Seasonal migration often linked to agricultural cycles.

Transhumance

Seasonal movement of livestock.

Intervening obstacle

An event that halts migration plans due to negative factors.

Intervening opportunity

An event that causes a migrant to pass migration due to favorable conditions.

Forced migration

Movement against one’s will due to political or environmental factors.

Transmigration

Mass movement of a human population from one country to another.

Census

A detailed counting of the population.

Skill Gap

Shortage of people trained in an industry.

Remittances

Money sent home from emigrants.

Brain drain

Loss of trained or educated young people to another country.

Relocation Diffusion

Spread of cultural traits through migration.

Kinship Links

Network of friends and family.

Migration Corridors

States people could use to migrate by roads during the Great Migration.

Zynophobia

Fear of foreigners.

Transnational Migration

Migrants move to different countries.

Friction of Distance

Longer distance costs more, more time, and more effort needed.

Step Migration

Have to stop at a location for a period of time during migration due to intervening opportunites or obsticles.

Guest Workers

Migrants that are temporary laborers in another country.

Circular Migration

Repeated leaving of one’s home or country for work and returning.

Refugees have a right…

to request asylum or protection in another country.

Internally Displaced Persons

People who have fled their homes, but are still in their country.

Mobility

All types of movement.

Urban countries grow faster…

by immigration than natural increase.

Antinatalist Policies

Are intended to curve population growth by discouraging people from having children.

Pronatalist Polices

Are intended to curve population growth by encouraging people to have children.

Fertility

Ability to produce children.

Demographics

Data about the structure or shape of human population.

Mortality

Death as a component of population change.

Crude Death Rate

Number of deaths in a given in a population per year per 1,000 people.