AP Human Geography Unit 2: Population & Migration Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key demography, population distribution, demographic transition stages, population theories, and migration concepts from AP Human Geography Unit 2.

World Population Growth

The historical expansion of human population, which remained below 1 billion until the early 1800s before rapidly multiplying due to industrial and medical advancements.

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman will have during her childbearing years.

Ecumene

The region of Earth's surface permanently inhabited by humans, as opposed to non-ecumene zones which are uninhabitable due to extreme climate or terrain.

Arithmetic Density

The total population of a region divided by its total land area.

Physiological Density

The total population divided by the amount of arable land, providing an indicator of food pressure on sustainable land.

Agricultural Density

The total number of farmers divided by the total amount of arable land, serving as an indicator of economic development.

Pronatalist Policy

A government policy that encourages citizens to have children to combat population decline.

Antinatalist Policy

A government policy aimed at discouraging or restricting births to control rapid population growth.

Dependency Ratio

The ratio of dependent population members (under age 16 and over age 64) to the working-age population (ages 16 to 64).

Carrying Capacity

The maximum number of people that an area's environment can sustainably support without environmental degradation.

Sex Ratio

The number of males per one hundred females within a given population.

Population Pyramid

A bar graph representing the age and sex distribution of a population in five-year age increments, with males on the left and females on the right.

Natural Increase Rate (NIR)

The percentage growth of a population in a year, calculated as Crude Birth Rate minus Crude Death Rate.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

The total number of live births per 1,000 people in a population in a given year.

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

The total number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population in a given year.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

The total number of deaths of children under age 1 per 1,000 live births in a year.

Doubling Time

The estimated number of years needed for a population to double in size, assuming a constant Natural Increase Rate.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A five-stage model depicting a society's transition from high crude birth and death rates to low crude birth and death rates over time.

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

A condition occurring when Crude Birth Rate equals Crude Death Rate, resulting in a Natural Increase Rate of zero.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model outlining the distinct causes of death and disease patterns associated with each stage of the Demographic Transition Model.

Malthusian Theory

A theory by Thomas Malthus positing that population grows exponentially while food supply grows arithmetically, leading to catastrophic famine unless controlled.

Neo-Malthusians

Modern theorists who advocate for strict population control and contraception to prevent the depletion of non-renewable resources.

Cornucopian Theory

An optimistic theory asserting that human innovation and technological progress will continually expand agricultural output and resource availability to meet population demands.

Push Factors

Negative conditions or circumstances—such as war, oppression, or natural disasters—that induce people to leave their present location.

Pull Factors

Positive factors or conditions—such as economic opportunity or favorable political conditions—that attract migrants to a new location.

Refugee

A person forced to migrate internationally to escape threats to life or freedom, such as war or persecution, who cannot safely return home.

Internally Displaced Person (IDP)

A person forced to flee their home due to conflict or persecution who remains within the borders of their home country.

Asylum Seeker

A migrant in another country who applies for legal protection and recognition as a refugee.

Voluntary Migration

The permanent movement of people undertaken by personal choice, typically to seek better economic prospects.

Forced Migration

The permanent movement of people compelled by coercive external forces like political oppression, war, or slavery.

Chain Migration

The migration process in which individuals move to a specific location because relatives or community members of similar nationality have previously settled there.

Step Migration

A gradual, multi-stage migration pattern where a person moves progressively from rural areas through smaller towns before reaching a major city.

Transhumance

A seasonal migration pattern of pastoral herders who move livestock between higher and lower elevations depending on the season.

Guest Workers

Migrants allowed into a host country on work visas to fulfill temporary labor needs.

Brain Drain

The large-scale emigration of highly trained, educated, or talented individuals from a country.

Remittances

Transfers of money earned by emigrant workers in a foreign country sent back to family members in their country of origin.