APHG 2

age distribution

The proportion of individuals of different ages within a population.

agricultural density

The ratio of the number of farmers to the total amount of land suitable for agriculture

Agricultural (Neolithic) Revolution

the time when human beings first domesticated plants and animals and no longer relied entirely on hunting and gathering

anti-natalism

An attitude that asserts a negative value towards birth in order to limit population growth.

arithmetic density

the total number of people divided by the total land area

boserup theory

Esther Boserup theorizes that despite an increasing human population, humans would adapt through technological advances and through more labor intensive agriculture and be able to meet the food needs of the growing population. This is contrary to Thomas Malthus' Theory.

cairo conference

1994 conference in Cairo that recommended stabilizing world population growth. the plan calls for improved health care and family planning services for women, children, and families throughout the world, and also emphasizes the importance of education for girls as a factor in the shift to smaller families.

carrying compacity

the largest number of people that the environment of a particular area can support.

census

a complete enumeration of a population. Will include a count of the population with information in regards to age and ethnic background. In the U.S., the census is takes every 10 years.

child mortality rate

a figure that describes the number of children that die between the first and fifth years of their lives in a given population.

contraception

the deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy-birth control

Cornucopians

a futurist who believes that continued progress and provision of material items for mankind can be met by similarly continued advances in technology.

crude birth rate (CBR)

the total number of live births in a year for every 1,000 people alive in the society.

crude death rate (CDR)

the total number of deaths in a year for every 1,000 people alive in the society.

demographic equation

summarizes the amount of growth or decline in a population during a certain period of time, also taking into account net migration and natural increase

demography

the scientific study of population characteristics

dependency ratio

the number of people under the age of 15 and over age 64, compared to the number of people active in the labor force

doubling time

the number of years it takes for an area's population to double

Ecumene

The portion of Earth's surface occupied by permanent human settlement.

epidemiological transition

distinctive causes of death in each stage of the demographic transition

Erlich Theory

Paul Ralph Erlich published "The Population Bomb," in 1968. In it he theorized that the battle to feed humanity was over (we lost) and that there would be a humanitarian disaster due to over population. Predicted that in following decades tens of millions of people would die from starvation and hundreds of millions by the end of the century.

Industrial revolution

A series of improvements in industrial technology that transformed the process of manufacturing goods.

Infant mortality rate (IMR)

the total number of deaths in a year among infants under one year old for every 1,000 live births in society

life expectancy

The average number of years an individual can be expected to live, given current social, economic, and medical conditions. Life expectancy at birth is the average number of years a newborn infant can expect to live.

J-curve

projection that sows exponential growth

Malthus, Thomas

Thomas Malthus in 1789 postulated a theory that population, which grow exponentially/geometrically would outpace food production, which grew in a linear/arithmetic fashion

Medical Revolution

Medical technology invented in Europe and North America that is diffused to the poorer countries of Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Improved medical practices have eliminated many of the traditional causes of death in poorer countries and enabled more people to live longer and healthier lives.

Natural increase rate (NIR)

The percentage growth of a population in a year, computed as the crude birth rate minus the crude death rate.

Neomalthusians

Advocates population control programs to ensure enough resources for current and future populations

overpopulation

a situation in which the number of people in an area exceeds the capacity of the environment to support life at a decent standard of living

Physiological Density

The number of people per unit of area of arable land, which is land suitable for agriculture.

population agglomerations

A cluster of people living in the same area.

population center (of a region)

a geographical point that describes a centerpoint of the region's population

Pro-Natalism

An attitude that encourages childbearing.

replacement fertility

when the population's fertility is just high enough to maintain its current population

S-Curve

the horizontal bending, or leveling of an exponential J-curve. For our purposes, dealing with population growth. Stage two countries have high population curves creating a J shape on their population graph, but as they move to stage 3 and then stage 4, population slows and then levels out, turning the J-curve into an S-curve

sex ratio

The number of males per 100 females in the population.

total fertility rate (TFR)

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

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

condition reached when crude birth rate declines where it is equal to the crude death rate, often applied to stage 4 countries