Population

What is population distribution?

The way people are spread across the Earth’s surface.

Name 3 physical factors affecting global population distribution.

Climate, relief (land shape), soil fertility.

Name 3 human factors affecting global population distribution.

Economic opportunities, political stability, infrastructure.

Why is North-West Trinidad densely populated?

Flat land, jobs in Port of Spain, good infrastructure.

Why are interior parts of Guyana sparsely populated?

Dense forests, limited access, few jobs.

What does a dot map show?

Population distribution, with each dot representing a set number of people.

What does a Lorenz curve represent in geography?

Inequality in population distribution.

One advantage and disadvantage of dot maps?

Visual and simple; but can be cluttered and hard to read.

One advantage and disadvantage of Lorenz curves?

Shows inequality clearly; hard to interpret without training.

What is natural increase?

Birth rate minus death rate.

What is the fertility rate?

Average number of children a woman is expected to have.

Define life expectancy.

Average number of years a person is expected to live.

What is the formula for doubling time?

70 ÷ natural increase rate (% per year).

What are the 5 stages of the Demographic Transition Model (DTM)?

1. High BR & DR; 2. Falling DR; 3. Falling BR; 4. Low BR & DR; 5. BR < DR.

Give a country in Stage 2 of the DTM.

Nigeria or Sub-Saharan African countries.

Name a country with a pro-natalist policy.

France.

Name a country with an anti-natalist policy.

China (One-child policy).

List 3 types of migration.

International, internal, forced.

Difference between permanent and temporary migration?

Permanent is long-term relocation; temporary is short-term.

List 2 economic causes of migration.

Job opportunities, better wages.

List one consequence of migration for the sending country.

Brain drain or labor shortage.

List one consequence of migration for the host country.

Increased demand for public services or skilled labor gain.

Case study: Why do Haitians migrate to the Dominican Republic?

Economic opportunities, better wages.

Formula to calculate population growth rate?

((Births – Deaths + Net Migration) ÷ Total Population) × 100.

What is a flow line map used for?

Showing migration patterns using arrows of varying thickness.

What is population structure?

The composition of a population typically shown by age and sex.

How do MDCs and LDCs differ in birth and death rates?

MDCs have low birth/death rates; LDCs have high birth rates and falling death rates.

What does a wide base in a population pyramid indicate?

High birth rates and a youthful population.

What does a narrow base and wider top in a population pyramid indicate?

Low birth rates and an ageing population.

Formula for Dependency Ratio

((Population aged 0–14 + 65+) / Population aged 15–64) × 100

Youthful population definition

A population with a high proportion under age 15.

Ageing population definition

A population with a high proportion over age 65.

Example of a youthful population

Niger – High fertility rate and over 50% under age 15.

Example of an ageing population

Japan – 29% aged 65+, low birth rate.

What is population density?

The number of people living per unit area (usually per km²).

Population density formula

Total Population / Total Land Area (km²)

What is a choropleth map?

A map using shading to represent population density.

Two merits of choropleth maps

Easy to draw, helps planners allocate resources

Two demerits of choropleth maps

May exaggerate or understate density, shading differences may be hard to distinguish

What is optimum population?

Population size that provides highest standard of living using available resources.

What is underpopulation?

Too few people to fully use a country’s resources (e.g., Australia).

What is overpopulation?

Too many people relative to resources (e.g., Bangladesh).

What is carrying capacity?

Maximum number of people the environment can sustainably support.

Name two factors that increase carrying capacity

Technology, trade, water, pollution, agriculture, population density

Malthusian Theory(1798)

Population grows faster than food supply, leading to checks like famine.

Boserupian Theory

Population growth drives innovation in food production. Eg. Green revolution in India.

What is a rural settlement?

Small, low-density communities located outside urban areas, typically involved in primary activities like farming, fishing, or forestry.

Types of rural settlements

Dispersed, linear, nucleated.

Two physical factors affecting rural settlements

Water supply, fertile soil, flat land, climate, natural protection

Two human factors affecting rural settlements

Transport access, economic activities

Effects of rural change in MDCs

Decline in services, aging population, declining population, gentrification.

What is urbanization?

Increase in proportion of people living in urban areas.

What is urban primacy?

When one city dominates a country’s economy and politics (e.g., Kingston).

Rank-size rule formula

Pₙ = P₁ / n

Where Pₙ is the population of the nth largest city, P₁ is the population of the largest city, and n is the rank of the city.

What is suburbanization?

Movement from city center to suburbs.

What is counter-urbanization?

Movement from urban areas to rural areas.

What is re-urbanization?

Return of people to inner-city areas.

What is gentrification?

Middle-class people moving into run-down urban areas and renovating them.

One model of urban structure

Burgess Model – concentric zones from CBD outward.

How is Hoyt’s model different?

Cities grow in sectors along transport routes.

One urban growth solution in MDCs

Urban renewal, public transport improvement: encourages density, reduces sprawl.

One urban growth solution in LDCs

Upgrading slums, decentralization, affordable housing (e.g., Favela-Bairro in Rio).