Population and Migration Patterns

These flashcards cover key terms related to population and migration patterns in human geography.

Immigration

The process of individuals moving into a new country with the intention of remaining there.

Infant Mortality Rate

The percentage of children who die before their first birthday within a particular area or country.

Internal Migration

The permanent or semipermanent movement of individuals within a particular country.

Intervening Obstacles

Any forces or factors that may limit human migration.

Life Expectancy

The average age individuals are expected to live, varying across space, genders, and races.

Thomas Malthus

Author of Essay on the Principle of Population who claimed population grows exponentially while food production increases arithmetically.

Maternal Mortality Rate

Number of deaths per thousand of women giving birth.

Natural Increase Rate

The difference between the number of births and number of deaths within a particular country.

Neo-Malthusian

Advocacy of population-control programs to ensure enough resources for current and future populations.

Overpopulation

A value judgment based on the notion that the resources of a particular area are not enough to support its current population.

Physiologic Density

A ratio of human population to the area of cropland, used in less-developed countries.

Population Density

A measurement of the number of persons per unit of land area.

Population Pyramid

A model used to show the age and sex distribution of a particular population.

Pull Factors

Attractions that draw migrants to a certain place, such as a pleasant climate and job opportunities.

Push Factors

Incentives for potential migrants to leave a place, such as harsh climate or economic recession.

Refugees

People who leave their home because forced out but not being officially relocated.

Rust Belt

Northern industrial states of the USA where heavy industry was once dominant and has since declined.

Sun Belt

US region that has grown dramatically since World War II, mainly in the Southeast and Southwest.

Total Fertility Rate

The average number of children born to a woman during her childbearing years.

Voluntary Migration

Movement of an individual who consciously decides to relocate; opposite of forced migration.

Zero Population Growth

Proposal to end population growth through various family-planning programs.

Age-Sex Distribution

A model describing the ages and numbers of males and females within a population; also known as population pyramid.

Cohort

A population group unified by a specific common characteristic, such as age.

Crude Birth Rate

The number of live births per year per thousand people.

Crude Death Rate

The number of deaths per year per thousand people.

Demography

The study of human populations, including their dynamics.

Dependency Ratio

The ratio of people who are too old or young to provide for themselves to the number of people who support them.

Emigration

The process of moving out of a particular country.

Epidemiological Transition

Sudden population growth due to improved food security and healthcare.

Exponential Growth

Growth that occurs when a fixed percentage of new people is added to a population each year.

Forced Migration

Migration in which individuals are forced to leave a country against their will.

Generation X

People born in the US between 1965 and 1980, who will support the baby boom cohort in retirement.