AP Human Geography: Population, Demographics & Migration Vocabulary

Population distribution

How people are spread across an area.

Distribution Patterns

The different ways populations are spread out such as clustered, dispersed, linear.

Climate

The average weather conditions of an area over a long period.

Temperate Climates

Climate with moderate temperatures that are not extremely hot or cold.

Landforms

Natural physical features of Earth's surface.

Population Density

The number of people in a certain amount of land.

Arithmetic Density

The total population divided by total land area.

Physiological Density

The number of people per unit of arable land.

Agricultural Density

The number of farmers per unit of arable land.

Subsistence Agriculture

Farming mainly to produce enough food for yourself and your family.

Carrying Capacity

The maximum population an environment can sustainably support with its available resources.

Dependency Ratio

The comparison of dependents (young and elderly) to the working age population.

Sex Ratio

The number of males compared to females in a population.

Demographics

Statistical information about a population such as age, gender, income.

Fertility

The ability or tendency to have children.

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

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

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime.

Population Replacement Level

The fertility rate needed for a population to replace itself from generation to next.

Mortality

The occurrence of deaths within a population.

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

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

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

The number of babies who die before their first birthday per 1,000 live births.

Life Expectancy

The average number of years a person is expected to live.

Population Pyramid

A graph showing the age and sex distribution of a population.

Rate of Natural Increase (RNI)

The difference between crude birth rate and crude death rate.

Doubling Time

The amount of time it takes for a population to double.

Urbanization

The growth in the percentage of people living in urban areas.

Malthus' Theory of Population Growth

Population growth grows faster than food production, eventually causing shortages and crises.

Neo-Malthusians

People who believe rapid population growth can lead to resource shortages and environmental problems.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model explaining how birth rates and death rates change as a country develops economically.

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

A model explaining how the major causes of death change as a country develops.

Anti-Natalist Policies

Government policies designed to reduce birth rates.

Pro-Natalist Policies

Government policies designed to encourage people to have more children.

Land Degradation

The deterioration of land quality due to human activities or natural processes.

Mobility

The ability or tendency of people to move from one place to another.

Circulation

Short-term repetitive movement that usually doesn't involve permanently changing residence.

Human Migration

The movement of people from one place to another, usually involving residence.

Emigration

Moving out of a country.

Immigration

Moving into a country.

Net Migration

The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants.

Push Factor

Negative conditions that cause people to leave a place.

Pull Factor

Positive conditions that attract people to a new place.

Voluntary Migration

When people choose to move somewhere by their own decision.

Forced Migration

When people are forced to leave their homes against their will.

Transnational Migration

Migration that involves moving across national borders while maintaining connections to the home country.

Internal Migration

Moving from one location to another within the same country.

Friction of Distance

The idea that movement and interaction decrease as distance increases.

Transhumance

The seasonal movement of livestock between different grazing areas.

Chain Migration

Migration where people follow family members or friends who have already moved somewhere.

Step Migration

Migration that happens in several smaller moves instead of one large move.

Intervening Obstacle

Something that prevents or makes migration more difficult.

Intervening Opportunity

An opportunity closer to someone's starting location that causes them to stop migrating further.

Guest Worker

A person who temporarily moves to another country to work.

Circular Migration

Repeated movement between two places, often for work, without permanently settling in either location.

Refugees

People forced to leave their country because of persecution, war, or violence.

Asylum

Protection granted by a country to someone who has fled their home country because of danger.

Internally Displaced Persons

People forced to leave their homes but remain within their own country's borders.

Human Trafficking

The exploitation of people through force or coercion for purposes such as forced labor.

Repatriate

To return someone to their home country.

Interregional Migration

Moving from one major region of a country to another.

Intraregional Migration

Moving within the same region of a country.

Quotas

Government limits on the number of immigrants allowed into a country.

Kinship Links

Family or relationship connections that encourage migration to a particular place.

Skills Gap

A shortage of workers with certain skills needed by employers.

Remittances

Money that migrants send back to family members in their home country.

Brain Drain

The loss of educated or skilled workers when they leave their home country.

Relocation Diffusion

The spread of ideas, culture, or practices when people move to a new place.