Population Distribution, Density, and Demographics

Vocabulary flashcards based on lecture notes about population distribution, density, and demographics.

Population Distribution

The spread of people in an area.

Population Density

The amount of people in an area.

Arithmetic Density

Total population / total amount of land. A commonly used metric to show how densely populated a place is.

Physiological Density

Total population / total amount of arable land (lands that produce food). Measures the pressure that a population exerts on the environment to feed.

Agricultural Density

Amount of farmers / total amount of arable land. Shows the level of efficiency of agricultural production in an area and the degree of reliance on human labor versus technology.

Urban Sprawl

The unrestricted growth and expansion of urban or suburban areas into the surrounding countryside.

Carrying Capacity

The number of people that can be supported by the environment without damaging the environment.

Demographic Characteristics

Age, gender, ethnicity, educational attainment, income, occupation.

Sex Ratio

(male births in a society/female births in a society)x100

Dependency Ratio

(children aged 0-14)+(people aged 65+)/(working age population)x100

Subsistence Agriculture

Agricultural production that occurs with the intent to provide for the farmer’s family or local community (output is for consumption, not sale).

Child Dependency Ratio

(children aged 0-14)/(working aged population)x100

Elderly Dependency Ratio

(people aged 65+)/(working age population)x100

Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

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

Crude Death Rate (CDR)

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

Natural Increase Rate (NIR)

The percentage by which a population grows in a year. NIR=CBR-CDR

Total Fertility Rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman will have.

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR)

The total number of deaths under one year of age in a year for every 1,000 live births

Zero Population Growth (ZPG)

When a country’s CBR and CDR are essentially the same, causing the NIR to be 0.

Pro-Natalist Policies

Policies that are created to help increase a society’s birth rate. Include propaganda, tax incentives, family planning resources, and removal of economic and political barriers.

Anti-Natalist Policies

Policies that are created to help decrease a society’s birth rate.

Intervening Obstacles

Negative situations or events that hinder migration and end up preventing immigrants from reaching their final destination.