Factors influencing pop. density + distribution

1. Physical - Relief

-flat, low lying = highest pop. density eg. EU
-most Nort EU plain, least Alpine Mts
-Andes + himalayas pop. low bcus sever climate and too steep
-80% altitude <500m bcus building easier
-except in tropics eg Brazil bcus mts cooler (eg. Rio de Janiero)

2. Physica l- Climate

-temperate climates preferred, 90% of world live in N hemisphere
-climate impacts crops = temperate good for growing crops + water
-temperate zones != drought, flooding + freezing
-extreme climates = too harsh, desert = too hot + dry eg Sahara,

3. Physical - Soil + drainage

-flat = fertile eg North EU plain, brown earth soils = easy for farming
-flat + fertile attracts settlement for crops for food
-rivers more populated bcus freshwater, rich alluvium + transport, food, defence
-eg. River Rhine + River Nile

4. economic

-high employment = more people
-Celtic Tiger made Ireland desirable for EU people looking for work
-downturn 2008- many emigrated to US for work, recovery 2013 reversed again
-natural resources more populated bcus bueiness + industry eg EU

5. Political

-stable gov. higher pop. unlike Syria- civil war 2011 bcus political unrest
-in 2020, 400,000 syrians killed, 4.5mil fled, 6.5mil displaced
-high levels of forced emigration to escape danger
-gov. policy affect distibution: grants offered to live in certain areas
-Brazil gov. encouraged move from cities, esp cap. Brasilia to further inland

6. Historic

-colonisation of NA by EU
-Famine 1845-49 largest impact. 1 mil died. 1mil emigrated to EU + UK
-after famine, emigration continued + 39.6mil Americans claiming Irish ancestry