Unit 02 - Population Density & Distribution

Demography

The study of human population

Population Density

The number of people per unit of area

Population Distribution

The pattern of where people live

carrying capacity

The largest number of people that the environment of a particular area can support

Pronatalist policies

Programs aimed to increase the fertility rate of a place

Antinatalist Policies

Programs aimed to decrease the fertility rate of a place

migration

The permanent or sub permanent relocation of people from one place to another

Malthus Theory

populations will inevitably expand until they outgrow their food supply

push/pull factors

Factors that drive people to leave or go to a place

Ravenstein theory

most migrant move only a short distance

natural increase

the difference between the number of live births and deaths, generally calculated each year (birth rate-death rate)

antinatalist

belief that it is wrong to have children or people shouldn’t be encouraged to have kids

pronatalist

it is right to have kids and encourage people to have kids

brain drain

emigration of skilled workers to other countries

chain

migration in which individuals follow the migratory path of proceeding friends or family members to an existing community

total fertility rate

average number of people per unit of kids born per woman

physiology

number of people per unit of arable land

forced migration

a type of migration where people don’t choose to relocate but go under violence

slavery

refugee

asylum seeker

internationally displaced person

an individual who is forced to flee their home but remains within the borders of their own country. Unlike refugees, who cross international borders seeking safety, IDPs are displaced due to conflicts, natural disasters, or violations of human rights. Despite their situation, IDPs do not receive the same legal protections and assistance as refugees, making their plight often more complex as they remain under the jurisdiction of their own government, which may be unwilling or unable to assist them.

chain migration

a process where immigrants from a particular area follow others from their hometown or community to a new destination. This often occurs as family members or friends first migrate and establish themselves in the new location, encouraging others from the same place to migrate subsequently. It creates networks that facilitate the movement of individuals and families, making it easier for new arrivals to assimilate into the community and find employment.

step migration

refers to a process where individuals migrate in stages, rather than moving directly from their place of origin to their final destination. For example, a person may first move from a rural area to a nearby town, and then later migrate from that town to a larger city. This gradual approach allows migrants to adapt to new environments and accumulate resources or skills at each stage before proceeding further. Step migration is often influenced by social networks, where individuals follow friends or family who have previously migrated, creating pathways for others.

guest worker

a person who temporarily resides in a country to perform jobs that are often unfilled by the local workforce. These workers typically enter the host country on a work visa and are expected to leave once their employment concludes. Guest workers play a crucial role in various sectors, such as agriculture, construction, and service industries, where there is a shortage of local labor.

transhumance migration

A form of migration characterized by the seasonal movement of people and their livestock between fixed pastures, often from lowlands to highlands in summer and back to lowlands in winter. This practice allows communities to take advantage of different climatic conditions and resources throughout the year, sustaining their livelihoods based on livestock herding.

arithmetic density

person per land area

dependency ratio

number of dependants from 0-14 and 65+ per person

remittances

money sent from a foreign worker to friends and family in their country of origin

Economic factors of distribution

Level of development, infrastructure, employment opportunities, availability of natural resources,

social factors of population distribution

crime rates and safety, presence of religious cites, persecution, culture and history

Political factors of population distribution

public services, war and conflict, government installations

enviromental factors that affect distribution

natural features, climate, fertile/infertile land

economic impacts of population density

availability of workers, declining/growing economic growth, uneven development

social impacts of population density

culture clash, housing availability, public transportation

Political impacts of population density

provision of services, need for new laws, political movements

Environmental impacts of population density

carrying capacity, loss of habitats, pollution,

Demographer

Someone who studies the demographics of human population

Demographics

Statistical data relating to the population and groups within it

Population pyramid

An age-sex composition graph that can provide information on birth rates, death rates, life expectancy, economic development, migration, and past events like natural disasters, wars, epidemics, etc.

Cohort

Age group

Birth deficit

A slowdown of births, often occuring during times of conflict economic downturn, or cultural shifts

baby boom

a spike in birth rates, typically occurring after a period of war

baby bust

the end of the baby boom, lasting until boomers reach childbearing age

echo

a spike in birth rates once baby boomers reach childbearing age

CBR

Crude Birth Rate: The number of live births per year for every 1000 people

CDR

The number of deaths per year for every 1000 people

Natural Increase Rate

The difference between the CBR and CDR; A statistic that estimates the population growth of a country, not including population loss or gain due to migration.

Doubling Time

A measurement of how long a country will take to double its population, based on its NIR.

Infant Morality Rate

A measure of the number of babies who die before their first birthday for every 1000 births.

Life Expectancy

The average number of years a person can be expected to live, given current social, economic, and medical conditions.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

A model of the 5 typical stages of population change that countries pass through as they modernize. 

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

Stage 1: High birth and death rates, leading to a stable population. 2. Stage 2: High birth rates and declining death rates, resulting in a population explosion. 3. Stage 3: Declining birth rates while death rates remain low, leading to a slowing population growth. 4. Stage 4: Low birth and death rates, stabilizing the population. 5. Stage 5: Potential decline in the population, characterized by very low birth rates

Epidemiological Transition Model (ETM)

Predictable stages in disease and life expectancy that countries experience as they develop.

Stages of ETM

Stage 1: Pestilance Stage 2: Pandemics Stage 3: Degenerative/Human Created Diseases 4. Delayed Generative Diseases 5. Reemerging Infections + Parasitic Diseases

Malthusian Theory

Society is on the path to mass starvation. Food production will increase but so will population - and faster! SO, people should limit the number of children they have.

Neo Malthusian

People who have adopted Malthus’ ideas to modern conditions and believe overpopulation is a threat to the future and must be controlled.

Dependancy Ratio

The percentage of people within a population who are either too young or too old to work and must therefore be supported by working adults (aged 15-64)  within the population.

Impacts of youthful population

Large labor poll, oversaturated job market, overcrowded living situations, increased rural to urban migration, More government spending required (education, housing, healthcare, etc), Potential increase in crime rate due to unemployment , Political instability if unable to meet population’s needs, More potential environmental destruction due to need for more housing/infrastructure/goods, More pollution (increased resource extraction, more drivers, etc)

Impacts of an older population

Less workers available, especially for manual labor, Decline in productivity and economic growth, Less innovation and technological advancement, Lower level of influence on the world stage, Different services for older people, more government spending (welfare system, healthcare, pensions, etc.), lower crime rates, increased enviromental conservation, less pollution

Pronatalist policies

programs aimed to increase fertility rate of a place

Antinatalist policies

Programs aimed to decrease fertility rate of a place

Why would countries want to implement pronatalist policies

to replace population lost due to war/civil unrest, build military, replace retiring workers, occupy empty parts of the country, develop nation’s resources, support elderly population

examples of pronatalist policies

banning contraception, discouraging family planning, tax breaks/money for having kids, maternity leave, discouraging abortion, government-sponsored dating agencies

Pronatalist policies in France

• Introduced the Code de la Famille in 1939, Incentives for mothers who stayed home to raise children (pensions, tax breaks, etc.), Cash incentives for having 3+ children, Generous maternity leave (20-40 weeks), Tax breaks for families, Subsidized child care, Subsidized family holidays, Banned sale of contraceptives (overturned 1967

Why would a country want to use antinatalist policies

Can’t afford to provide for more citizens, overpopulation concerns, more women needed in the work force, repress a group of people

Examples of antinatalist policies

encouraging later policies, encouraging education/career goals for women, access to free/cheap contraception, availability/encouragement of abortion, family planning, ad campaigns to promote smaller families, cash/social incentives for not having children, forced sterilization programs

China’s one child policy

• 1979-2015 - Parents could sign a one-child contract with the government and be entitled to rewards (Free medical care, free daycare & school, guarantee of job for child, raises for parents & bigger pensions, better housing, extra maternity leave

If broken, benefits withdrawn, repayment, reduced wages, can’t register more children

Extreme effects of China’s one child policy

gender imbalance of preference of men over women, declining populatiom

migration

The permanent or semipermanent relocation of people from one place to another

immigrate

move from

emigrate

move to

internal migration

The permanent or semipermanent movement of individuals within a country.

transnational migration

The permanent or semipermanent movement of individuals between countries.

intervening obstacles

barriers that made it difficult for migrants to reach their desired destination

intervening opportunities

Something that causes a migrant to choose a destination other than the one they originally intended

Ravenstein’s law of migration

A set of 11 laws proposed by Ernst Ravenstein in 1885 that describe why immigrants move, how they move, and their characteristics.

Ravenstein’s theories of migration

Short Distances - Most migrants only travel short distances. Farther distances are reached in a series of steps, Larger not Smaller - Migrants are more likely to come from large centers than small towns, Rural to Urban - Migrants tend to move from rural areas to urban areas (more opportunities), Families Play it Safe - Families are less likely to migrate across international borders since it carries increased risk, Countermigration - Every migration flow produces a countermigration in the opposite direction, Women Stay Close - Female migrants are more likely to migrate within their home country while males migrate internationally, Urban Growth - Large cities or towns grow more though migration than through natural births, Economic Growth - Migration creates more opportunities and innovation, leading to economic growth, All About the Money - Migration mainly occurs for economic reasons (seeking better employment and quality of life), Away from Agriculture - Migrants tend to move away from agricultural communities to areas (cities) where they have better paying work opportunities, Breaking Barriers - Migration increases as technology and transportation improve, making physical barriers less important.

Net Migration Rate

The difference between the number of immigrants and the number of emigrants in a place in a year

Net Migration

number of immigrants - number of emigrants

migration flow

The immigrants entering or leaving a place during a given period of time

Internal Migration Flow

Rural to Urban

Urban to Suburban

East to West

Eras of US Migration

17th and 18th century - Colonial

Late 19th + early 20th - mass european immigration

late 20th + early 21st century - Asian + Latin American

Unauthorized Immigrant

A person who enters a country without the proper documentation or permission

selective immigration

Process to control immigration that bars individuals of certain backgrounds and gives preference to others who have traits that are viewed favorably

immigration quota

A law that limits the number of prospective immigrants who can be admitted into a country every year

chinese exclusion act 1182

25,000 Chinese immigrants settled in California by 1850 to take part in the Gold Rush First American immigration quota introduced, banning Chinese laborers from entering the country

1921 emergency quota act

Limited annual migration to 3% of the total number of people from that country that were already in the US

1924 National Origins Act

Limited annual migration to 2% of the total number of people from that country that were already in the US; excluded southern and eastern Europeans and Asians; Mexicans exempted since they were needed for work.

1965 immigration and nationality act

ended 1924 act

Remittances

money sent from foreign worker to friends and family in their country of origin

brain drain

Emigration of skilled workers (engineers, scientists, doctors, teachers, etc.) to other countries

ecumene

land that is permanently occupied by humans

medical revolution

diffusion of medical technology from more developed to less developed countries

the great migration

the movement of more than 6 million africans from northern states to southern states in 1900s