AP Human Geography: Population and Migration Studies

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering population distribution, density measures, demographic calculations, population models, and governmental policies from Unit 2 lecture notes.

Population distribution

Where people live within a geographic region, showing the spatial patterns of human settlement (such as 95% of people in Egypt living along the Nile River).

Climate

The long-term patterns of weather in an area that directly and indirectly influence population distribution (such as dry and hot conditions).

Temperate climates

Climates characterized by moderate temperatures and adequate precipitation amounts, experiencing all four seasons without extreme weather conditions (such as in New York City).

Landforms

The natural physical features on Earth's surface, such as mountains, valleys, and plains, which shape where human settlements develop.

Human migration

A permanent move by people from one location to another, commonly driven by employment opportunities or conflicts such as war.

Population density

The average number of people occupying a specific unit area of land, typically measured in square miles or square kilometers.

Arithmetic density

The total number of people divided by the total land area: $\text{Arithmetic Density} = \frac{\text{Total Population}}{\text{Total Land Area}}$.

Physiological density

The total number of people divided by the total area of arable (farmable) land: $\text{Physiological Density} = \frac{\text{Total Population}}{\text{Arable Land Area}}$.

Arable land

Land that is suitable and capable of being used to grow agricultural crops (farmable land).

Agricultural density

The total number of farmers divided by the total area of arable land: $\text{Agricultural Density} = \frac{\text{Total Farmers}}{\text{Arable Land Area}}$.

Subsistence farming

An agricultural practice where farmers produce only enough crops and livestock to feed themselves and their immediate families, comparable to maintaining a household garden.

Carrying capacity

The maximum population size of a species or group that a specific environment can sustainably support.

Dependency ratio

A demographic measure comparing dependents to the working-age population: $\text{Dependency Ratio} = \frac{\text{Population under 15} + \text{Population over 64}}{\text{Working-Age Population (15--64)}} \times 100$.

Sex ratio

A demographic indicator that represents the proportion of males to females within a given population.

Demographics

Statistical data and information regarding the structure, composition, and characteristics of human populations.

Fertility

The physiological ability and rate of individuals or populations to produce offspring.

Crude birth rate (CBR)

The total number of live births occurring in a given year for every $1{,}000$ people in a defined population.

Total fertility rate (TFR)

The average number of children a woman will give birth to during her childbearing years, generally defined as ages $15$ to $49$.

Mortality

Deaths occurring within a population, functioning as a primary demographic component of overall population change.

Crude death rate (CDR)

The total number of deaths occurring in a given year per $1{,}000$ individuals in a defined population.

Infant mortality rate (IMR)

The annual number of deaths of infants under the age of $1$ per $1{,}000$ live births.

Life expectancy

The average number of years an individual is expected to live based on current statistical mortality patterns.

Population pyramid

A visual bar graph displaying the distribution of a population by age cohorts and sex.

Rate of natural increase (RNI)

The percentage growth of a population excluding migration, calculated as: $\text{RNI} = \text{CBR} - \text{CDR}$.

Doubling time (DT)

The projected number of years required for a population to double in size given a constant rate of natural increase.

Urbanization

The demographic and physical growth, expansion, and development of urban settlements and cities.

Overpopulation

A condition in which the number of people in an area exceeds the available resources and the environmental carrying capacity.

Malthus's theory

The demographic hypothesis proposed by Thomas Malthus predicting widespread famine, disease, and war by the late 1800s because human population grows exponentially while food production increases arithmetically.

Neo-Malthusian

A contemporary perspective arguing that Earth's resources are finite and insufficient to sustain continuing population growth, advocating antinatalist measures to prevent crisis.

Demographic transition model (DTM)

A theoretical model illustrating the historical sequence of shifts in birth rates, death rates, and overall population growth that societies experience as they industrialize and modernize over time.

Epidemiological transition model (ETM)

A model describing distinctive shifts in causes of mortality, life expectancy, fertility, and population age structure across developmental stages.

Pronatalist policy

Government initiatives and policies designed to incentivize childbearing and accelerate population growth.

Antinatalist policy

Government policies designed to restrict birth rates and curb population growth (such as China's One-Child Policy), which may result in unintended consequences including rapid elderly population growth, gender imbalances, elevated abortion rates, and lowered marriage rates.