APHUG Unit 2.1-2.3 and 2.9 Review

What are the 4 major population clusters located in the world’s regions?

Western Europe, South Asia, East Asia, and Southeast Asia

What 5 physical features discourage people from settling in an area?

-Too hot

-Too cold

-Too wet

-Too dry

-Too hilly

What physical features encourage people to settle in area?

-Low elevation

-Fertile soil (arable land)

-Temperate climates

-Near a body of water

What is ecumene?

A term used to describe the habitable areas of the world.

What types of factors influence population distribution?

ESPN: Economic, Social/Cultural, Political, Environmental

What are the 3 equations geographers use to calculate population densities?

Arithmetic Density: total population/land area (sq. mi)

Physiological Density: total population/arable land (sq. mi)

Agricultural Density: farmers/arable land (sq. mi)

What is an advantage/disadvantage of the arithmetic density equation?

It does not account for the uneven distribution of population within each country. No information clustering or dispersal.

What is an advantage/disadvantage of the physiological density equation?

Advantage: It demonstrates Carrying Capacity, The maximum population size that can be supported by the available resources without damaging the environment or using natural resources unsustainably. 

What is an advantage/disadvantage of the agricultural density equation?

Disadvantage: It is a better indicator of a country’s level of economic development rather than population distribution, as it is high for LDCs due to low output and sustinence farming and low for MDCs due to less farmers, high output, and commercial farming.

How does population distribution and density affect society economically?

-competition for jobs: higher density = higher competition

-urbanization due to manufacturing and industrialization: more tertiary activites are located in cities

-uneven population distribution = uneven development: scattered/dispersed populations receive lower wages, less access to services, and are overall less development.

How does population distribution and density affect society politically?

• redistricting: electoral districts which have to be roughly equal in population size after redistricting process, when district boundaries are redrawn after the Census every 10 years

• representation in government: population determines how many representatives in Congress

How does population distribution and density affect the environment naturally?

-carrying capacity: the maximum population size an environment can sustain

-high population density = pressures on the arable land, water, resources, and food supply

-air and water pollution, depletion of natural resources, use of large amounts of energy, excessive waste

What is population composition?

The amount of children, women, males, and elderly people that make up the population

What are population pyramids?

Pyramids that show the population composition of a location. They can be utilized at various scales, and to asses population growth and decline as well as predicting markets for goods and services.

What is dependency ratio?

The number of people in a dependant age group divided by the number of people in the working age group multiplied by 100. It is under the age of 15 and over the age of 65.

What is a high dependency ratio?

The number of people NOT working, earning income, or paying taxes.

What does the working population face as a result of a high dependency ratio?

Higher taxes to fund hospitals, schools, and living facilities.

What does a wide base that tapers up indicate on a population pyramid?

-it is an expansive pyramid

-indicates population growth & large families

What are the economic impacts of an elderly dependency ratio?

-the elderly pay less income taxes

-supported by a government sponsored retirement funds

-as life expectancy increases, so do healthcare costs to fund infrastructure and healthcare workers

-provides opportunity for employment in the elder care industry

-volunteer work

What are the social impacts of an elderly dependency ratio?

-in traditional families, the bride moves in with her husband’s family residence

-living facilities for the elderly

-provide social support to families: babysitting, keeping families together

What are the political impacts of an elderly dependency ratio?

-typically the most politically active group in many places

-different perspective on political issues; healthcare, retirement

What is a birth deficit?

A slow down in births due to time consuming factors like war that prevents families from starting.

What is an anomaly?

An unexpected occurrence that shows on a population pyramid

What do bulges in a population pyramid around a certain age group signify?

-A “baby boom” during a certain time-frame when more families were being made/developed because of factors like post-war peace or long periods of isolation like quarantines due to pandemics.

-The opposite of birth deficit.

-This bulge will move upwards over time until the affected cohorts disappear due to death. It will also cause a little echo or ripple effect, with a small bulge right below it.

What is sex ratio?

The proportion of males to females in a population. (males per 100 females, usually the proportion is skewed towards the male population because of multiple factors). It is important to examine this at different scales.

What would cause fewer women or fewer men in a society?

• war

• insufficient healthcare for women

• migration

• gendercide/sex-selective abortions