Population and Migration Study Guide

UNIT 2: POPULATION AND MIGRATION PATTERNS AND PROCESSES

  • AP Exam Weighting: 12-17%

Key Influences on Population Distribution

  • Physical Factors: climate, landforms, water bodies.
  • Human Factors: culture, economics, history, politics.
  • Population distribution varies according to scale of analysis.

Population Density Calculations

  1. Arithmetic Density: Number of people per land area.

    • High Density: India, Japan, Bangladesh.
    • Low Density: Canada, Australia, Russia.

  2. Physiological Density: Number of people supported by arable land.

    • High Pressure: Egypt, Japan.
    • Low Pressure: USA, Canada.

  3. Agricultural Density: Ratio of farmers to arable land.

    • High Density: Egypt, Bangladesh.
    • Low Density: US.

Effects of Population Density

  • Affects political, economic, and social processes, e.g., healthcare services.
  • Carrying Capacity: Maximum population a region can support without environmental degradation.
  • Little correlation between population density and economic development (e.g., Japan vs. Bangladesh).
  • Congestion: Road and transport congestion with high population density.
  • Loss of 'green-belt' land lowers quality of life.

Population Age Structures and Projections

  • Population Pyramids: Analyze growth and predict market trends.

  • Stages of Population Growth:

    • Expanding: High birth rates, many young dependents.
    • Stable: Constant birth rates, changing resources.
    • Declining: Low birth rates, aging population.

  • Implications:

    • Strain on resources (elderly care).
    • Workforce issues (older population needs new immigrants).

Demographic Factors Influencing Growth and Decline

  • Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Average number of children per woman (global average just below 2.5).
  • Mortality Rate: Number of deaths in a specific population.
  • Natural Increase Rate (NIR): Percentage growth in a year, excludes migration.
    • Found by subtracting Crude Death Rate (CDR) from Crude Birth Rate (CBR).

Factors Affecting Fertility, Mortality, and Migration

  • Fertility Influences: Technology, social norms, cultural acceptance of women in workforce, economic considerations.
  • Mortality Improvement Factors: Better food supply, healthcare technology, sanitation, vaccination.
  • Migration Influences: Age, sex, education, and marital status.

Demographic Transition Model

  • Explains changes in population over time due to historical events:
    • Agricultural Revolution: Increased food sources.
    • Industrial Revolution: Improved wealth and sanitary conditions.
    • Medical Revolution: Enhanced healthcare reducing death rates.

Epidemiological Transition

  • Studies the causes of changing death rates across different stages:
    • Stage 1: Diseases such as the black plague.
    • Stage 2: Cholera spread.
    • Stage 3: Heart diseases, cancers.

Malthusian Theory and Critiques

  • Neo-Malthusians: Concerned with global population growth outpacing resources.
  • Critics argue:
    • Resource scarcity can be addressed with technology and innovation.
    • Population growth can stimulate economic development.

Population Policies

  • Pro-Natalist: Encourages childbirth (financial incentives).
  • Anti-Natalist: Reduces birth rates (China's One Child Policy).
  • Immigration Policies: Incentivize immigrants in low-growth countries or restrict in high-growth areas.

Changing Social Values and Education

  • Growing education and employment access for women leads to lower fertility rates.
  • Aging Population: Higher percentages of older populations lead to dependency ratio concerns.
  • Impacts on resources, workforce longevity, and need for labor from immigrants.

Migration Factors and Types

  • Push Factors: Drive people away (economic, social issues).
  • Pull Factors: Attract individuals to new locations (job opportunities).
  • Intervening Opportunities/Obstacles: Factors affecting migration paths.

Refugee and Migration Effects

  • Refugees: Forced migration due to persecution or disaster.
  • Impacts on receiving countries: Economic strain, service demands, potential skills introduction.

Types of Migration

  • Transnational: Movement across borders while maintaining ties.
  • Internal Migration: Movement within a country.
  • Chain Migration: Moving to join others already settled.
  • Guest Workers: Temporary work opportunities.
  • Rural-Urban Migration: Seeking better opportunities in cities.

Ravenstein’s Laws of Migration

  1. Most migrants move shorter distances.
  2. Migration occurs in steps.
  3. Long-range migrants tend to go to urban areas.
  4. Each migration generates counter-migration.
  5. Rural women are more migratory than urban women.
  6. Most migrants are adults.

Migration Transition Model

  • Reflects changes in migration patterns paralleling changes in society and demographics.
  • A
    • Stage 1: Temporary, basic necessity moves.
    • Stage 2: Push from resource strain; in search of opportunities.
    • Stages 3 & 4: More internal migration, moving to suburbs.