Unit 2

Population Distribution and Density 🗺

The distribution of the human population can be examined through four major regions:

• South Asia (countries such as India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka)

• East Asia (countries such as China, Japan, and Korea)

• Southeast Asia (countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam)

• Europe (where people are located closer to natural resources instead of clustering solely around rivers and oceans)

These regions primarily have people located near rivers and oceans, except for Europe, which was influenced by the Industrial Revolution.

Physical and Human Factors

The location of human settlements is often influenced by both physical and human factors.

Physical Factors:

Natural elements that make up a place, such as climate, weather patterns, landforms, bodies of water, and natural resources.

Human Factors:

Various economic, cultural, historical, and political aspects of a place, such as economic opportunities, cultural identity, historical events, and political stability.

Population Distribution

Population distribution refers to the spread of people in an area. Places can be:

• Dispersed: population, buildings, or other features are spread out or scattered over a wider geographic area.

• Clustered: population, buildings, or other features are concentrated in a specific area or region with little to no space between.

Population Density

Population density is the amount of people in an area. There are three main types of population density:

Consequences of Population Density and Distribution

Population density and distribution have various consequences:

Political Consequences

• Higher population density often leads to greater political power and representation.

• Population distribution can impact voting patterns and the redrawing of voting districts.

Economic Consequences

• Higher population density usually has more opportunities for citizens, including a wider range of goods and services and a larger labor market.

• Lower population density often has less access to amenities and relies more on larger cities for resources and services.

Social Consequences

• Larger and more densely populated areas have better access to educational and healthcare services, a wider range of restaurants, and more economic and social opportunities.

• Areas with lower population density tend to lack specialized services and social opportunities but have a stronger sense of community.

Environmental Consequences

• Densely populated societies with more urbanization often see more urban sprawl, leading to the displacement of green spaces.

• Areas with lower population density are more likely to have undisturbed green spaces, affecting a society's carrying capacity.

• Carrying capacity refers to the maximum population size that an environment can support without damaging it.## Population Composition 📊

Population Composition refers to the various demographic characteristics of a population, including factors like:

• Age

• Gender

• Ethnicity

• Educational attainment

• Income

• Occupation

By analyzing these characteristics, we can gain insight into the social, economic, and cultural factors that shape a society.

Population Pyramids

A Population Pyramid is a tool used to better understand demographic characteristics. It is a graphical representation of the age and sex distribution of a population.

• The Y-axis represents different age ranges or cohorts.

• The X-axis represents the number of people, either as an exact number or as a percentage.

• The pyramid is divided into two sides, one representing women and the other representing men, with each bar indicating the number of individuals belonging to a specific age range and sex.

We can classify age ranges into three main categories:

• Pre-reproductive years: 0-14 years old

• Reproductive years: 15-44 years old

• Post-reproductive years: 45 years and older

Population pyramids can provide valuable insights into:

• Current trends

• Past events

• Potential future challenges

Analyzing Population Pyramids

Sex Ratio and Dependency Ratio

• Sex Ratio: The ratio of males to females in a population. It is calculated by dividing the number of male births by the number of female births and multiplying by 100.

• Dependency Ratio: The ratio of dependents (children and elderly) to the working-age population. It is calculated by dividing the number of children (0-14 years old) and elderly (65 years and older) by the working-age population and multiplying by 100.

Breaking Down Dependency Ratio

The dependency ratio can be broken down into two categories:

• Child Dependency Ratio: The ratio of children (0-14 years old) to the working-age population.

• Elderly Dependency Ratio: The ratio of elderly (65 years and older) to the working-age population.

The Demographic Transition Model is a framework used to understand the changes in population growth rates and structures in response to economic development.

Stage 1

• High Crude Birth Rate (CBR)

• High Crude Death Rate (CDR)

• Low Net Reproduction Rate (NRR)

"As countries move further along the Demographic Transition Model, many countries begin transitioning from Stage 1 to Stage 2."

Stage 2 🚀

• High CBR

• Decreasing CDR

• Increasing NRR

"Countries in Stage 2 start to see their Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) and CDR decrease thanks to advancements in technology, increased agricultural production, better sanitation, and increased knowledge in medicine."

Stage 3 💼

• Decreasing CBR

• Decreasing CDR

• Moderate NRR

"Countries in Stage 3 start to see their CBR decline and their CDR continues to decrease as well, all of which makes their NRR more moderate."

Stage 4 🏠

• Low CBR

• Low CDR

• Low to Flat NRR

"Countries in Stage 4 may experience Zero Population Growth (ZPG), which happens when a CBR and a CDR are essentially the same, causing the NRR to be zero."

Stage 5 📉

• Low CBR

• Low CDR

• Negative NRR

Countries in Stage 5 are characterized by a low CBR, a low CDR, and a negative NRR, resulting in a decline in the population.

"Migration can impact these trends, and when discussing CBR, CDR, and NRR, we are only looking at births and deaths that occur within a country, immigration is not factored into these metrics."

Epidemiologic Transition Model 🏥

The Epidemiologic Transition Model focuses on the causes of death for each stage of the demographic transition.

Stage 1 🤕

• High mortality rates from pestilence, famine, and other causes

"During Stage 1, people are vulnerable to a range of diseases, including parasitic and infectious diseases, animal attacks, pandemics, epidemics, food shortages, and contaminated water sources."

Stage 2 🏥

• Reduction in pandemic and increased food production

"Society gains access to new technology that not only improves the standard of living but also increases the amount of food that is produced."

Stage 3 ⚕

• Increase in degenerative diseases

"People start to live longer and begin to die from diseases that are either caused by human behavior or are related to age, such as heart disease and various types of cancer."

Stage 4 🏥

• Fighting degenerative diseases and overall longer life expectancy

"Medical advancements can often delay the onset of different diseases, leading to increased life expectancy."

Stage 5 🚨

• Resurgence of infectious diseases

"This can occur due to the evolution of different diseases, which can lead to mutations and the development of antibiotic resistance, as well as the increase in poverty and urbanization."

Malthusian Theory 📚

Malthusian Theory, developed by Thomas Malthus, suggests that population growth will eventually outstrip food supply, leading to a Malthusian catastrophe.

Malthus argued that while society's population would continue to grow exponentially, its ability to produce food would only increase at an arithmetic rate.

"Malthus believed that an intervention was necessary to prevent uncontrolled population growth, such as governments implementing anti-natalist policies that would motivate people to have fewer children."

However, Malthus' predictions were later proven wrong, as countries developed economically and their growth rates slowed, resulting in their population growth rate no longer being exponential.

Governments and Population Growth 📊

Pronatalist and Anti-Natalist Policies

Governments can influence demographic trends and migration patterns through various policies. These policies can be categorized into two types:

• Pronatalist policies: Designed to encourage people to have more children and larger families. These policies often involve:

  • Propaganda

  • Tax incentives for families with children

  • Resources for family planning

  • Removal of economic or political barriers for families

• Anti-Natalist policies: Designed to reduce the number of births in a society. For example, China's one-child policy, which set limits on the number of children individuals could have.

Migration Policies

Governments can also impact population growth through migration policies, which are often based on economic needs, national security priorities, and cultural values. When immigrants are allowed into a country, it can:

• Increase economic output

• Increase diversity

• Lead to new inventions and ideas

Women and Demographic Changes

As economies develop, opportunities for women tend to increase. In economically developed countries, women have:

• Greater access to quality education

• Greater participation in the workforce

• Better access to healthcare

• More control over their reproductive choices

As a result, women tend to delay having children, leading to a lower total fertility rate (TFR) and infant mortality rate (IMR).

Ravenstein's Laws of Migration

Ernest Ravenstein's laws of migration provide insight into migration patterns:

The Gravity Model

The gravity model is used to explain migration flows between different geographic locations. It is based on the assumption that migration flows are influenced by:

• Population size

• Distance between the migrant's origin and destination

Demographic Changes and Economic Development

As countries experience economic development, their populations tend to age, leading to new challenges:

• Increase in the dependency ratio

• Higher burden on the working population

• Shift in family structures, with family members taking on the responsibility of caring for their elderly relatives

• Decrease in economic growth due to aging populations

Countries may implement pronatalist policies or pro-immigrant policies to combat these trends.

🚪 Migration Types

Forced Migration

Migration that occurs when individuals are compelled to leave their country due to reasons such as war, political oppression, or environmental disaster.

Examples:

• Human trafficking

• Forced child labor

• Child soldiers

• Slavery

Refugees: Migrants who have been forced to leave their home country and have crossed an international border in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disasters.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): Migrants who have been forced to flee their home but have not crossed an internationally recognized state boundary, remaining in their home country.

Voluntary Migration

Migration that occurs when individuals choose to leave their current location of their own free will.

Examples:

• Transnational migration: Migrants who choose to leave their country of origin and seek residence in a different state, often maintaining ties to their home country.

• Chain migration: A type of migration that occurs as part of a country's family reunification policy, where legal immigrants who have become naturalized citizens sponsor a family member to immigrate to the country.

• Step migration: Migration that occurs in stages, where migrants make stops at different locations before reaching their final destination.

Other Types of Migration

• Guest workers: Migrants who temporarily migrate to a new country for work or educational reasons, often sending money back to their home country.

• Transhumant migration: Cyclical migration that occurs in regular intervals or patterns, often revolving around the seasonal movement of livestock between two different locations.

• Rural to Urban migration: The movement of people from rural areas to urban areas, often seeking more economic opportunities.

Intra-Regional and Inter-Regional Migration

📊 Impact of Migration on a Region

Political Ramifications

• Debates around citizenship for migrants and immigration policy

• Support for immigration quotas or policies such as family reunification or Diversity Lottery programs

Economic Ramifications

• Increased immigration often leads to increased talent pools and economic output

• Brain drain: Skilled labor leaving a geographic area in favor of another area that offers more opportunity

Cultural Ramifications

• Acculturation, assimilation, or syncretism: The mixing of different traditions, languages, and values

• Increased cultural diversity, but also potential anti-immigrant or refugee sentiment