Human Environments

Population

Physical factors affecting population density (6 marks)

Mountainous areas- people are isolated due to poor transport links, and houses are difficult to build because machinery is unable to reach. (1)

Climate- places that are too hot or cold will deter people from living there or are inhabitable. (1) For example, places that are too arid can experience droughts meaning crops are unable to grow which means the area becomes inhabitable. (1)

Natural resources- people are attracted to places with minerals such as gold and raw materials like timber to exploit and sell. (1)

Coastal areas- people are attracted as they are close to the sea which allows people to trade through ports. (1)

Fertile soils- this allows crops to grow which provides a food supply. (1)

Availability of water- a clean, accessible supply of water is necessary as water is needed for plants, animals and humans to survive. (1)

Human factors affecting population density (6 marks)

Job opportunities- a high availability of jobs encourage people to move to seek employment and earn a stable income. (1)

Government aid- industries are located where government funding is available, therefore more people will move into those areas for work. (1)

Services- people are attracted to places where the education and healthcare services are high quality and accessible. (1)

Technology- advancements in farming technology allow people to farm and grow crops wehre it previously was not possible.(1) Advancements in construction allows new houses and transports links to be built. (1)

Migration- refugees crowd into camps nearby the city to escape civil war within their own country. (1)

Transport- places with good transport links attract people and industries which creates more employment opportunities. (1)

Factors affecting birth rate (6 marks)

Contraception- access to contraception prevents unwanted/unplanned pregnancies. (1)

Later marriages- people are getting married when they are older meaning they will also have children later. (1)

Education- introduce sex educations to children so they are aware of what happens. (1)

New hospitals- better post natal and ante natal care means less babies die which means people stop having so many children and hoping one survives. (1)

Money- in developed countries children are expensive to raise meaning people are deterred from having many children. (1)

Tradition for large families- in developing countries having lots of children is seen as ‘high status’ meaning some people have lots of them. (1)

Children needed to work- many children are needed to help run family businesses like farming meaning people will have more children. (1)

Factors affecting death rate (6 marks)

Better diets- people now eat healthily and aren’t malnourished meaning they live longer. (1)

Proper hygiene and sanitation- improves people’s overall health as they do not get sick as often. (1)

Access to clean drinking water- prevents people from catching waterborne diseases such as typhoid and becoming seriously ill. (1)

Advancements in medical care and research- a wider variety of diseases can be treated more effectively and efficiently. (1)

Better pensions- better care for elderly people allows them to live longer and healthier. (1)

Ante-natal and post natal care- improves children’s survival rates which lowers the overall death rate. (1)

Inoculations and vaccines- illnesses and diseases are not caught and spread as easily. (1)

Urban land use in a developed country

Case study- Glasgow, Scotland

Changes in the CBD (6 marks)

Pedestrianised streets- increases safety for shoppers and makes the street more visually appealing-Buchanan street (1)

Low emission zones- reduces amount of air and noise pollution within the CBD. (1)

Off street parking- increases number of parking spaces available which reduces the number of cars parked on streets-Buchanan galleries. (1)

One way traffic system- reduces traffic congestion which leads to freer traffic flow-Hope street. (1)

Renovation of train stations- encourages more people to take public transport into the CBD-Queen street. (1)

Large indoor shopping centres- encourages more people to shop in the CBD as the shops are not affected by the weather which makes it more accessible-St Enoch, Buchanan Galleries. (1)

Large chain stores- large companies such as Primark and JD have replaced small independent stores as they cannot afford the high rent prices within the CBD. (1)

New hotels- improved and new hotels are built to attract more tourists-Hilton, Radisson. (1)

Repurposing old buildings- buildings no longer used for their original purpose are turned into new hotels, flats, restaurants and shops which creates new opportunities for land uses-Cadleriggs fruit markets. (1)

Entertainment- more venues are built to encourage shopping/money spending at all time of day, especially at night-Cineworld, Level X. (1)

Changes in the inner city (6 marks)

Job creation- more skilled jobs are created in the area as the Science centre, BBC and STV offices have been built along the Clyde. (1)

Tenements pulled down- structurally poor tenements were pulled down and replaced with new housing in areas such as Castlemilk to improve living qualities. (1)

Refurbish existing tenements- internal walls were knocked down to increase space. Central heating and double glazing were added and they sandblasted the flats to remove soot. (1)

Tourist attractions- addition of tourist attractions and conferences such as the Hydro which can be used for concerts and is a source of entertainment and jobs. (1)

Landscaping- areas such as Broomielaw have been landscaped to become more appealing by adding more greenery and cycle lanes. (1)

Site development- brownfield sites were developed and derelict buildings were demolished. (1)

Building replacement- office buildings such as Barclays have replaced heavy industry buildings. (1)

Changes in the suburbs/rural urban fringe (6 marks)

Services- increased number of pharmacies and doctors. (1)

Out of city shopping centres- provides more jobs for people in the area-Silverburn. (1)

Houses- can be larger as the price for the land is cheaper. (1)

Appearance- the area is clean and attractive because they are newly built. (1)

Farming- expansion into the suburbs can cause a reduction in farmland causing farmers to lose money.(1)

Natural greenery- expansion into the suburbs can cause a reduction in natural greenery and woodlands which will harm wildlife. (1)

Pollution- expanding will cause more road traffic which brings noise pollution and air pollution. (1)

Urban land use in a developing country

Case study- Dharavi, Mumbai

Problems in Dharavi (6 marks)

Poor sanitation- people use the streets as the toilet which means sewers are a breeding ground for diseases such as cholera and Malaria. (1)

Poor access to clean water- people must queue at water pumps as there is a limited supply and some people break open the pipes which exposes the water raw and dirty sewage, leading people to catching waterborne diseases. (1)

Education- most children are unable to finish their education due to the high financial costs which leads to a high drop out rate. (1)

Poor housing- quality of materials used to build homes is very poor which leads to them collapsing, potentially injuring or killing those inside. (1) Most electricity is stolen from other places which leads to them overheating due to the poor installation and increases the fire risk. (1)

Overcrowding- houses are extremely small but can have up to 5 people in each room which means illnesses and disease are easily spread due to the high population density. (1)

Crime- unemployment rates are at 15-20% which can result in criminal activity/gangs. Theft, assault and drug trafficking are the most common crimes. (1)

Waste collection- no regular council collection for waste results in large amounts accumulating in piles. On hot days there is a possibility for the waste to burst into flames. (1)

Lack of legal rights- Dharavi is an unplanned/illegal settlement which means most residents do not legally own the land they live on. Therefore the government can demolish their houses randomly which leaves many people homeless. (1)

Solutions in Dharavi (6 marks)

Road widening schemes- the Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) has widened roads in many areas of Dharavi allowing access to waste collection-reducing the rat problems. (1)

Dharavi redevelopment project- high rise flats were demolished and replaced with bigger apartments to create more space and reduce overcrowding. (1) Flat prices were reduced whilst being upgraded to have essentials such as proper toilets, electricity and running water to reduce diseases. (1)

Community policing- an increase in police patrolling improves safety/security which reduces drug and assault related crimes. (1) Police attitude towards residents have changed which builds trust between them and the community. (1)

Self-help schemes- residents are given the necessary materials such as bricks to improve their houses. (1) This leads to stronger walls which will reduce the risk of buildings collapsing. (1)

New toilet blocks- improves sanitation as people no longer need to use the streets as the toilet which reduces the chances of diseases. (1) Provides clean hot and cold water for residents to use which reduces the spread of diseases. (1) 

Dharavi dream project- provides free mentorship, after school programmes and counselling to children. (1)

Rural land use: agricultural change

Changes to farming in the United Kingdom (6 marks)

Case study- Fens of East Anglia, England

Changes to farming in India

Case study- Kerela, India