2.2) Consequences of Population Distribution

Explain how population distribution and density affect society and the environment

ESPN

Environmental

Social

Political

Social Services and Infrastructure: High population density impacts access to housing, jobs, water, and services like sanitation, medical care, fire, police, public transport, and waste collection

• Actually easier and cheaper to provide support to clustered populations- less distance & travel. Rural areas have a dispersed population, but fewer facilities.

• Yet, it is still extensive to provide services for large amounts of people

Economic

• competition for jobs

• Urbanization due to manufacturing and industrialization

  • Today, more tertiary activities are located in cities

• Uneven population distribution results in uneven development

  • Scattered/ dispersed population

    • Lower wages → Less access to services → Overall, less developed

Political

• Representation in govt

  • Electoral Districts have to be roughly equal in population size

  • Determines how many representatives in Congress

  • redistricting → process of redrawing electoral district boundaries after the Census every 10 years

Natural/ Enviornmental/ Physical

• Carrying capacity: The maximum population size an environment can sustain

  • Hiigh 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