Earth's Human Geography

1
World Geography
Unit 3
Earth's Human Geography
2
What Is Population Distribution?

• The worlds population, or total number of
  people, is spread unevenly over the Earths
  surface.
• Population distribution describes the way the
  population is spread out.
• Demographers study the populations of the world
  to figure out why population is distributed the
  way it is. They examine such things as rates of
  birth, death, and marriage, and why people choose
  to live in certain areas.

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Why Is Population Distribution Uneven?

• What affects where people will want to live?
• Desirable Factors
• Areas along bodies of water form natural travel
  routes and provide fresh water for drinking and
  farming.
• Plains and valleys with flat, fertile soil are
  good for growing food.
• Flat coastal areas are good for trading by ship.
• Areas with moderate climates and adequate
  rainfall
• Places rich in natural resources to build houses
  and make products
• Undesirable Factors
• Areas with rugged mountains, hot deserts, and dry
  land with little vegetation or water.

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Continents Populous and Not Populous

• Populous
• About 81 percent of the Earths people live in
  Asia, Europe, and North America. Yet, these
  continents account for only 53 percent of the
  worlds land. Why? These continents have fertile
  soil, plains, valleys, fresh water, rich natural
  resources, and good climates.

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Continents Populous and Not Populous

• Not Populous
• Australias environment is mostly desert or dry
  grassland, with few rivers and little rainfall.
• Africa is home to two of the worlds largest
  deserts, broad bands of land that get little
  rain, and a vast rain forest along the Equator.
• South America is also limited by landforms and
  climates, where many regions have soaring
  mountains, vast dry plains, and thick rain
  forests.

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What Is Population Density?

• The average number of people who live in a square
  mile is called population density.
• In a country or city with a high population
  density, people are crowded together. Japan has
  one of the highest population densities in the
  world Almost all of its people live on only 16
  percent of the land.
• In a country or city with a low population
  density, people are more spread apart. Canada is
  bigger than the United States, but has a much
  smaller population.

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Studying Population Density

• How do demographers measure population density?
• Divide the number of people living in a place by
  the number of square miles of that place.
  Remember, though, that the population density of
  an area is an average, and that people are not
  spread evenly over the land.
• Population density will usually be the highest on
  level areas near bodies of water.
• Some people, however, do live in harsh areas and
  over many generations have adapted ways of life
  to suit these environments.

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Population Growth Is Worldwide

• By comparing the birthrate to the death rate,
  demographers can figure out population growth.
• During different historical periods, populations
  grew at different rates
• For centuries, the world population grew
  slowlyfood supplies were scarce and many
  thousands died of diseases.
• As a result, although the birthrate was high, so
  was the death rate. The life expectancy was
  short. A hundred years ago in the United States,
  people usually lived less than 50 years.
• World population has grown rapidly and has
  increased greatly in modern times. WHY?

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Reasons For Population Growth Today

• Today, the birthrate has increased dramatically
  and the death rate has slowed. The population in
  some countries has grown very fast. People live
  longer than ever. In the United States today,
  people usually live more than 70 years.
• This is the result of two scientific
  developments
• New farming methods have greatly increased the
  worlds food supply (called the Green
  Revolution).
• Advancements in medicine and health have resulted
  in people living longer lives.

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The Challenges Of Population Growth

• The Earths resources must now be shared by six
  times as many people than in earlier times. Many
  countries face very serious problems, such as
  shortages of fresh water and energy. The rapidly
  growing world population poses many challenges
• Higher populations make it harder to find jobs.
• More schools are needed for the growing number of
  children.
• Decent housing is scarce and expensive.
• Public services like transportation seem
  inadequate.
• Forests are disappearing because people use the
  wood from trees for building and for fuel. As a
  result, the supply of clean air decreases and
  soil can be washed away.

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World Population Growth, A.D. 12002000
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Migration The Movement Of People

• When people move from one place to another, this
  is called migration. Immigrants are people who
  leave one country and move to another.
• Why do people move?
• Demographers use the push-pull theory to
  explain immigration.
• People migrate because certain things push them
  to leave. The reasons may be economic (maybe
  people cannot buy land or find work). Sometimes
  changes in government force people to leave.
• The hope for better living conditions pulls
  people to a country. People might be pulled by
  many things, such as better economic
  opportunities or a more desirable climate.

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Irish and Vietnamese Immigrants in the United
States
The push-pull theory can explain the great Irish
immigration in the 1840s and 1850s and Vietnamese
immigration in the 1970s.
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Other Kinds of Immigration
Sometimes, people are forced to
migrate. Colonization Australia was colonized by
the English. The English sent convicts to serve
their sentences in Australia. War When war broke
out among three ethnic groups in Yugoslavia in
the mid-1990s, many refugees fled to escape being
killed. Helping families Young men from Morocco
and Turkey often go to Europe to find work. For a
few years, they work hard and save their money.
Then they return home.
15
The World Becomes More Urban

• Migration also occurs within a country.
• One of the biggest challenges to todays nations
  is urbanizationthe movement of people to cities
  from rural areas and the growth of cities.
• In recent years, the population of major cities
  has grown tremendously.
• Example
• Recently, in the United States, the population
  has shifted from the northeastern states to the
  southern and southwestern states.
• Why?
• People may be searching for better job
  opportunities or better climates. The growth of
  urban areas in southern states has put a great
  stress on services.

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Growing Cities, Growing Challenges

• Examples of Growing Cities
• Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, and São Paulo,
  Brazil, are examples of rapidly growing cities.
• Jakartas population more than doubled between
  1978 and 2000.
• São Paulo is now the largest city in South
  America and is rapidly developing.

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Growing Cities, Growing Challenges

• So, whats the problem?
• The cities cannot keep up They cannot provide
  housing, jobs, schools, hospitals, and other
  services that people need.
• Life can be difficult Overcrowding in schools
  and on streets, and heavy pollution, among other
  things, can make life uncomfortable.
• So, why do people move?
• Most are seeking a better life for their
  families. They are looking for jobs, decent
  houses, and good schools. Above all, they want
  more opportunities for their children.

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World Urban and Rural Populations 18002000