Population

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Chapter 2
An Introduction to Human Geography The Cultural
Landscape, 9e James M. Rubenstein

• Population

Victoria Alapo, Instructor Geog 1050
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Distribution of World Population

• Population concentrations
• The four largest population clusters (see text).
  Pg 47-49.
• Other population clusters
• Sparsely populated regions
• Dry lands Cold lands
• Wet lands Highlands
• Population density (discussed later)
• Arithmetic density
• Physiological density/ Agricultural density

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World Population Cartogram
This cartogram displays countries by the size of
their population rather than their land area.
(Only countries with 50 million or more people
are named.) Pg 47
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World Population Distribution
World population is very unevenly distributed
across the Earths surface and it can be compared
to climate distribution.
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Arithmetic Population Density
Arithmetic population density is the number of
people per total land area or per square mile/km.
The highest densities are found in parts of Asia
and Europe.
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Physiological Density
Physiological density is the number of people per
arable land area. This is a good measure of
the relation between population and agricultural
resources in a society.
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Crude Birth Rates
The crude birth rate (CBR) is the total number of
births in a country per 1,000 population per
year. The lowest rates are in Europe, and the
highest rates are in Africa and several Asian
countries.
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Crude Death Rates
The crude death rate (CDR) is the total number of
deaths in a country per 1,000 population per
year. Because wealthy countries are in a late
stage of the demographic transition, they often
have a higher CDR than poorer countries more
older people than younger people.
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Natural Increase Rates
The natural increase rate is the percentage
growth or decline in the population of a country
per year (not including net migration). i.e.
natural increase or decrease is the difference
btw birth and deaths. Countries in Africa and
Southwest Asia have the highest current rates,
while Russia and some European countries have
negative rates.
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Total Fertility Rates
The Total fertility rate (TFR) is the number of
children an average woman in a society will have
through her childbearing years. The lowest rates
are in Europe, and the highest are in Africa and
parts of the Middle East, due mainly to Social
Reasons. In traditional societies, CHILDREN take
care of their parents, not Social Security.
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Infant Mortality Rates
The infant mortality rate is the number of infant
deaths per 1,000 live births per year. The
highest infant mortality rates are found in some
of the poorest countries of Africa and Asia.
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Life Expectancy at Birth
Life expectancy at birth is the average number of
years a newborn infant can expect to live. The
highest life expectancies are generally in the
wealthiest countries, and the lowest in the
poorest countries.
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Variations in Population Growth

• The Demographic Transition Stages
• 1. Low growth 3. Moderate growth
• 2. High growth 4. Low growth
• Countries are in different stages of demographic
  transition, which can be shown with the aid of
  population pyramids.
• Population pyramids
• Shows age distribution gender ratio (see
  slides)

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The Demographic Transition
The demographic transition consists of four
stages. See text, pg 58, Fig 2-13. Population
growth is most rapid in the second stage.
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Population Pyramids

• This is a graphic device showing the age and sex
  structure of a population. See pyramid showing
  high growth (below).

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Population Pyramids

• Pyramids also help to show the dependency
  ratio
• Which calculates the proportion of the population
  of working age to the non-working age. See
  pyramids.
• The dep. ratio is when you compare the ratio of
  the combined pop. of children less than 15 yrs
  and elderly over 64, to the pop. of those btw 15
  64 yrs (working age).
• The larger the of dependents, the greater the
  dependency ratio and financial burden rich
  countries have too many old poor countries have
  too many young (see slides).

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Population Pyramids in U.S. Cities
Population pyramids can vary greatly, with
different fertility rates (Laredo vs. Honolulu),
or among military bases (Unalaska), college
towns (Lawrence), and retirement communities
(Naples). See textbook.
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Will the World Face an Overpopulation Problem?

• Thomas Malthus on overpopulation
• His theory on population growth and food supply
  (geometric vs. arithmetic progression)
• Malthus critics the Cornucopians
• Declining birth rates
• Malthus theory and reality
• Reasons for declining birth rates

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Food and Population, 19502000Malthus vs. Actual
Trends
Malthus predicted population would grow faster
than food production, but food production
actually expanded faster than population in the
second half of the twentieth century. Why?
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Food Supplies Over the Last 200 Years (Affected
Malthus Prediction)

• Malthus prediction
• Technological advances
• Green revolution
• New crops
• Transplants and genetic engineering
• New cropland
• New lands opened by irrigation
• Transportation and storage
• Faster refrigerated modern methods
• Improved storage protects against spoilage and
  pests