4B.2 - Population characteristics vary from place to place and over time Flashcards
The most striking differences between Wootton and Kempston are…
- Kempston has a significantly larger population with 19,330 people compared to Wootton’s 4,165 which also leads to a higher population density of 21 people/hectare in Kempston and 4.2 people/hectare in Wootton
- Wootton has a higher median age of 44, where as Kempston is younger with a median age of 37
- Wootton has a higher percentage of white British people (93.4%) and Kempston has a much lower percentage (76%)
What is ethnicity?
The cultural heritage shared by a group of people that sets them apart from others. The most common characteristics of ethnicity are racial ancestry, a sense of history, language, religion or forms of dress. With the exception of racial characteristics, ethnic differences are learnt, not inherited
Cultural change is driven along two different pathways by: a changing mix of ethnic groups
Initially starts by the arrival of immigrants of an ethnicity different to that of the host country.
The cultural change is consolidated if the immigrants become concentrated in particular places and if they have more children than native families do.
As children of the original immigrants move away to new places, they are likely to take their culture with them, perhaps in a more diluted form.
Cultural change is driven along two different pathways by: the gradual dissemination of a constantly updated ‘new’ culture by the mass media
Some of this updating might be seen as part of the globalisation of culture. Modern communications are promoting and spreading an international culture or lifestyle.
The media are now the global exporters of a ‘Western’ culture which is rooted in Europe and North America which is referred to as westernisation, Americanism or mcdonaldisation. This growing culture is distinguished by its emphasis on consumerism and consumption, democracy and technology.
Within the UK, the tendency is for changes in global culture to first impact on London and other leading cities and then to ripple out from there
Pathways of cultural change
What affects the population density profile of an urban area: physical environment
flat areas are more suitable for building residential areas as it’s more expensive to build on steep slopes and flood plains. Historically, the spread of urban areas has followed low land areas
What affects the population density profile of an urban area: socio-economic status
Generally, the richer you are, the more expensive housing you live in, typically areas of low housing and low population density areas. They also tend to want to be far away from pollution (smell, atmospheric, noise etc).
This is why most of the UK’s industrial areas, the rich have always favoured the western and windward side; any atmospheric pollution collected in the area will therefore drift away from them
What affects the population density profile of an urban area: Dwelling type and household size
An area with loads of flats (like when planning consent sets a high-density figure) will have higher populations densities than areas of detached houses.
What affects the population density profile of an urban area: Functions
The distribution of non-residential activities has an indirect and direct impact on population density. Population density will lower where housing is intermixed with non-residential activities, the location of activities like manufacturing that have a negative impact on that area can be indirectly important.
These areas are likely to be avoided by low-density, expensive housing, and is instead favoured by cheaper, higher density housing
What affects the population density profile of an urban area: Planning
Planners control the density of new residential buildings. Planning consent will specify how many dwelling units should be built per hectare. Therefore, planners and gov policy on housing have a significant impact on housing and population densities as well as where particular activities can be located
