APHG Quiz 1 Flashcards
(Arithmetic) Population Density
Measure of total population relative to land size
Physiologic Population Density
Total population of a country/region to the area of arable (farmable) land it creates
Population Distributions
arrangement of people on the earth’s surface
- dot maps
Megalopolis
DC-Boston accounts for more than 20% of the US population
exceeds 10 million ppl
Densest world regions by population
East Asia, South Asia, Europe, North America
In what ways are Shanghai’s infrastructure superior and inferior to the infrastructure in a typical U.S. city?
Superior: Extensive metro, modern airports, high-speed trains.
Inferior: Issues with access to clean and hot water.
About what percentage of the world’s fresh water does China have access to and where is most of it located?
China has access to 7% of the world’s fresh water. ~80% is located in southern China.
What is the difference between arithmetic population density and physiologic population density?
Arithmetic: Population relative to total land area.
Physiologic: Population relative to arable land.
How is the general arithmetic population density of Egypt misleading?
Egypt’s arithmetic population density suggests there to be 85 people per square kilometer. However, most of Egypt’s land is desert, leading to 98% of the population living on 3% of the land.
Which areas of India and China are not suitable for farming?
In India, the Himalayas and other mountainous areas are not suitable for farming.
In China, the interior deserts and mountainous regions (Tibetan Plateau), are also unsuitable for farming.
How many people live in East Asia, and what are the major crops of China’s river valleys?
almost 1/4 of the worlds population lives in East Asia, with most of them in China. The major crops produced in the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers include wheat and rice.
How many people live in South Asia?
Over 1.5 billion people live in South Asia, with India being the most populous.
When is South Asia’s population expected to exceed East Asia’s total population?
2030
What is the physiological density of Bangladesh’s rural areas?
3000-5000 people per square mile
How many people live in Europe’s dense area?
Over 715 million people.
How does Europe’s densest areas contrast with those of South and East Asia?
In Europe, many people live in urban areas due to the Industrial Revolution, with 73-80% of the population residing in cities. In contrast, in South and East Asia, a higher percentage of the population still lives in rural areas and relies on farming.
Total Fertility Rate.
Average number of children a woman has during her lifetime.
Define megalopolis.
Large, densely populated urban region made up of several interconnected cities. In the U.S., an example is the stretch from D.C. to Massachusetts.
Why isn’t census data always reliable?
Census data can be unreliable due to undercounting disadvantaged groups, inaccurate data collection, logistical challenges in conducting surveys, and in some countries, the inability to afford or manage comprehensive censuses. Moreover, some population statistics are based on estimates rather than actual counts.
Thomas Malthus
Food supplies grow linearly, while the population grows exponentially.
He believed food supplies grew linearly as it was confined spatially (one can only eat what one grows), yet globalization allowed for the interaction of goods. Moreover, bioengineering continues to bring exponential growth to our food supply.
Neo-Malthusians
Overpopulation is a real problem that must be addressed now.
Critics of Malthus
Malthus underestimated human ingenuity and technological advancement. Food production has grown exponentially due to innovations like bioengineering and globalization.
How do Erlich’s warnings mirror those of Thomas Malthus?
Erlich’s warnings, like Malthus’, focus on the dangers of overpopulation, predicting resource scarcity and environmental degradation. Both emphasized the potential for population growth to surpass the Earth’s carrying capacity, although Erlich included modern concerns such as climate change.
Malthus’ theory was ultimately proved incorrect. Which advances did he not foresee?
Malthus did not anticipate technological advancements such as the Green Revolution, bioengineering, global trade, and advancements in agricultural productivity that significantly increased food production.
