IGCSE Theme 1 Population and Settlement Definitions

Question 1

Define the term over-population

Answer 1

The situation where there are too many people for the available resources at a given level of technology

Question 2

Define the term under-population

Answer 2

The situation where there are too few people for the available resources to be used efficiently at a given level of technology

Question 3

Define the term birth rate

Answer 3

The total number of live human births per 1000 population

Question 4

Define the term death rate

Answer 4

The total number of deaths per 1000 population

Question 5

Define the term natural increase

Answer 5

The difference between the number of births and number of deaths in a population

Question 6

Define the term fertility rate

Answer 6

The average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime

Question 7

Define the term human migration

Answer 7

The movement of people from one place to another

Question 8

Define the term net migration

Answer 8

The difference between immigrants and emigrants – immigrants minus emigrants

Question 9

Define the term population density

Answer 9

The number of people per square kilometre. A measure of how crowded an area is.

Question 10

Define the term population distribution

Answer 10

The pattern of where people live

Question 11

Define the term settlement

Answer 11

A place where people live

Question 12

Define the term dispersed settlement

Answer 12

A place where homes are spread over a wide area

Question 13

Define the term linear settlement

Answer 13

An area of buildings that are formed in a line

Question 14

Define the term nucleated settlement

Answer 14

Towns where buildings are close together, often clustered around a central point

Question 15

Define the term rural area

Answer 15

Area of countryside/farmland/not built up

Question 16

Define the term urban area

Answer 16

A built up area e.g cities or towns – areas with a high population density and built environment

Question 17

Define the term CBD

Answer 17

Central Business District – the part of the city which contains the principal commercial streets

Question 18

Define the term urban land use

Answer 18

How the land is used in a town or city

Question 19

Define the term site

Answer 19

The place where the settlement is located e.g. on a hill or in a sheltered valley

Question 20

Define the term situation

Answer 20

Where the settlement is in relation to other settlements and features of the surrounding area

Question 21

Define the term sphere of influence

Answer 21

The area that people travel from to use a service

Question 22

Define the term settlement hierarchy

Answer 22

A way of arranging settlements into order/importance based upon their population size/services provided etc

Question 23

Define the term services

Answer 23

Any activity that fulfils a human want or need and returns money to those who provide it

Question 24

Define the term threshold population

Answer 24

The minimum number of people needed to support a settlement or service

Question 25

Define the term range

Answer 25

The maximum distance that people are prepared to travel to obtain a particular service

Question 26

Define the term pollution

Answer 26

The presence or introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful poisonous effects

Question 27

Define the term air pollution

Answer 27

The presence in or introduction into the air of a substance which has harmful effects

Question 28

Define the term noise pollution

Answer 28

Harmful levels of noise

Question 29

Define the term water pollution

Answer 29

The contamination of water sources by a harmful substance

Question 30

Define the term visual pollution

Answer 30

The negative aesthetic quality of the natural and human-made landscapes around people

Question 31

Define the term urbanisation

Answer 31

Increasing proportion of people living in urban areas (towns/cities)