introduction to population and environment Flashcards
What are the environmental reasons for an area to be sparsely populated
Poor quality soils Thick vegetation No water supply Hostile relief Hostile climate Few resources
What are the environmental reasons for an area to to densely populated
Fertile soils Water resources Hospitable vegetation Hospitable climate Hospitable relief Lots of resources
What is the population distribution
Pattern of where people live (local or global scale)
e.g. 94% of China’s population lives in eastern China as the majority of the west is mountainous
What is populations density
The average number of people living in a particular area per km squared
Bangladesh: 1200 people per km^2
Libya: 4 people per km^2
What is population change
The growth or decline of a population
What is natural increase and decrease
The difference between the birth and death rates
What is net migration
The difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants in an area over a period time
Immigrants>emigrants =positive net migration
Emigrants >Immigrants=negative net migration
how did the industrial revolution impact population change
1760-1850: rapid increase in the use of machinery in developed countries
occurred along side major population growth
e.g. Britain’s population doubled in this time
death rates fell due to increased food production and people had more money to spend on food
people moved to cities for work increasing population density in certain areas
Key elements of the physical environment that affect population
8 points
Climate Geology Soil fertility Water supply Ecosystem- vegetation, wildlife Typography-relief, altitude resources Natural hazards
How does climate affect population
-rainfall, temperature,
wind velocity, sunlight levels
Most people live in temperate zones as it’s easier to grow food
Influences disease
Affects population distribution
Coastal flooding causes people to move
Eg. Kiribati has purchased land in Fiji to move the population there
How does soil fertility affect population
Affects distribution
People may live near volcanoes for fertile soils
Only 0.33 people live per km squared in Greenland because of permafrost
How does geology affect population
The amount of resources can affect how quickly countries develop
If the resources run out a large population will be left behind
How water supply affect population
Needed for hydration, irrigation, hygiene, sanitation, industrial processes
Affects population distribution and growth
If there is limited water less people will live there
Eg. 95% of the population in Egypt live within 12miles of the Nile
How does typography affect population
Shape of the land
Affects population density
Most people live on flat land
Interdependence
Population depends on the environment and the environment depends on the population
