Population Distribution Flashcards
Population density
Reefers to the Humber of people living in a given area, expressed per km2
Calculated by taking the total population in the area over the area of the land
Expressed on a chloropleth Map
What is population distribution
Reefers to the way in which people are spread across an area or the earths surface
Looking at spatial distribution of people
Expressed on a dot map
Population composition
Refers to the age, sex, demography, race, religion of a given population
How is the world’s population is distributed,
Not evenly distributed
About 75% live on 10% earth’s habitable land
Remaining consists of oceans, seas and uninhabitable land
Characteristics of densely populated regions
Most people live near the oceans–> 80% live within 1000km distance from oceans
Generally occupy low lying areas with fertile soil and temperate climates–> 85% live in areas less than 500m high
85% live in the northern hemispheres and 10% in Southern Hemisphere due to relatively smaller land masses
Characteristics of sparsely populated regions
1) High altitudes (too high)
Higher the alt, it is colder and dryer
1/2 of Switzerland’s land is more than 1000m high but only 5% of the country’s population resides there
Exceptions
LAmerican and Africa, prefer to live in higher areas if ppt and temp is uncomfortably high
Medico city one of the world.s largest cities located 2300m high
2) Polar regions (too cold)
Much of the land at the N and S poles are perpetually covered by intensive ice caps and hence unsuitable for plant growth and crops
Fewer animals can survive the extreme wether, making the hostile environment uninhabitable
3) Deserts (too dry)
Largest desert extends from North Africa to Central Asia (Sahara)
Deserts take up 20% earth’s surface
Too dry for farming, generally inhospitable for intensive agriculture and crop cultivation
But may attract people due to natural resources ( oil reserves) and there is a possibility to build irrigation systems to grow crops and raise animals that can adapt to climate (camels)
4) Rainforest’s (too wet)
Receive very high levels of precipitation which is inhospitable for humans (2.25m/ year)
Usually 20’ N S of equator
Combination of heat and rain hinders agriculture as nutrients are rapidly depleted from soil
Amazon, Congo basin
Densely populated areas
Japan. 337ppl/km2
India. 342
S Korea. 479
Bangladesh. 997
Sparsely populated regions
Polar wastelands like Greenland and Antarctica
Australia/ canda 2-3ppl/km2
Factors affection world population distribution
Physical
Non physical
Physical factors
1) Relief and soil fertility
Flat low land areas attract more people and can be used for intensive crop cultivation (Bangladesh/Netherlands)
Construction of communication lines (railway, roads), can be easily built on relatively flat areas to attract more industries
Sparsely populated areas have steep slopes with thin layer of soil, difficult to cultivate crops
Also due to high altitudes, lower oxygen level,temperature is lower, inhospitable for people
Exceptions, Lamerica, Africa and mt Pinatubo is Philippines due to fertility of solid which is ideal for crop cultivation
2) Climate and vegetation
For densely populated areas, usually attracted to temperate climates and rainfall is reliable and evenly distributed throughout the year for intensive crop cultivation and livestock
Hot humid areas near the equator(Bangladesh) ensures that cultivation takes place throughout the year –> hospitable conditions
For sparely populated areas, polar region, deserts, rainforests
3) Water supplies
People tend to live in areas with reliable water supply, ensuring a steady distribution of rainfall for crop cultivation.
Provision or access to clean water supply through accumulated wealth and technological development to build reservoirs or canals to store water –> regular water supply
In areas where there Isn’t a stable supply of clean fresh water mainly due to irregular rainfall or due to lack of funds or technology to build reservoirs –> sparsely populated areas –> unable to cater to the water needs for the pulat
4) resources available
For financial gains, ppl may tend to live in areas despite living conditions
Areas that have large energy supplies or mineral deposits, tend to attract people, and lead to building of large scale industry (South Wales)
Generally the more valuable the resource, the more likely to overcome harsh conditions
Middle East oil Is drilled, Andes copper and tin ore
5) Accesibility of land
Valleys and costal lands offer conducive environment for large scale environment so perishable gods can be transported long distances without the loss of the quality
Hence 80% people can be found living near oceans rather than inland
In NA, higher concentrate of People at the east coast
Non-Physical factors
1) Economic
Availability of technology
Areas which have access to adv agri technology tend to see increase in food production, food supplies and hence concentration of people
Allows people to overcome harsh climatic conditions –> reservoirs to store water and canals to transfer water (Israel), built well heated homes against ext climate (Alaska Us)
LDCs practice substenance farming which requires large land area and can support only a few people
Availability of good comm systems
Areas that have a good devt of transportation system have easy access, increasing conc if people, gain easy access to food supplies and trade. Areas where there lack these comm systems, tend to have a lower con of people
Mountains(Bolivia), deserts (Sahara), forests (Amazon)
2) Political Factor
Political decisions can affect pop distribution such as creation of new cities as in Brasilia or opening pioneer lands in Israel
Areas that fail to invest suffice nth funds to adopt technology, hinders not only the devt but the number of people attracted due to limited emp opp
1917 revolution, millions of Russians forced to move eastwards by soviet govt to develop Siberia
3) Relgious belief
Religion ay be responsible for people’s choices to reside in certain areas
Emigration infringing from Britain and increased American east pop
4) Socio cultural preferences
People tend to reside I areas according to culture or yaditions passed down by generations
