Population Dynamics Flashcards
Distribution
The way people are spread out across the earths surface
Population density
Number of people living in a given area per square kilometer
Population density equation
Total population / total area
Factors controlling density and distribution in sparsely populated areas
Relief (mountains/volcanoes) - Andes
Too hot/dry - Sahara
Too wet/humid - amazon
Too cold - Greenland
Poor soils - Sudan
Lack of water supply/ clean drinking water (drought/ lack of reservoirs) - Sahel
Disease/ pests - east Africa
Lack of resources - Somalia
Poor communications (vegetation/ relief acts as a barrier)
Politics, wars, lack of investment - scotland
Factors controlling density and distribution in densely populated areas
Flat fertile plains - Ganges
Climate; reliable rainfall with no extremes of temperature - NW Europe
High sunshine (tourism) - Zanzibar
Vegetation; open grasslands
Water supply; rain, aquifers, reservoirs - USA
Lack of disease/ pests
Mineral/ energy wealth - Dubai
High level of technological development - Japan
Lots of jobs - Germany
Population growth in LEDCs and MEDCs
Population growth is uneven as greatest population increase is in LEDCs
Most of the world population live in LEDCs
MEDCs experience little to no growth
Population change
Depends on the birth rate, the death rate and migration
Natural Increase
Annual growth rate excluding migration
Natural increase = Birth rate - Death rate
Stage 1 of DTM
Very high fluctuating BR and DR - low and fluctuating population growth
No Nations in this stage today excluding Amerindian’s of the Amazon basin
Stage 2 of DTM
High BR and falling DR - improved diets and medical care
Rapid population growth
Mozambique, Malawi
Stage 3 of DTM
DR continues to fall and Br rapidly declines
Moderate population growth
Brazil
Stage 4 of DTM
Low BR and DR
Stable or slowly growing population
UK
Stage 5 of DTM
BR continues to fall while DR increases - aging population
Natural decrease
Germany
Life expectancy
Number of years an average person in a country is expected to live
Dependency ratio
(Dependents / working pop) x 100
Problems associated with changing population structure in LEDCs
Youthful population increasing
Strain on education and health services
Need for more food and housing
Future unemployment
Increase in DR
Poverty and related crime
Disease
This is a problem for Malawi as 50% of the population are under 20
Problems with changing population structures in MEDCs
Aging population
Demand for pensions,health care
More food and housing needed
Future unemployment
Reduced economic growth
Problem for China as the one child policy brought country into stage 4 of DTM and now the country is worried abt problems associated with elderly population
LEDCs tend to have higher BR because
High infant mortality rate so couples have many children to ensure some male it to adulthood
Traditional/ religious beliefs to have larger families
Children needed to help in labor on land or work to earn money
Lack of pensions/ assistance makes people need children to take care of them in old age
Contraception/ family planning not available or expensive
MEDCs have lower BR because
Low infant mortality rate
Children are costly and people want more luxuries
Contraception and family planning is widely and cheaply available
Women are better educated and marry later
Women are often more independent and choose careers in preference to children
DR tend to be higher in LEDCs
War, disease
Poor diets
Less access to doctors and health care
DR tend to be lower in MEDCs because
Good quality diet and sanitation
Fewer wars
More money/ resources to cope with natural disasters
Easy access to high medical services
Overpopulation and what it causes
When there are too ,many people to support, with the available resources
Can cause:
-acute poverty
-malnutrition
-famine
-environmental damage such as spoils erosion
Optimum population
Natural resources are fully utilized and standards of living are maximized
