Population geography

Question 1

What is population distribution? And how is it shown?

Answer 1

It is the spatial location. It describes the way in which people are spread out across the globe.

It is shown on a dot map

Question 2

What is the population density? And how can you work it out? And how is it shown?

Answer 2

It is the number of people relative to the space occupied by them (It shows whether the place has lots of people living there or few).

It can be worked out by dividing the total population by the area in km²

It is shown by using a choropleth map (shading and colours show areas with the same density)

Question 3

Where does most of Earth’s population live?

Answer 3

• Most people live between the sub-tropical and the temperate latitudes of 20°N and 60°N and along the edge of continents (60% of the population lives 500km from the coast).
• People prefer low-lying areas, despite flood risks (more than 50% of the worlds population lives about 300m above sea level).
• Only about 20% of the world is populated as the rest is too cold/hot/wet/dry/mountainous

Question 4

Why is the world’s population so unevenly spread? Human factors (6)

Answer 4

• Technology: development in MEDCs = dense population
• Religion: people want to live with people with the same beliefs
• History: the rise and fall of civilization has changed distribution of people
• Economic: Developments bring advantages that bring businesses and people
• Political: Government can affect population density (segregation)
• Demographic: Natural population growth and movement affect density and distribution

Question 5

Why is the world’s population so unevenly spread? Physical factors (6)

Answer 5

• Accessibility: Navigable rivers and coastlines that are easy to reach will have more people
• Relief: Low-lying areas are preferred over mountains
• Soil fertility: The more fertile the soil, the greater the yield will be meaning more income
• Climate: If it is too cold/hot/wet/dry less people will live there (and not good for farming)
• Natural vegetation: If there is a shortage of suitable NV for grazing means overgrazing and sparse population
• Mineral wealth: Presence of minerals attract lots of people