Population geography term3
GEOGRAPHY POPULATION GRADE 10
Population: people within a given area
Population geography: The study of the size, distribution, composition, migration and
growth of world population
Linear Shape:it’s a shape in which people are settled along either a road or a river forming
a line.
˚⁰⁰ A ˚⁰⁰ B ˚⁰⁰ C ˚⁰⁰ D ˚⁰⁰ E
N1 NATIOANAL ROAD
Dispersed/isolated pattern : a pattern in which settlements/people are spread out across
a region
˚⁰⁰ A ˚⁰⁰B
˚⁰⁰ C ˚⁰⁰D
Clustered/nucleated pattern : a pattern in which settlement/people are grouped together
in one part of a region
POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY:
Population distribution: The way the population is spread out over an area. (where
people live)
Population density: The number of people per square km. (how densely spaced)
Factors influencing population distribution and density
FACTOR DENSE POPULATION SPARSE POPULATION
PHYSICAL FACTORS:
Relief Level flat areas-more people Mountainous areas-less people
Climate Moderate areas-more people Too hot or too cold-less people
Vegetation Grasslands-more people Forests and deserts-less people
Soils Fertile soil-more people Poor infertile soils-less people
Rainfall Good rainfall-more people Low rainfall-less people
Natural resources Many minerals-more people Lack of minerals-less people
Water supplies Plenty water-more people Dry areas-less people
Diseases/pests No diseases-more people Pests e.g. Malaria/tsetse fly-less people
HUMAN FACTORS:
Industrial areas More industries-more people Less industries-less people
Tourism Many attractions-more people Less attractions-less people
Transport facilities Transport facilities-more people Lack of transport facilities-less people
POLITICAL REASONS: If people are forces to live in an area to stimulate development it will
be densely populated
SOCIAL REASONS: If better living conditions (housing, health and education facilities) are
offered it will attract people
POPULATION STRUCTURE:
Key terms / Definitions
• Birth rate: The number of live births per 1 000 people per year
• Death rate: The number of deaths per 1 000 people per year
• Growth rate: is calculated by finding the difference between the birth rate and the
death rate – also known as the rate of natural increase
- If birth rate is higher than death rate, there will be a positive growth rate
- If death rate is higher than birth rate, there will be a negative growth rate
• Fertility Rate(FR): the average number of children per woman
• Life expectancy(LE): average number of years a person lives. Life expectancy
usually higher in the lower age groups (youthful)
• Infant mortality rate(IMR): how many children die before they reach the age of 5
years – expressed as a percentage or per thousand births
• LITERCY RATE(LR):the percentage of the total population who can read,write and
calculate
• Doubling time(DT): The time in years that it would take for a country’s population to
double.
• GDP (Gross Domestic product):total value of goods and services generated within a
country boarders in one year.
• Percentage of population urbanised(PPU):The percentage of the total population
living in towns and cities
•
FACTORS INFLUENCING BIRTH RATES
Reducing birth rate Increasing the birth rate
• Desire for luxuries • Religions that ban contraception
• Government policies • Tradition where children is seen as a
• War sign of wealth
• Migration • Children are needed as labourers
• Women’s rights • Children care for parents in old age
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• Education about birth control • After war ‘baby-boom’
• Education about dangers of • Lack of education
overpopulation • Government policy to have many
• Availability of contraception children
• Women’s rights to choose
FACTORS INFLUENCING DEATH RATES
Increasing the death rate Lowering the death rate
• Poor sanitation • Medical improvements
• Poor diets • Improved sanitation
• Natural disasters • Improved food supply
• War • Improved water supply
• Bad housing • Better living conditions
• Poor medical facilities • Improved education
• Lack of education • Planning for natural disasters
• Women’s rights e.g. abortions • Women’s rights
HOW IMPROVING WOMEN’S RIGHTS CAN AFFECT
BIRTH AND DEATH RATES
• Women with right to education can spend more time at school
• Better educated women can get jobs – reduce birth rate
• Women can choose when and whom to marry – if they marry later they usually have
fewer children
• Having children when older means mother is stronger – children healthier
• Educated women can have more access to good doctors
• Educated women know more about diseases, hygiene and diets
• Women with rights have access to female doctors – better treatment than in countries
where male doctors may not touch female patients
• Fewer women will die in childbirth
• Women with rights can have greater access to contraception
• Educated women want more luxuries – will have fever children
which will offer them more luxuries in life
• Women can enjoy greater protection by the legal system
POPULATION PYRAMIDS
This is a special graph showing how men and women are distributed among the different
age groups therefore showing the “age-sex structure”. (Age-Sex structure is also called the
gender structure)
Main features of population pyramids
Population pyramid is divided into 3 age groups.
1. The Young (youth) group: 0 – 14
2. The Adult group: 15 – 64
(Young adults 15-34 and older adults 35-65)
3. The old age group (Aged): over 65 years
Interpreting population pyramids:
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Aged group
Males Females Males
Females Mature age group
Youthful age group
Developing country– Mexico Developed country-US
LEDC’s MEDC’s
Shape of pyramid Triangular shaped Bell shaped
Birth rate High Low
Death rate High Low
Growth rate High Low
Fertility Rate High Low
Infant mortality rate High Low
Dependency ratio High Low
Life expectancy Low High
Population type Youthful population Aged population
Males and females
• Males usually more than females in lower age groups (Youthful)
• More females than males in older age groups (Aged)
DEPENDENT POPULATION
Dependant population is proportion of young and old who depend on the working age
people for support. Most do not contribute to the economy and depend on working-age
group - the adults
Under 15 (Youthful) Over 65 (Aged)
Need guidance Need special medical care
Need money for schooling Need old-age homes
Need food Need pensions
Need shelter Cannot perform hard work
Need clothing Many need transport
WORLD POPULATION GROWTH
Factors that increase the population growth rate
Better medical facilities Reduced infant mortality
• Better treatment of disease • Children receive vaccinations at
• Less chance of death due to simple early age
injuries • Treatment for illness is available
• Vaccination against diseases • Greater awareness of risks facing
• Safer conditions for giving birth children
• Early diagnosis of disease improves • More hygienic conditions at birth -
survival. reduce risks of infections
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Increased life expectancy Improved sanitation
• Better medical care reduces chances of • Reduces infections
early death • Prevents easy transmission of
• Better diets mean stronger bodies germs
• Better living conditions mean less • More hygienic living conditions
exposure to elements • Reduced risk of spread of
• Old-age homes and retirement centres epidemics
look after old people • Control of pets, such as rats and
• Pensions and retirement plans mean old mice, reduces spread of deceases.
people are less dependent on others
Better food supplies
• Mean healthier diets
• Reduces illness
• Improve mental capacity
• Increase ability to work hard
• Reduce risk of famine.
DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION MODEL:
This is a theoretical model to show how the population of a country changes over time.
(Mainly applicable to MEDCs)
Stage 1: High Static Stage 2: Early expanding
• Undeveloped society • Development improves
• High BR • Better services, education,
• High DR hospitals, water, food etc.
• Low GR • DR decreases
• Lack of services, food, jobs, water, • BR stays high – many old
hospitals, education, women’s traditions – lack of contraception
rights. • GR increases sharply
• Many young people – children
needed as workers
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Stage 3: Late Expanding Stage 4: Low static
• DR low • Highly developed country
• BR drops • Low BR
• Education, industry, women’s rights, • Low DR
services etc. - all improve • Low GR
• Fewer traditions and customs • Population ageing
• GR slows
DR=Death Rate BR=Birth Rate GR=Growth Rate
POPULATION EXPLOSION:
Effects of the Population Explosion
• Insufficient social services
• Lack of housing
• Increased political conflict over resources
• Greater markets
• Shanty towns from
• Lack of space for farming
• Overcrowding
• Over-use of land
• Mineral resources exhausted
• Increased pollution
• Depletion of water resource
SIGNS THAT AN AREA MIGHT BE OVERPOPULATED
Overpopulation refers to a situation where there are more people than can be comfortably
supported by the available resources and technology.
-There will be a shortage of certain resources, such as:
Food
Water
Minerals
Energy resources
Land
-There will be large-scale unemployment
-There will be regular problems with localised drought and famine
-Average income will be low and savings almost non-existent
-Living conditions will be poor and there will be large informal settlements
-There will be large-scale emigration, as people look for a better life elsewhere
-Basic services, such as schools, hospitals and transport, will be overcrowded
-The area will need increasing amounts of outside aid (help)
-Pollution will become increasingly more
POPULATION MOVEMENTS
Kinds of population movement
• Forced migration: People move for fear of their lives –
e.g. slavery, war, natural disasters or political oppression
• Voluntary migration: People move because they want to
find better jobs, better schooling, better housing or a better
living standard – they want to move
• Immigration: When people move into a new area – causes “brain gain”
• Emigration: When people move out of an area (exit) – causes “brain drain”
• Rural-urban migration: People move from the countryside to cities
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(from rural areas to urban areas)
• Urban-rural migration: People move from urban areas to rural areas
• Commuting: People travel to work daily and return home after work
• Migrant labour: Workers travel from their homes and settle in another place in order
to work at a job. When the job is completed they move on to the next place looking
for work
REFUGEES: Refugees are usually regarded as people who leave their homes and flee
to another country out of fear for their lives
Causes: This might be the result of a natural disaster like a flood, drought, volcano or
earthquake, or it may be the result of a war or some other form of political trouble.
These people usually come under the protection of the United Nations High Commission
for Refugees (UNHCR)
Examples:
• Palestinians fled their homeland when Israel was established and land was annexed
after various wars in the Middle East
• Iraqis have fled to other countries as a result of the Gulf Wars
• Rwandans fled to neighbouring states following the genocide in during the 1990s
• Angolans fled to neighbouring states, such as Namibia and Zambia, during the long
and nasty civil war in their country
• Afghanistan people fled during the wars since the Soviet invasion in 1979
• South Africans left their countries to escape oppression by the apartheid system
REASONS FOR POPULATION MOVEMENTS
Pull factors: Attract people to a place
Push factors: Drive people away from a place
Pull factors: Attract people to a place Push factors: Drive people away from a place
Enough jobs Lack of jobs
Good education services Poor schools
Enough housing Poor medical services
Good municipal services Lack of housing and services
Good entertainment facilities Lack of entertainment
Better physical environment Drought, infertile soil
Human rights Lack of human rights
Good medical facilities Overcrowding
Problems faced by migrants in cities
• Victims of crime • Overcrowded schools
• Lack of housing • Poor infrastructure in informal settlements
• Lack of jobs • Exploited crooked businessmen
• Lack of money • Treated badly by society
• Poor diets • Unhealthy living conditions
Problems caused by rapid rural-urban migration (problems in the city)
• More crime • Overcrowded schools, hospitals, etc.
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• Large numbers of unemployed • Pressure on resources e.g. wood + water
• Housing shortages • Traffic congestion
• Informal settlements • Pressure on municipal finances
• Unhygienic living conditions • Increased demand for water + electricity
ATTITUDES TOWARDS MIGRANTS
Negative
• Migrants are often viewed with suspicion
• Immigrants are often seen as taking jobs that should be reserved for local people
• Immigrants, who open shops and become wealthy through hard work and business
sense, are often accused of cheating and take advantage of local people
• People often hang onto stereotypes about certain groups and will use this to build
hatred against immigrants
• Many migrants arrive and are poor may so they depend on others to help them get
established
• Resentment (dislike) may lead to xenophobia and attacks on immigrants
• Migrants usually settle among people of similar background – they feel secure among
own people
• Migrants create areas in new country - e.g. Little Sicily, Chinatown etc.
• Many hang onto traditional life style - may be in conflict with laws of new country e.g.
arranged marriages
Positive
Immigrants are often accepted in new countries - they are able to make great contribution
to society - Immigrants can help build multi-cultural societies in new countries -They bring
new skills to the new country
ATTITUDES TOWARDS REFUGEES
Positive and negative
• They are sometimes welcomed as ”suffering people” incorporated into the population -
e.g. Cubans and Haitians in USA
• Sometimes they are resented for occupying valuable land
• They are seen as using valuable resources
• People exploit refugees for political gain
• Refugees are often isolated from rest of population to avoid socialising and conflict
XENOPHOBIA
Xenophobia is an unreasonable fear, distrust or hatred of strangers, foreigners, or anything
perceived as foreign or different.
HIV AND AIDS
HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
AIDS: Acquired Immune-deficiency Syndrome
AIDS breaks down the immune system and the body is then unable to fight Infections
Causes of AIDS:
• Spread of bodily fluids, especially semen
• Unprotected sex
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• Passed on through blood transfusions
• Passed on from mother to baby during pregnancy
• Mothers pass it to babies through milk when they breastfeed
• Sharing needles
Results/effects of AIDS (on the economy):
• It results in shortage of labourers
• Loss of young adults which is our most productive people
• Lots of money is spent on the developments of medicines
• Orphans need to be taken care of as women are more affected than men
• Places a strain on the medical care
• Loss of tourist income
• Children leave school to take care of families
• Lack of qualified teachers
• There is a lower crop production
• Strain on pension schemes
Possible solutions/Cure:
• There is no sure for AIDS yet
• Anti-Retroviral medication can slow down the HIV virus
• Good healthy food such as fruit and vegetables must be eaten daily
• AIDS awareness campaigns should be held e.g. advertising on TV, radio and
newspapers
• Large billboards also makes people aware
• Education about the dangers introduced at schools
• Condoms can be made available free of charge
• Safe sex is highlighted
• Some companies introduce AIDS policy to workers
• Free testing available
• Free counselling available
By: Marina Cronje
