Population

Population

1. distribution and density

   • way in which people are spread across a given area
   • around the world: areas of high and low population density are unevenly spread across the world. The majority of places with high population densities are found in the northern hemisphere
   • factors effecting population density
     • attracting settlement
       • temperate climate, eg the UK
       • low-lying flat fertile land, eg the Bangladesh Delta
       • good supplies of natural resources, eg building resources
     • discouraging settlement
       • extreme climates, eg Sahara Desert
       • mountainous or highland areas, eg the Scottish Highlands
       • dense vegetation, eg the Amazon Rainforest
     • social
       • The availability of jobs = high population density through migration. For example, from 2004 the UK has seen an influx of migrants from countries that have recently joined the EU, such as Poland.
     • political
       • civil war, eg in the Darfur region of Sudan, can contribute to lower population densities as people become refugees and leave an area.

2. change and structure

   • Demographic transition models show population change over time - and also show marked differences between LEDCs and MEDCs.
   • causes of population change
     • birth
       • sually measured using the birth rate (number of live births per 1,000 of the population per year).
     • deaths
       • usually measured using the death rate (number of deaths per 1,000 of the population per year).
     • migration
       • the movement of people in and out of an area

3. managing population

   • LEDCs
     • causes of population growth in LEDCs
       • limited education about contraception. Contraception and other methods of family planning may not be culturally or religiously acceptable.
       • Children are a valuable source of labour and income for a family. They can work on the land from a young age and as they get older they can earn money in other jobs.
       • traditional or culturally important to have a large family.