Population and Settlements

Population and Settlements

1. Causes of Change in Population Size

   • Migration
   • Fertility
     • Demographic
       • Higher infant mortality rate = more children to compensate
     • Social/Cultural
       • Some traditions demand high rates of reproduction
       • Higher rates of education allows knowledge of birth control, social awareness + more opportunity of employment
       • Religions (Muslim, Roman, Catholic) oppose the use of birth control
     • Economic
       • Children = economic asset in LEDC to do work, support elders as there's little to no government support available
       • Children = economic liability in MEDC as there's many facilities and necessities to spend on
         • Fall in birth rate
     • Political
       • Pro/Anti Natalist Policies
   • Mortality
     • MEDC
       • Life expectancy decreased amongst time
         • Healthcare decreased risk of diseases such as HIV/AIDS etc.
         • Sanitation improved significantly
     • LEDC
       • Overcrowded areas
         • Leads to easier spread of diseases e.g cholera
         • Lack of sanitation + poor access to healthcare
           • Low life expectancy

2. 5 Stages of Population Change

   • High Stationary Stage (1)
     • Birth rate = high and stable Death rate= fluctuating due to famine, disease + war
     • Growth is slow, I.M is high, L.E is low
   • Early Expanding Stage (2)
     • Death rate declines significantly
       • Better nutrition, medical advances etc.
     • Birth rates stay same: social norms need to adapt
   • Late Expanding Stage (3)
     • L.E increases, birth rate declines
   • Low Stationary Stage (4)
     • Both rates are low
       • Fluctuating due to economic conditions
     • Death rates increase abit as average age of pop. increases
   • Natural Decrease Stage (5)
     • Absence of net migration
     • Birth rate < Death rate

3. Overpopulation & underpopulation

   • Optimum Population = best balance between a population + resources available to it

4. Migration

   • Push Factors
     • Severe climatic conditions
     • Poor Employment Opportunities
     • Low income
     • Housing shortages
     • Social Upheaval
   • Pull Factors
     • Wide range of amenities
     • High standard of living
     • Attractive environment
     • High wages
     • Good job prospects
   • Migration Impacts
     • Country of Origin
       • Positive
         • Remittance fees
         • Reduces pressure on health, housing etc.
         • Return migrants can bring back new skills, ideas and money into community
       • Negative
         • Loss of skilful young workers
         • Ageing population
         • Labor force may fall
         • Change of traditonal values
     • Country of Destination
       • Positive
         • Bring important skills to destination
         • Cultural diversity = enriching
         • Reduce ageing rate of pop.
         • Increase pool oflabor
           • Reduce cost of labor to businesses
       • Negative
         • Perceived to be stealing jobs from natives
         • Pressure on housing stock + service availability
         • Tensions between ethnic balance + environment
     • Migrants
       • Positive
         • Wages higher than CoO
         • Wider choice of job opportunities
         • Able to support family through remittances
       • Negative
         • Financial cost of migration can be high
         • Cultural Assimilation
         • Exploited by unscrupulous employers
         • Seperation from family

5. Internal Population Movements

   • Counterurbanisation /decentralisation

6. Factors of Density

   • High Pop. Density + Distribution
     • Water supply
     • Accessibility to resources
     • Quality investment in infrastructure
       • Developed countries rely on this rather than agricultural grounds, fertile soil etc.
     • Religious Destinations e.g Mecca
     • Customs regarding inheritance of land affects sizes of farms - density of rural pop.
     • Abundance of jobs and amenities
     • Safety of government, cities etc.
   • Low Pop. Density
     • Little to no transport, amenities and jobs
     • Unsuitable environment conditions
       • Natural Disasters
     • Lack or resources, infertility of land
     • High levels of crime + corruption

7. settlements and service provision

   • rural settlements
     • pattern
       • dispersed settlements occurs when farms or houses are set among their fields or spread out along roads, rather than concentrated on one point.
         • common in sparsely populated areas
         • enclosure of large areas of common grazing land into smaller fields separated by hedges lead to a dispersed settlement pattern
           • more convenient to build farmhouses in the fields of newly established farmhouses
         • break up of large estates also led to dispersed settlements
         • in areas w/ extreme weather or physical conditions, there is likely to be low population density and poor transport network, discouraging settlement
       • nucleated settlements are when houses and other buildings are tightly clustered around a central feature such as a church, village green or crossraods
         • they are called hamlets or villages
           • factors favoring nucleation
             • joint and cooperative working of the land
             • defence sites within a meander or walled cities
             • shortage of water causes people to locate near the springs
             • swampy conditions forcing settlements to locate on dry ground
             • nearer to junctions and crossroads as they favor trade and communications
         • when settlements are found along a geographical feature like a river valley or major transport route, it is a linear settlement
           • signifies importance of trade and transport during growth of village
           • can also be found where poor drainage prohibits growth in a certain direction
     • factors affecting site, growth and functions of settlement
       • availability for water as it was necessary for drinking, cooking, washing, food supply and transport
       • freedom from flooding but close to the flooded areas as river deposits form fertile soils
       • level sites to build on
       • local timber for construction and fuel
       • aspect eg sunny south-facing slopes are better for crop growth
       • proximity to rich soils for cultivation and lush pasture for grazing
       • potential for trade and commerce
       • weather and geography of area
       • areas where food production is favoured
       • eg rural areas are slowly turning into dormitory settlements and centres of industry
     • hierarchy
       • in smaller hamlets, where there are less than 100 people, they have low order services, such as a general store, a small post office or pub
       • villages and market towns have more specialised functions - high order functions
   • urban settlements
     • urban land use - central commercial area, a surrounding industrial zone with densely packed housing, and outer zones of suburban expansion and development
     • land at the center of the city is the most expensive because it is the most accessible land to public transport and there is only a small amount available
     • models
       • burgess concentric model
         • assumes new migrants initially moved to inner city area, but moved out as they became wealthier over time
         • as the city grows ad CBD expands, the concentric rings of land use are pushed further out
         • the area of immediate change next o the expanding CBD is known as the zone in transition
         • 1. CBD 2. Zone in transition/light manufacturing 3. low-class residential 4. medium class residential
       • hoyt's sector model
         • emphasises the importance of transport routes and the incompatibility of certain land uses
         • sectors develop along important route ways, while certain lad uses, such as high-class residential and manufacturing industry, deter each other and are separated by physical features
       • urban land use in developing countries
         • common model: Latin American City
         • the CBD developed around the colonial core and there is commercial avenue extending from it
         • this has become the spine of a sector containing open areas and parks and homes for the upper/middle income classes
           • has good quality housing and streets, schools and public services
         • further out are more recent suburbs w/ more haphazard housing and fewer services
           • older squatter housing is found along some sectors that extend towards the center, while recent ones are found near the edge of the city
         • those living in the central areas are closer to centers of employment and are more likely to find work
         • industrial areas are found scattered along major routes w/ latest developments at the edge
     • internal structure of towns and cities
       • CBD
         • multi-storey development because high land values force them to grow upwards - floorspace is greater than ground space
         • concentration of retailing – high levels of accessibility attract shops with high range and threshold characteristics, such as department stores in the most central areas
         • concentration of public transport - convergence of bus routes on the CBD
         • concentration of offices as centrality favours office development
         • vertical zoning where shops occupy lower ground for better accesibility and offices take upper floors
         • functional grouping
         • lower residential population
         • highest pedestrian flows and traffic restrictions
         • core frame concept where CBDs can be split in two - inner core w shops and outer frame w coach and train stations
       • residential zones
         • residential densities decrease w distance from the CBD
           • greater availability of land outside of CBD
         • improvement in transport and technology allow people to live farther away from CBD
         • wealthy households may choose to live near attractive places
           • this density pattern can be disrupted by:
             • low densities in CBD due to high land value
             • location of high rise peripheral estates
             • 'green-belt' restrictions which artificialy raise densities in the suburbs
         • some communities may have to locate in areas where building may be difficult
       • industrial areas
         • inner city areas close to railways and/or canals
         • industries needing access to skilled labour, to the CBD and easy distribution to urban markess
         • areas needing access to water
         • radial transport routes
         • edge of tow suburban areas close to airports
         • good access and availability of land
       • open spaces
       • transport routes
       • rural urban fringe
         • urban sprawls
         • more housing
         • industrial growth
         • recreational pressures for golf courses and sports stadia
         • out of town shopping markets
           • suburbanisation of more affluent households
           • technological change – more families owning deep freezers
           • economic change w higher standards of living
           • away from traffic congestion and high land prices in CBD
           • social changes

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