Population Geography

The study of the spatial variations in the distribution, composition, migration, and growth of populations and how they are

related to the nature of places.

Population Growth

• Birthrate: the number of births per 1,000 people in a given year– In 2000: highest 54/1000 in Niger and the

lowest 8/1000 in Latvia, world average: 22/1000

• Death rate: the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a given year

• If a country’s birthrate exceeds its death rate, the population will increase

• If a country’s death rate exceeds its birthrate, the population will decrease

Stages of Population Growth1. Low Growth: Birthrate and death rate are high

but equal• As healthcare improves, the death rate declines• Ex. Ye long time ago

2. High Growth: Birthrate still high, but death rate declines causing rapid population growth• Ex. Started in Industrial Revolution• Many African countries are still here

3. Moderate Growth: The birthrate drops and most children live to adulthood • Family size decreases as children live longer• Ex. Developing countries, Mexico

4. Low Growth: Birthrate and death rate are low and relatively equal. • Some countries may experience zero growth• Ex. Most developed countries like US, Canada, Japan

Demographic Transition

Population Pyramids• A graphic device that shows sex and

age distribution of a population.

• Allows geographers to examine how events in society such as wars, famine, or epidemics affect the population of a country or region.

Population Pyramids for 4 Stages of Population Growth

Population Distribution• The world’s 6 billion people are

not evenly distributed–90% of the population live in the

Northern Hemisphere–¼ of the world’s people live in East

Asia–½ of the world’s people live in

either East Asia or South Asia

Migration• Migration alters the distribution of

population• Push Factors: reasons people leave

their homeland and migrate to another region– Examples?

• Pull Factors: draw or attract people to another location– Examples?

Population Density• Measures the number of people per

square mile

This is a cartogram—they make us happy!!

Urban Geography

The study of how people use space in cities

Urban Areas

• Cities are not just areas of large population, they are also centers of business and culture.

• Suburbs: built up area around cities, mainly residential.• Metropolitan area: area including a city and its

surrounding suburbs and exurbs, linked economically.• A megalopolis is formed when several metropolitan

areas grow together.• Urbanization: the dramatic rise in the number of cities

and the changes in lifestyle that result

Megalopolis

Increasing number of urban populations…

• 1800: 3% of people lived in cities• 1850: 6% of people lived in cities• 1900: 14% of people lived in cities• 1950: 30% of people lived in cities• 2000: 47% of people lived in cities

• The population of urban settlements exceeded the population of rural settlements in 2008.

Urban Population

Large Cities

Location, Location, Location

• Many cities around the world share common geographic characteristics – Good transportation (river, lakes, coasts)– Easy access to resources (Sacramento-gold)– Where goods shift from one mode of

transportation to another (Chicago)

Impacts of Urbanization

• Urban Sprawl: the rapid, often poorly planned spread of development from an urban area outward to rural areas

• Squatter Settlements: an area within a city in a less developed country in which people illegally establish residences on land they do not won or rent and build homemade structures.– Latin America: barrios, barriadas, favelas– India: bustees– UN estimates175 million people live in squatter settlements

in 2003

Squatter Settlements—Latin America

Squatter Settlements—Sao Paolo

Squatter Settlements—Mumbai