Population

Population is growing at the fastest rate it has ever been at 2.7 people per second. Over 95% of the growth is from the less developed hemisphere

So what is population distribution?

Population distribution is how a population is spread (Distributed) over an area of land.

Population Density: This is the number of people per specific area. For example how many people per square mile

In exams it is common for you to be asked about the GLOBAL distribution. Look for patterns, and talk about continentes, countries and hemispheres. More specifically talk about WHY a population has been spread in this way

Relief: Low lying, flat areas will bring in settlement. Flat land is likely to have a deep soil layer. For example, The Nile Delta.

Water: A fresh water supply will encourage settlement. E.g. UK

Climate: A temperate (Mild) Climate avoids extremes and encourages settlement

Vegitation: Temperate areas have easily manageable vegitation

Soils: Silt enriched fields will be able to hold a larger yield and therefore hold a larger population

Pests and Disease: A country will sufficient finance can eradicate disease causing pests

Political Factors: A high wealth country with large investement will encourage settlement

Relief: Rugged high mountains are very hard to settle on, e.g. the Himalayas

Water: Areas where water supply is inconsistent or in short supply have difficulty obtaining settlement

Climate: Harsh climates will disencourage settlement, for example the Australian outback

Vegitation: Vegetation such as that found in the Amazon rainforest can be a very physical barrier to settlement.

Soils: Unproductive damaged soils will not encourage settlement

Political Factors: Some countries have very little investment and poor settlement

other factors include economic factors, communications and natural resources

Birth rate: this is the number of births per thousand people per year.

Death rate: the number of deaths per thousand people per year.

Natural change: this is difference between birth rate and death rate. It tells you by how many the population will be growing per thousand of population per year.

so Birth rate - Death rate = Natural Change

Natural change as stated earlier is the difference between births and deaths. For the population to increase births must exceed deaths. You will need to know the factors that affect birth rate and death rates. This can be studied effectively through the demographic transition model.

Stage 1: Birth and Death rate are both high, resulting in a relatively stable population. A few remote groups such as the Amazonian Rainforrest people are in this stage

Stage 2: Here death rates FALL but birth rates remain high. Natural increase is great so population starts to rise rapidly. An example is Peru or Egypt

Stage 3: Birth rates start to fall and death rates continue to fall. Natural increase is still high and so the population i still increasing rapidly. An example is Brazil

Stage 4: Birth rates and death rates level out. Natural increase is low so population stabilises. An example is the USA or the UK

Stage 5: Birth rates fall below death rates so natural increase is now negative. Population will start to decrease. Germany is in this stage

Migration is the MOVEMENT of people from place to place. EMIGRATION is the movement out of a country and Immigration is the movement into a country