POPULATION CONCENTRATIONS AND DENSITIES Where’s E’r-body At?Yo.

POPULATION CONCENTRATIONSAND DENSITIES

Where’s E’r-body At? Yo.

First, a reminder about the macrocultural regions (there are eleven on here, but we’ll use ten)

MACROCULTURALREGIONS

Now, some facts…

A population agglomeration is an area of population composed from a number of relatively close locations

2/3 of world’s population are located in four regions (East, South, Southeast Asia and Western Europe)

Those regions display some common site features:• Near an ocean (or river with access to one)• Low-lying• Fertile soil• Temperate climate• Northern Hemisphere between 10°N and 55°N

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

Concentration 1: East Asia Includes Eastern China, Japan, Korean Peninsula, Taiwan20% of world population5/6 of the concentration live in Eastern, lowland China (2/3 of which are rural)1/6 in Japan and Koreas (3/4 of which are Urban… 1/3 in Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul alone)

East Asia

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

Concentration 2: South Asia 20% of world populationIncludes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka (¾ of agglomeration are in India)Most are rural farmersOnly ¼ live in Urban areas

South Asia

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

Concentration 3: Europe Includes Western Europe, Central Europe and European Portion of Russia11% of world population¾ of concentration live in urban areasHighest concentrations are near English, German and Belgium’s coalfieldsScarce resources in the region

Europe

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

Concentration 4: Southeast Asia

Includes Indochina peninsula and islands between Indian and Pacific oceansHigh percentage of farmers living in rural areas

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

Southeast Asia

Concentration 5&6: North America & Western Africa

POPULATIONAGGLOMERATIONS

5 North America

6 West Africa2% of world population clustered in Western Africa (most are rural farmers)

½ of concentration in Nigeria

2% of world population clustered on North America’s Eastern Seaboard (95% Urban)

Compare:Population

And Climate

Ecumene: The settled Earth (29%)

Non-Ecumene:The unsettled Earth (71%)

THE TWOEARTHS

Dry Lands20% of Earth’s surfaceGenerally lack sufficient water to grow crops

CLIMATE REGIONS

WetLands

Receive very high levels of precipitationCombination of rain and heat rapidly depletes soil nutrients and hinders agriculture

CLIMATE REGIONS

ColdLands

Permanently covered with ice or permafrostReceive very little precipitation and is unsuitable for planting or livestock

South Polar Area Not Shown

CLIMATE REGIONS

High Lands

Steep, snow covered and sparsely settledSome exceptions in Latin America and Africa

CLIMATE REGIONS

Population Densities

No Pressure, Guys.

Distribution is the arrangement of a feature in space

Density is the number of items occupying a given area.

Concentration is the extent of a feature’s spread over space.

Items are clustered (more concentrated) if they are tightly packed in space.

Items are dispersed (less concentrated) if they are widely spread over space.

Demographic geographers typically focus on three types of density.

A QUICKREVIEW

Total population / total land areaGood for comparing countries

Data is easy to find

Highs… Bangladesh (1141)Singapore (7197)

Bahrain (1213)

Mids… Cuba (101)

Slovenia (101)Ghana (101)

LowsMongolia (1.7)

Iceland (3.1)Canada (3.4)

ARITHMETICDENSITY

total population / total arable landhigh number indicates high pressure on farm land to feed the population

Highs… Belgium 3604

Puerto Rico 29,411Gaza 92307

Mids…Greece 1,110Mexico 1151Congo 1067

Lows…Finland 55

Australia 107Kazakhstan 128

Provides insight into :Relation between pop and resourcesCapacity of land to yield enough food

PYSIOLOGICALDENSITY

Number of farmers / total arable landIlluminates economic disparity MDC v. LDCMDCs (low density) v. LDCs (high density)

Highs… Mids… Lows

AGRICULTURALDENSITY