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Population Distribution and Density. Population Concentrations. Two-thirds of the world in the following regions: East Asia (one-fifth of world) China most populous nation South Asia (one-fifth of world) India second most populous Southeast Asia (4 th largest concentration)
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Population Concentrations • Two-thirds of the world in the following regions: • East Asia (one-fifth of world) • China most populous nation • South Asia (one-fifth of world) • India second most populous • Southeast Asia (4th largest concentration) • Europe (3rd largest concentration) • Northeastern U.S. and West Africa
How did these regions get this way? • Ecumene – portion of Earth’s surface occupied by permanent human settlement • Examine the spread of the ecumene. • What might be its physical characteristics? • What might be the physical characteristics of the areas outside the ecumene? • Amend your original hypothesis.
Sparsely Populated Regions • Dry Lands • Wet Lands • Cold Lands • High Lands
Arithmetic Density • Also called- population density • Population divided by total land area • High arithmetic density can mean two things: • Many people • little land
Example: Malawi and Ecuador • Population very close (both 13.9 million) • Total area different (Malawi 118,480 sq. mi., Ecuador 283,560 sq. mi.) • Malawi: 13,900,000 /118,480= 117 • Ecuador: 13,900,000/ 283,560= 49 • Malawi’s density: 117 people per sq. mi. VS. Ecuador’s density: 49 people per sq. mi.) • What does arithmetic density tell us that crude population cannot?
Practice with Arithmetic Density • Country A: crude population: 800,000Total land area: 200,000 sq. mi.; Density? Is Country A relatively “crowded”? 4 per sq. mile
2. Country B: Crude population: 6,000 Density: 150 per sq. mi.; Land area? 40 sq. miles 3. Country C: Density: 50 per sq. mi.; Land area: 200 sq. mi. Population? 10,000 crude population
Physiological Density • What doesn’t arithmetic density tell us about the land a population occupies? • Population divided by total arable land • Example: United States vs. Egypt • 172 persons per sq. km vs. 2,580 persons per sq. km • What does this mean? • Demonstrates that crops grown on a hectare of land in Egypt must feed far more people than a hectare in the U.S. • Bigger the physiological density, bigger the pressure people place on the land to produce food.
Agricultural Density • If two countries have similar physiological densities, but produce different amounts of food, what could account for this? • Ratio of farmers to arable land • Example: U.S. has 1 farmer per sq. km, Egypt has 826 farmers per sq. km • What can we conclude about technology and/or economic conditions if agricultural density is low? If it’s high?
Practice Quiz • Arithmetic Density • U.S. (31 per sq. km) vs. Canada (3 per sq. km) • Which has either more people or less land? • Physiological Density • India (699 per sq. km) vs. Japan (2,907 per sq. km) • Which puts more pressure on the land to produce enough food?
Practice Quiz cont. • Agricultural Density • Netherlands (72 per sq. km) vs. Bangladesh (1,158 per sq. km) • Which country has a more efficient agricultural system? How can you tell?
Essential Questions • Where is the world’s population distributed? • Why is the world’s population distributed where it is? • What are the consequences of this uneven distribution?
Further Discussion… • Which of the essential questions does arithmetic density help us to answer? • Which measure of density can help us to understand why people live where they do? • What can physiological and agricultural density together tell us about a country’s capacity to feed its people?
Application Task • Consider what possible correlations could exist between these measures of density and other population statistics. • In groups of 2-3, use the population statistics packets and the maps on my teacher page and on the board to formulate at least two new hypotheses regarding the possible correlation between a measure of density and another population statistic.
Application Task cont. • For example, is there a correlation between a country’s physiological density and its infant mortality rate? • Record your hypotheses, along with your explanation as to why these might be correlated on your hypothesis worksheet. • Determine your strongest hypothesis and be ready to share with the class.
Begin your culminating assessment… • Conduct research to test your hypotheses and consider how all three connect. • Use the provided map outlines to create two maps of an imaginary country or region: either environmental and measure of density, or density and another population statistic. • Compose a one-page response explaining what correlations, if any, did you discover between the three factors.
Resources • www.prb.org (Population Reference Bureau) • https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html (CIA World Factbook) • http://www.census.gov/ (Census Bureau)