GEOGRAPHY MYP/GCSE/DP
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      • Why do earthquakes do more damage in LICs than in HICs?
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Population Distribution

Population distribution is about how people are spread across the earth. When we study population distribution we examine why some places have populations which are more tightly packed than others.

Population density: this is how tightly packed people are in a certain area. It is measured as the number of people per square kilometer. In order to calculate it we divide the total number of people who live in a place by the land area in square kilometers. The most densely populated country in the world in Macau with 20848 people per square kilometer. Greenland has a population density of 0.03 people per square kilometer.
VERY dense population in Hong Kong! Click on the image below to read more.
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Who would live in a place like...?

Use your copy of the table below to record you thoughts on why people would or would not live in each of the places photographed below. Which will be high density and why? Which places will have a low population density and why?
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Place A

Place B

Picture
Picture

Place C

Place D

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Picture

Place E

Place F

Picture
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What factors affect population distribution?

Physical factors

1. Relief and landforms

Lowland plains, flat river valleys and deltas and volcanic areas with fertile soil tend to have high population densities. Mountainous areas with steep slopes and poor quality soil tend to have low population densities.

2. Weather and climate
Temperate areas which experience few extremes of weather and climate tend to be more attracted than areas which experience extremes. 

3. Soil type and quality 
Areas which have rich, fertile soils allowing successful agriculture tend to have higher population densities than areas which have poor quality soils have sparse populations. 

4. Water supply
Water supply is essential for human survival and development and because of this areas which have sufficient water (but not too much) tend to have denser populations.

5. Raw materials/natural resources
Areas with a wealth of natural resources such as oil, coal or minerals may have higher population densities than areas which do not.

7. Natural threats
These may affect population density as people may try to avoid areas where pests, threatening animals and diseases are particular risks.

Human factors

​
1) Agriculture 

Areas with well developed farming of crops or animals are often densely populated.

2) Jobs
Areas with lots of jobs and opportunities for people to make money are usually densely populated.

3) Accessibility
Areas with well developed transport links through road, rail, shipping, canals and air are likely to be more densely populated than areas which are poorly connected

4) Political decisions
Government policy can have a significant impact upon population densities. 

5) Conflict
Wars and conflicts can lead to significant movements of population and a simultaneous decrease in density in some areas while others may increase.
Sparse population on a remote Scottish Island - click on the image to read more about Fair Isle's campaign to attract more residents
Picture
s-cool on population distribution
  • Home
    • Contact
  • MYP
    • Development >
      • An unequal world?
      • Billionaires investigation
      • Africa: the danger of a single story
      • Patterns of development
      • Trade and development
      • Fair Trade
      • Sustainable Development Goals
    • Tectonic Hazards >
      • What is risk?
      • Alfred Wegener and Continental Drift
      • Plate tectonics
      • Distribution of tectonic hazards
      • Measuring earthquakes
      • Why do people die in earthquakes?
      • School earthquake plan
      • Earthquake assessment
      • Volcanoes - what are they? Why are they important?
      • Volcano "Science Fair"
      • Causes of tsunami
    • Population >
      • Why study population?
      • Population distribution
      • Population growth
      • Population pyramids
      • Demographic transition model
      • Migration
      • Migration examples - case studies
      • Refugees in Indonesia
      • Population revision activities
    • Weather and Climate >
      • Weather vs Climate and why is it important?
      • Climate graphs
      • Why does it rain?
      • What affects temperature and why is Jakarta so hot and wet?
      • What causes wind and how do we measure it?
      • Microclimates
  • IGCSE
    • Course information
    • Physical: Hazardous environments >
      • Distribution of tectonic hazards
      • Causes of tsunami
      • Measuring earthquakes
      • Earthquake case study 1: Haiti
      • Earthquake case study 2: Christchurch
      • Why do earthquakes do more damage in LICs than in HICs?
      • How are volcanic eruptions measured?
      • Tropical storms - distribution
      • Causes of tropical cyclones
      • Tropical cyclones - case study
      • Why live in hazardous areas?
    • River Environments >
      • Hydrological cycle
      • River basins
      • Factors affecting river regimes
      • Fluvial processes: erosion
      • Fluvial processes: weathering and mass movement
      • Fluvial processes: transportation and depositon
      • River features and their formation
      • How rivers change from source to mouth
      • Uses of water
      • Water pollution
      • Water supply
  • IBDP
    • Changing population >
      • Global patterns of economic development
      • Physical and human factors affecting global population distribution
      • Case study 1: China
      • Case study 2: Niger
      • Demographic transition
      • Megacity growth
      • Forced migration and internal displacement
      • Ageing populations
      • Pro-natalist and anti-natalist policies
      • Gender equality policies
      • Trafficking policies
      • The Demographic Dividend
    • Global climate vulnerability and resilience >
      • Atmospheric system
      • The energy balance
      • Changes in the energy balance
      • The enhanced greenhouse effect
      • Climate Change and the Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Biosphere
      • Impacts of climate change on people and places
      • Disparities in exposure to climate change risk and vulnerability
      • Government-led adaptation and mitigation strategies
      • Civil society and corporate strategies
    • Global resource consumption and security >
      • Progress towards poverty reduction
      • Measuring trends in global consumption
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of water
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of land/food
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of energy
      • Water food and energy nexus
      • Recycling and waste
      • Malthus vs Boserup
      • Resource Stewardship strategies
      • Sustainable Development Goals
    • Freshwater - drainage basins >
      • The drainage basin as a system
      • How rivers change from source to mouth
      • River discharge
      • River processes
      • River landforms
      • Factors affecting flood risk
      • Attempts at flood prediction
      • Flood mitigation
      • Flood mitigation case studies
      • Water scarcity
      • Agricultural activities and water quality
      • Pressures on lakes and aquifers
      • Internationally shared water and conflict
      • Water management: participation of local communities
      • Dams as multi-purpose schemes
      • Water management: Integrated Drainage Basin Management (IDBM)
      • Managing wetlands
    • Leisure, Sport and Tourism >
      • Growth and purpose of leisure time
      • Categories of tourism and sport
      • Economic development and participation
      • Factors affecting personal participation
      • Factors affecting growth of tourism hotspots
      • Spheres of influencee
      • Factors affecting a national sports league
      • Festivals
      • Niche national tourism strategies
      • Role of TNCs
      • Tourism as a national development strategy
      • International sporting events
      • Consequences of unsustainable growth
      • Sustainable tourism
      • Future international tourism
      • Political and cultural influences on sport
    • Extended Essay in Geography >
      • Supervisor meetings
    • Skills/concepts >
      • Infographics
      • 4 Ps
      • Mock examination revision and preparation
  • Geography and ToK
  • Theory of Knowledge
    • Knowledge and Technology
    • Knowledge and Language
    • Knowledge and Politics
    • Knowledge and Religion
    • Knowledge and Indigenous Societies