AP Human Geography - Unit 2 Review

Human Population Distribution

• Four major regions with high population density:
  • South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka)
  • East Asia (China, Japan, Korea)
  • Southeast Asia (Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam)
  • Europe
• Influences on settlement locations:
  • Physical factors: Climate, weather, landforms, water bodies, natural resources.
  • Human factors: Economic opportunities, culture, political stability, historical events.

Population Distribution and Density

• Population distribution: Spread of people across an area.
• Population density: Number of people in an area.
• Types of density:
  • Arithmetic density: Total population divided by land area.
  • Physiological density: Population divided by arable land area.
  • Agricultural density: Number of farmers divided by arable land area.

Consequences of Population Distribution and Density

• Political: Areas with higher density have more political power.
• Economic: High density areas have more opportunities and services.
• Social: Densely populated areas offer better access to amenities.
• Environmental: Higher density leads to urban sprawl; affects carrying capacity.

Population Composition

• Refers to demographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity.
• Population pyramids: Visual tool representing age and sex composition.
  • Age categories: Pre-reproductive (0-14), Reproductive (15-44), Post-reproductive (45+).
• Key ratios:
  • Sex ratio: Male births/female births.
  • Dependency ratio: ((Children + Elderly) / Working age) x 100.

Population Dynamics

• Key terms:
  • Crude Birth Rate (CBR): Number of live births per 1000 people.
  • Crude Death Rate (CDR): Number of deaths per 1000 people.
  • Natural Increase Rate (NIR): CBR - CDR.
  • Total Fertility Rate (TFR): Average number of children per woman.
  • Infant Mortality Rate (IMR): Deaths of infants under one year per 1000 births.
• Factors Impacting Dynamics:
  • Economic development, access to healthcare, cultural norms, government policies.

Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

• Stage 1: High CBR/CDR, low NIR, subsistence agriculture.
• Stage 2: High CBR, declining CDR, population boom.
• Stage 3: Declining CBR/CDR, more urbanization, increasing women’s roles.
• Stage 4: Low CBR/CDR/NIR, potential zero population growth.
• Stage 5: Speculative, low CBR, declining population.
• Epidemiologic Transition Model: Focuses on causes of death.

Malthusian Theory

• Malthus predicted population growth would outpace food production.
• Critics argue technological advances disproved Malthus.
• Neo-Malthusians believe in resource depletion beyond just food.

Government Policies

• Pronatalist: Encourage larger families (tax incentives, benefits).
• Antinatalist: Discourage births (e.g., China’s one-child policy).
• Impact of Migration Policies: Influence demographics and cultural dynamics.

Women and Demographic Changes

• Increased education and economic opportunities reduce TFR and IMR.
• Gender equality impacts economic development and migration.

Migration Patterns

• Ravenstein’s Laws: Economic motives, step migration, short distances.
• Gravity Model: Migration flows linked to population size and distance.
• Migration impacts political, economic, and cultural landscapes.

Aging Populations

• Challenges include high dependency ratios, economic strain, healthcare demands.
• Possible solutions: Pronatalist policies, pro-immigrant policies.

Migration Types and Impacts

• Push/Pull factors: Economic, political, social, environmental.
• Forced vs. Voluntary Migration: Reasons and impacts differ.
• Intervening Obstacles/Opportunities: Factors affecting migration paths.
• Types of Migration: Transnational, chain, step, guest workers, transhumance, rural to urban.

Conclusion

• Importance of understanding migration impacts on regions.
• Political, economic, and cultural consequences of migration.
• Importance of detailed study and preparation using review resources.