Demography and Dynamics in Geography

Demography

• Definition: Demography is the study of human populations, including their size, composition, distribution, and characteristics.
• Key concepts:
  • Population growth rate: the rate at which a population increases or decreases over time.
  • Population density: the number of people per unit of area.
  • Population distribution: the way people are spread across a geographic area.
  • Age structure: the proportion of people in different age groups within a population.
  • Dependency ratio: the ratio of people in a population who are not of working age (e.g. children, elderly) to those who are of working age.
• Demographic indicators:
  • Crude birth rate (CBR): the number of live births per 1,000 people in a population.
  • Crude death rate (CDR): the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population.
  • Total fertility rate (TFR): the average number of children a woman would have in her lifetime.
  • Life expectancy: the average number of years a person is expected to live.

Dynamics

• Definition: Dynamics in geography refers to the study of changes and movements within a geographic system, including human populations, economies, and environments.
• Types of dynamics:
  • Migration: the movement of people from one place to another.
  • Urbanization: the process of people moving from rural areas to cities.
  • Diffusion: the spread of ideas, innovations, or diseases from one place to another.
  • Circulation: the movement of people, goods, and services within a region or system.
• Factors influencing dynamics:
  • Push factors: factors that cause people to leave a place, such as poverty, conflict, or natural disasters.
  • Pull factors: factors that attract people to a place, such as economic opportunities, education, or healthcare.
  • Intervening obstacles: factors that hinder or facilitate movement, such as distance, terrain, or borders.
  • Accessibility: the ease with which people can move to or access a place.