Demography and Dynamics in Geography

Study Notes

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.

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.