Population Density Overview

Population Density

• A single population density statistic can be misleading as it doesn’t reflect the uneven population distribution in a country
• Canada’s population density is 3.5 people per km2, which is an average that doesn’t account for densely populated areas vs. sparsely populated areas
• Local scale is the most accurate for density measures; the smaller the area, the less likely it is to have significant spatial variations
• Physiological density relates population to arable land, offering a more refined view of population distribution
• Canada has a physiological density of 80 people per km2, which is still one of the least densely settled countries
• The US has a physiological density of 211 people per km2, China has 1,312 people per km2, and the UK has 1,062 people per km2
• Countries with the highest physiological densities are often small island nations, or countries with limited arable land due to physical environmental factors
• Egypt has a physiological density of 3,498 people per km2, Qatar has 20,611 people per km2, the UAE has 25,067 people per km2, and Kuwait has 43,158 people per km2

Population Changes and Factors

• Global population changes are determined by fertility and mortality rates
• Formula for population change: Pi = Po + B - D
• Pi is the population at the beginning of time period 1
• Po is the population at the beginning of time period 0
• B is the number of births between time period 0 and 1
• D is the number of deaths between time period 0 and 1
• Migration also affects population changes at a regional or country level
• Infertility means a couple can biologically conceive a child, but has been unable to
• Nutritional well-being affects fertility; populations in ill health have impaired fertility
• Famine leads to lower population growth as it lessens fertility and increases mortality
• Women with low body fat levels tend to have lower fertility
• Nomadic pastoral societies have lower fertility due to their low-starch diet

Economic Factors Influencing Fertility

• In more developed countries, fertility has declined alongside industrialization and urbanization
• Traditional societies, where families are production and consumption units, favor large families
• Modern societies emphasize smaller families and individual independence
• Children in traditional societies contributed to the household economy, but nowadays they are considered an expense
• The decision to have children is often a cost-benefit analysis
• In traditional extended-family settings, children were valuable for their contributions to the family economy and caring for parents in old age
• These factors are less impactful in modern society

Cultural Factors Influencing Fertility

• Cultural factors play a significant role in fertility
• About 46% of married women in the less developed world (excluding China) use modern family planning methods
• Public education campaigns have increased awareness about family planning
• The rapid growth of population places pressure on resources and affects urban life
• Women are increasingly empowered and favor later marriage, smaller families, and more time between births
• Availability of effective contraception plays a key role in fertility decline, especially in the less developed world
• The current rapid and substantial fertility decline is considered a “reproductive revolution”
• Education, smaller family desires, and modern contraceptive methods are driving the cultural shift towards lower fertility

Population Pyramids

• Population pyramids display the age and sex composition of a population
• Expanding populations have a large proportion in the pre-reproductive age group
• Stable populations have similar proportions in the pre-reproductive and reproductive age groups
• Diminishing populations have a smaller proportion in the pre-reproductive age group
• Population pyramids don’t account for intersex individuals, due to data limitations
• Some estimates suggest that intersex individuals comprise up to 1.7% of the population
• This proportion could have a meaningful impact on the pyramid, particularly at younger ages

Population Pyramid: China

• China has a declining birth rate, low death rate, and a population growth rate approaching zero
• The population growth rate is among the lowest in the world
• China’s population pyramid in 1970 shows a classic expanding shape, reflecting high fertility
• The pyramid in 2010 shows a declining population with indentations reflecting changes in fertility and mortality in the late 20th and early 21st centuries
• China is approaching a “4-2-1” scenario: four grandparents, two parents, and one child
• In 2016, China changed its one-child policy, allowing all couples to have two children
• Despite this, birth rates continue to decline due to decreasing numbers of women of childbearing age

Population Pyramid: Brazil

• Three pyramids show predicted changes in Brazil’s population from 1975 to 2050
• The 1975 pyramid indicates high birth and death rates with a wide base and sloping sides
• The 2000 pyramid shows declining death rates and a slight reduction in birth rates
• The projected 2050 pyramid shows a narrowing base, indicating declining birth rates and an aging population
• The predicted 2050 population pyramid shows a shrinking population with an aging population and difficulties supporting the current population

Explore the concept of population density and its implications on different countries, focusing on both general averages and physiological density. This quiz will provide insights into how population distribution varies locally and globally, highlighting key statistics for countries like Canada and the US. Understand why population density alone can be misleading in assessing human settlement patterns.