Population Distribution: Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Population

• Population changes are influenced by natural and socioeconomic conditions.
• Population has a significant impact on the natural environment and socioeconomic factors.
• Global issues, including resources, the environment, and development, are interconnected with population concerns.
• Population shifts must align with regional resource carrying capacity and harmonize with socioeconomic progress.

Population Distribution

• 90% of the global population resides in the Northern Hemisphere, with a significant concentration between 10° and 50° north latitude.
• About 60% of the population lives within 200 kilometers of coastlines, while approximately 80% inhabits low-lying areas below 500 meters in elevation.
• East Asia, South Asia, Western Europe, and Eastern North America are the world's four major population clusters.
• Factors influencing population distribution can be categorized into natural and human elements.
• Climate, terrain, and water sources are among the critical natural factors affecting population distribution.
• Population distribution is closely connected to the level of socioeconomic development and historical elements.
• Human activities are more likely to take place in plains due to the flat terrain, convenient transportation and ease of development.
• The availability of water influences population distribution; rivers and lakes are advantageous for water supply, transportation, and aquaculture.

Factors Influencing Population Distribution

• Natural factors of influence come to down to climate and terrain.
• Climate and terrain affect population distribution.
• Human factors involve socioeconomic conditions and historical development.

Population Migration

• Population migration involves long-term or permanent changes in residence.
• Population migrations do not include short-term movements.
• When net migration is positive, it signifies a population influx, whereas a negative rate indicates a population outflow.
• Migration is driven by push and pulls factors at the origin and destination.
• 2.7 billion trips were made during the 2017 Spring Festival in China.

International Migration

• International migration was defined by large-scale group movements driven by European colonialism.
• Post-World War II trends shifted; labor migration became more common, and Europe transformed into a net immigration region.
• After World War II - Development countries saw population increase, some from developing countries
• Economic factors dominate migration patterns with labor being cheaper at points of origin.
• In China, domestic migration has occurred in two phases, before and after 1949.

Population Capacity

• The Earth officially entered the "post-7 billion population" era with the birth of the "7 billionth baby" on October 31, 2011.
• The Earth's environment has a limited ability to support the population.
• "Regional resource and environmental carrying capacity" is defined by environmental limitations and capacity.
• There is a "short board effect" with all resources.
• Human societies must pursue the goal of achieving a "reasonable population size" for sustained progress.
• China implemented its family planning policy.

How to perceive the phenomenon of migrant workers

• Since the reform and opening up, China's population has been mobile, and a large number of foreign workers have appeared in cities and towns.
• Migrant workers have become a force in promoting industrialization and urbanization
• It is necessary to understand the current situation of migrant workers, analyze the role of migrant workers in China's economic development.
• The transformation of rural surplus labor is taking place, and the number of migrant workers is increasing.