Population Geography Overview

Population Geography

• Population geography studies people in different areas, focusing on factors like location, size, composition, and density in relation to land area.
• It includes populations' birth rates, death rates, migration, and their environmental impact.

Why Study Population Geography?

• Studying population geography allows predictions about populations and how to meet their needs.
• This is helpful for governments to plan and budget for services like education, predicting the number of schools needed in the future, based on birth rates.

Birth, Death, and Growth Rates

• Birth rate: Number of babies born per 1000 people per year.
• Death rate: Number of deaths per 1000 people per year.
• Population growth rate: Difference between birth and death rates. An increasing birth rate compared to death rate means population increase, and vice-versa.

Factors Affecting Birth and Death Rates

• Disease: Infectious diseases like tuberculosis, malaria, Ebola, cholera significantly impact death rates, particularly in Africa. HIV/AIDS has also drastically affected death rates in many countries.

• Economic situation: Financial hardship can impact birth rates. Access to childcare and healthcare also affects birth rates.

• Attitudes and beliefs: Cultural norms regarding family size and religion influence birth rates and family planning.

• Climate: Climate plays a role in some populations' health and birth rates.

• Conflict and wars: Wars and conflicts disrupt birth rates, decrease nutrition, stop access to healthcare.

Infant Mortality Rates

• Infant mortality rates measure deaths of infants under one year old per 1000 live births.
• Data from 2010 shows infant mortality rates in several regions.

Life Expectancy

• Life expectancy calculates the average lifespan in a country, area or city.
• Factors that impact life expectancy include nutrition, education, healthcare access, housing, pollution levels, types of work, and common diseases.

Pandemics and Their Impact

• Pandemics are widespread, deadly diseases that spread rapidly across multiple countries.
• Examples include the Spanish flu (1918-1920), the Black Death (1347-1351), and COVID-19.
• The spread of pandemics can be exacerbated by global travel.
• Smallpox provided evidence of how pandemics spread, and impacted global populations in South Africa in 1713.

Serious Diseases Affecting Population

• HIV/AIDS: originated in Cameroon in the 1950s, impacting many countries, particularly Africa. Millions have died and been infected.
• Tuberculosis (TB): A preventable and curable lung disease that spreads easily, often in overcrowded conditions.
• Malaria: Spread by mosquitoes causing a disease known as Malaria. Africa is particularly affected.

Diarrhoea

• Diarrhoea, a symptom of gastroenteritis, is a common cause of death among children in Africa.
• Prevention includes clean drinking water, handwashing, and treating water with chlorine.

Economic Status and Its Impact

• A person's economic status refers to their income and the standard of living.
• Economic status is a factor impacting population health indicators like birth and death rates.
• Levels of poverty, malnutrition, and resources impact population demographics.

Family Needs, Attitudes, and Beliefs

• Cultural attitudes, beliefs, religious practices, economic conditions, and family structure influence decisions about family size.
• Some cultures may encourage larger families, while others may not.
• Governments have implemented initiatives to control population growth in some regions.

Conflict and War

• Conflicts and wars impact birth and death rates.
• Wars disrupt communities and result in large-scale loss of life (genocide) due to race, religion, or tribe.

Dramatic Global Population Growth

• Factors contributing to global population growth include increased food production, scientific developments, and improved healthcare.
• Irrigation and mechanization increased food output, impacting global population demographics and food security in the mid-20th century.
• Medical advancements like vaccines and disease control reduced death rates and contributed to population increase.