Population Lecture 1

Unit 1: Changing Population

Population and Economic Development Patterns

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 Key Question

How does population vary

between places?

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Key Content
1. Physical and human factors affecting population distribution
at the global scale
2. Global patterns and classification of economic
development:
• low-income countries
• middle-income countries and emerging economies
• high-income countries
3. Population distribution and economic development at the
national scale, including voluntary internal migration, core-
periphery patterns and megacity growth
• Two detailed and contrasting examples of uneven population
distribution

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1. Physical and human factors affecting
population distribution at the global scale

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 Line graph

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 Skills focus: Describing a line graph
• When describing a trend on a graph, use the following general
guidelines to craft your answer.

1. Look at the _________ and _________ point. State the

___________________________________
(increasing/decreasing/fluctuating) and give data for the
start and end point.
2. Break the trend up into __________________________ which
have _________________________ and describe these
segments with data. (e.g. rapidly increasing, fluctuating,
slight decrease etc.)
3. Identify any _________________ (i.e. going against the general
trend identified in #1) or ___________________________________
(e.g. sudden increase during a particular period of time) and
give data.
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Practice Q1
Using the graph, describe world population growth from
1950 to 2100. [3]

Describe: Give a detailed account

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 Comparative
line graph

1. Which region is
expected to
have the highest
growth rate from
2015 to 2050?
2. Which region is
expected to be
the second
largest
contributor
within the same
period?
3. Which region
shows an
anomalous
trend between
2017 and 2050,
as compared to
other regions?
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Skills focus: Comparing
• When comparing, always remember to keep the following
in mind:
1. Always ___________________________ (i.e. A vs B). Do NOT
write an entire paragraph on A and an entire paragraph
on B separately.
2. Comparison entails both _____________ and ____________.
3. Always provide data and details for each observation
you make.

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Practice Q2
• Compare and contrast the population growth and
projections between Asia and Africa from 1950 to 2100. [4]

Compare: Give an account of the similarities between two (or

more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.

Contrast: Give an account of the differences between two (or

more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout.

Compare and contrast: Give an account of similarities and

differences between two (or more) items or situations, referring to
both (all) of them throughout.
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Population distribution: The spread of
people across the world, i.e. where
people live.

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 P1R1
Reading 1: Population Distribution in
Brazil
(Source: GeoActive Online, Series 15, 2004, Nelson
Thornes)

1. Describe the population distribution in Brazil.

2. Explain the pattern above.
Explain: Give a detailed account including reasons or causes.

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Global Population Distribution 2014
Choropleth
map

(Source: Wikipedia)
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 Skills focus: Describing distribution
• When describing a spatial pattern (e.g. distribution), consider the following
general guidelines.

1. Consider whether there is a ____________________ that the distribution

follows (e.g. Are the areas evenly or unevenly distributed? Are they more
concentrated in certain regions/areas? Etc.) and provide data.
2. Identify ________________________ (e.g. high, moderate, low etc.) and
provide examples and data for these categories.
3. Identify any ___________________ that go against the general pattern
described in #1 and give examples and data.

* Precise and detailed identification of regions/countries/cities etc necessary

for exemplification, depending on the question.
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Practice Q3
Describe the global population distribution in 2014. [3]

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 Global Population Distribution by Continent, 2018
Bar graph

(Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/237584/distribution-of-the-world-population-by-continent/)
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 P1R2

Reading 2: Population in Southeast Asia

(Source: Geofile Online, September
2011, No. 652, Nelson Thornes)

1. What are some factors that affect

how densely populated an area is?
2. Give two contrasting examples of
places that have varying population
densities, and explain the reasons
behind this phenomenon.

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Why is global population so
unevenly distributed?

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Factors affecting population Homework
distribution at the global scale
(a) Physical Factors
i. Climate
ii. Hazards
iii. Relief
iv. Availability of natural resources
v. Soil quality
vi. Proximity to the coast

(b) Human Factors

i. Employment opportunities due to level of industrialisation
ii. Migration (forced and voluntary)
iii. Transport and communications infrastructure
iv. Government policy and new town policies
v. Conflict and war

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• On a global scale,
 Most people live _________________________– some ¾ of the
world’s population live within 1000km of the sea
 Most people live on __________________– nearly 90% live in areas
below 500m in elevation
Over 80% live in the ______________________________
Three major areas with __________________________________ (over
200 people/km2) can be identified: Southeast Asia, North-
eastern USA and Western Europe. Smaller concentrations include
South-eastern Brazil, Mexican plateau, Nile Valley, California and
Java.

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• The most favoured locations include:
 Fertile river valleys
 Places with a regular supply of water
 Good _____________________ and the potential for _____________
 Places with __________________________________________________,
especially coal and other minerals e.g. USA, China, India,
Germany
• Disadvantaged areas may include those that are too dry,
too steep, too cold and/or infertile.

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• Human factors are also important, such as:
_______________________: May lead to redistribution
of populations e.g. South Africa’s Apartheid Policy
New town policies e.g. in Hong Kong and the UK
(e.g. Milton Keynes)
Influence of _______________________ e.g. Syria 
loss of lives due to death and/or out-migration
Migration of people (whether forced or voluntary)
e.g. from Middle East/ North Africa to Europe (may
also be a result of government policy)

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 Worksheet 1.1

Skills Focus: Map types / Discuss

• Refer to Worksheet 1.1

• In your groups, discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of each map type and fill in the table
provided.

Discuss: Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a

range of arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions
should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

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2. Global Patterns and Classification
of Economic Development

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Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• A broad measure of an economy’s performance
• Measures all the economic output of a country in a given
year, quantifying the __________________________________
_______________________________________________________
• Traditional indicator of a country’s wealth
• GDP per capita: Total GDP divided by the population of a
country

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Gross National Product (GNP)
• Differs from GDP by ____________________________________
_______________________________________________________
• To calculate GNP, the output produced within the country
by foreign-owned firms is subtracted from the GDP, and
income earned from overseas operations of the country’s
own firms is added to the GDP.

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Gross National Income (GNI)

• Recently overtook GDP as the preferred measure of a

country’s wealth
• Comprises the total value of goods and services produced
within a country (i.e. GDP), together with its income
received from other countries (notably interest and
dividends), less similar payments made to other countries.
• Gross national income per capita is measured by dividing
GNI by its mid-year population.

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• The World Bank assigns the world's economies into
four income groups — __________________________
________________________________________________
• This assignment is based on GNI per capita
calculated using the Atlas method.
• Units for measure: Current US dollars.
• New thresholds are determined at the start of the
Bank’s fiscal year in July and remain fixed for 12
months regardless of subsequent revisions to
estimates.

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• For the current 2020 fiscal year,

LICs: GNI per capita, of $1,025 or less (e.g.

Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Nepal);
LMICs: GNI per capita between $1,026 and
$3,995 (e.g. Pakistan, Philippines, Vietnam);
UMICs: GNI per capita between $3,996 and
$12,375 (e.g. Turkey, Malaysia, China);
HICs: GNI per capita of $12,376 or more
(e.g. France, Singapore, USA).

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 Worksheet 1.2

Skills Focus: Compare and Contrast Distribution

The World by Income (Group Activity)
• Compare and contrast the distribution of countries by
income in 1987 and 2017. [4]

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Lorenz
Curve

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Other economic classifications
(a)North-South Divide (Brandt Line)
• _______________________ includes US, Canada, Europe, parts of
Asia that are considered ‘developed’ (Japan, Hong Kong, South
Korea, Taiwan, Singapore), Australia and New Zealand. Covers
mostly the ‘First World’ along with much of the ‘Second World’.
• _______________________includes Africa, Latin America, parts of
Asia and the Middle East. Largely corresponds with what is known
as the ‘Third World’.
• North is usually defined as richer and more developed compared
to the South.
• ___________________: A visual depiction of the north–south divide,
proposed by West German former Chancellor Willy Brandt in the
1980s.

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 (Source: BBC)
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(b) First, Second and Third World
• Originated post-WW2 when the world split into two large
geopolitical groups – communism vs capitalism – which
eventually led to the Cold War.
• The term _________________ was introduced in the late 1940s by
the UN, and included countries that were generally aligned with
NATO and opposed to the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
• Today ‘First World’ countries are seen as _________________
______________________________, e.g. in North America, Western
Europe, parts of Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
• _________________________: State-controlled communist countries
such as the former Soviet Union which are also modern, wealthy
and industrialised.
• _________________________or developing world: less developed
countries
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(c) More Economically Developed Countries
(MEDCs) and Less Economically Developed
Countries (LEDCs), Least Developed Countries
(LDCs), Newly Industrialising Countries (NICs)

• MEDCs: The more developed countries which have high

standards of living. They are now referred to as High
Income Countries (HICs) by the World Bank. Traditionally
countries in the ‘Global North’ fell into this category.
• LEDCs: Typically less economically developed with
lower standards of living. They are now referred to as
low-income countries (LICs).
Can be subdivided into middle-income and low-income
LEDCs
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• _____________________: Very low standards of living e.g.
Afghanistan and much of sub-Saharan Africa
• NICs: These countries have experienced
_______________________________________________________.
Some NICs may develop to become HICs e.g. Singapore
and South Korea
Can be subdivided into various categories, all showing rapid
economic growth or potential for growth:
 BRIC – Brazil, Russia, India and China – who were joined by South Africa in
2010 to form BRICS.
 MINT – Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria, Turkey
 CIVETS – Colombia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Egypt, Turkey, South Africa
 Next Eleven (N11) - Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria,
Pakistan, the Philippines, Turkey, South Korea and Vietnam
 Recently Industrialising Countries (RICs) – e.g. Chile

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• Most classifications of global economic groupings are
related to _______________________, which are complex
and difficult to define.
• Some of these indicators of development include, but are
not limited to (More in Unit 5):
 Economic growth
 Population growth
 Standards of living
 Levels of technology
 Employment
 Health
 Level of literacy

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 P1R3
Homework
Reading 3: Population Characteristics of
Countries at Different Levels of Development
(Source: Geofile Online, No. 580, September 2008, Nelson
Thornes)

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 P1R4
Homework
Reading 4: LEDC vs MEDC
(Source: Geography Review, Nov 2012)

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3. Population Distribution and Economic
Development at the National Scale

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Group Task: Define the terms below.

• Key Terms
 Population distribution
 Internal migration
Voluntary
Forced
 Core-periphery patterns
 Megacity

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Case study 1: China
Video: China, the largest migration in history (The Economist)

As you watch the video, consider the following

questions:
1. What were some reasons behind rural-urban migration?
Provide details.
2. How did China’s economy benefit from migration?
3. What are some of the negative consequences arising
from rural-urban migration?

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Skills focus: Topographic map
Interpreting
topography
A topographic
map is distinctive
in that it uses
contour lines to
show the shape
(or relief) of the
earth’s surface.

Describe China’s
topography. How
do you think this
would affect
population
distribution?
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• Uneven population distribution primarily due to
_______________________________
 Only a small proportion of the country is suitable for
agriculture due to the _____________________ and
__________________________ of most parts of China
 Population concentrated in rain-fed agricultural areas,
lower reaches of river valleys, and coastal locations,
which are favoured as they are linked to trade routes
(e.g. port cities like Shanghai have evolved to become
centres of commerce over time)
 Western provinces generally _______________________
than eastern provinces as rest of the country is
characterised by desert (eg The Gobi desert), with 50%
of population on just 8.2% of land
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• _______________________ in China exacerbates
inequalities
Since 1978, China has experienced the world’s largest
internal population movement, as 160 million migrants
have left rural areas to seek work in urban areas
Wages in urban areas were _________________ than in
rural areas
Between 2000 and 2005, 38 million people moved to
urban industrial cities by the coast

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 P1R5
Reading 5: Rural-urban migration in China
(Source: Geography Review, May 2006)
1. Explain the push and pull factors that resulted in rural-
urban migration in China.
2. Discuss the costs and benefits of rural-urban migration in
China.
3. Describe the challenges that migrants face, and briefly
describe measures put in place to alleviate these
challenges.

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• Implications:
Inequalities in population distribution
Mega-regions are concentrated towards the east of
the country, reinforcing the core-periphery of the east
(core) and west (periphery)
Creation of mega-regions, housing a number of
megacities and millionaire cities
Concentrated to the eastern part of the country
Pearl River Delta: Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Guangzhou
o Cities increased rapidly in numbers - eg Shenzhen’s population grew
from a few thousand in 1978 to 12 million in 2010
Yangtze river delta: Shanghai

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• Consequences
__________________ cost
__________________ cost - family stresses
Beneficial to the migrants, _________________________
Good for the Chinese economy - labour for
manufacturing and GDP growth
______________________________________ - riots and
violence as they feel marginalised
Land and labour costs are rising, resulting in the
Chinese government to direct recent industrial
development to interior locations

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• China’s go-west initiative
Coastal areas of China are generally more prosperous due
to its __________________________________ and location
Consequently, inland (western) areas of china tend to be
under-developed
‘Go west’ initiative by the Chinese government
encourages firms and businesses in China to move into the
inland locations in a bid to _______________________________
_________________________________________________________
Under the strategy, the western regions enjoy _____________
__________________________________________________________
From 2000 to 2016, the Chinese government invested 6.35
trillion yuan ($914 billion) in 300 major projects, mostly in
infrastructure and energy, in western regions
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Case Study 2: South Africa
Choropleth map + Map
with proportional symbols

Describe the
distribution of
the population
in South Africa.
[3]

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• Uneven population distribution:
Some ___________________________ have
population densities of over 1000 people per sq
km (e.g. Gauteng) whereas ______________ have
densities of less than 5 people per sq km
(Northern Cape Province).

Gauteng Province, South Africa Northern Cape Province, South Africa

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• Reasons:
____________________________________- trend of decrease in population
size from NE to SW reflects the distribution of rainfall, lowest densities in
the mountainous and arid regions
Availability of natural resources like gold, diamond e.g. Johannesburg
Proximity to coastal trading routes e.g. Cape Town
Industrial towns where coal is available e.g. Sasolburg
Harbour towns because bays are safe to build harbours e.g. Port
Elizabeth
Fishing towns e.g. Gansbaai, Lambert’s Bay
____________________________________ e.g. Gauteng houses 24% of
South Africa’s population, and is the dominant economic hub
producing 34% of South Africa’s GDP
____________________________________: Most of South Africa’s land is
owned by whites, especially more affluent areas like Johannesburg
and Cape Town
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 IBDP Geography/YBong/2020 54
(Source: South Africa Gateway)
• Three main periods of internal migration in the 20th
and 21st century:
 Economic migration linked with ______________________
______________________________________________________
 Many black people moved from rural to urban centres to
work as migrant labourers in gold and diamond mines
 _________________________________________________
 Between 1948 and 1994 over 4 million black people were
forcibly removed from “white” areas and relocated to
“homelands”
 _________________________________________________
 Many blacks have migrated from former homeland areas to
large cities in search of work
 Poverty  concentrated around fringes of city in
substandard housing
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Circular migration in South Africa
• _______________________: the temporary and usually
repetitive movement of a migrant worker between home
and host areas, typically for the purpose of employment.
• Since the end of the apartheid era, many black people
have migrated from their homelands to large cities in
search of work where there is cheap labour for men in
mines and industry
• Repeatedly return to their home areas to _______________
_______________________________________________________
• In recent years, rapid increase of female circular migrants,
due to influx control being lifted in 1986.
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Further reading and resources
• Textbook: Garret & Nagle P388-395
• P1R1: Population distribution in Brazil (GeoActive Online, 2004)
• P1R2: Population in Southeast Asia (Geofile Online, September
2011)
• P1R3: Population Characteristics of Countries at Different Levels
of Development (Geofile Online, September 2008)
• P1R4: LEDC vs MEDC (Geography Review, Nov 2012)
• P1R5: Rural-Urban migration in China (Geography Review, May
2006)
• Worksheet 1.1 – 1.2

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