Population – Flashcards
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population explosion
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Refers to the rapid population growth taking place over the past 200 years.
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demography
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Refers to the study of population characteristics and the scientific analysis of population trends in order to predict future trends.
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crude birth rate
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The number of births per 1000 people.
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crude death rate
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The number of deaths per 1000 people.
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overpopulation
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Occurs when there is a lack of adequate resources to meet people's needs.
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carrying capacity
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The ability of a land to sustain a certain number of people.
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ecumene
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Refers to habitable land, or the area where people can live.
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underpopulated
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An example is the Great Plains region of the United States, which is sparsely populated despite a flat terrain and good food and water availability.
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East Asia
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One of the four or five main areas of population density. Includes China, South and North Korea, and Japan with over 1.5 billion people.
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South Asia
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One of the four or five main areas of population density. Includes India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
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Southeast Asia
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One of the four or five main areas of population density. Includes Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand.
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Western and Central Europe
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One of the four or five main areas of population density. Extends east into Ukraine and includes London, Moscow, and Paris.
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Northeastern United States and Canada
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The fifth main area of population density. Includes the area from D.C. to Boston, as well as Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.
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Thomas Malthus
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The 18th-centiry British economist who came up with the idea of overpopulation. He decided that the world population was growing at a faster rate (exponentially) than agricultural production (linearly). But he didn't take agricultural innovations into account.
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linear growth
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Growth that occurs evenly over time (constant slope).
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exponential growth
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Growth as a percentage of the population (Example: 10% population growth per year).
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Neo-Malthusian
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Refers to the theory that if there are multiple minorities and no majority, the overall growth rate will eventually match the growth rate of the fastest-growing minority. Also states that the fastest-growing minority will eventually become the majority, regardless of the country's economic development. So the high birth rates of immigrant communities will eventually cause an increased growth rate in more developed countries. (Goes against the Demographic Transition Model)
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Demographic Transition Model
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A good indicator of what will happen to an area's population. Based on three factors: birth rate, death rate, and total population. Has four stages, and countries can't backtrack to previous stages. Represented by an S-curve (population starts low in Stage 1, then increased exponentially in Stage 2 and levels off in Stages 3 and 4, so the line resembles the letter S).
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Stage 1: Hunting and Gathering Societies (DTM)
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Characterized by a low total population and fluctuating birth and death rates. Food sources are sporadic, so families have few children. No countries are in this stage, though it does characterize some societies like the Australian Aborigines and the Namibian Bushmen.
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Stage 2: Agricultural Societies (DTM)
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Characterized by huge population growth because of high birth rates and falling death rates; both birth and death rates exceed world averages. Most people are subsistence farmers. Many African countries are currently in this stage.
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infant mortality rate
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The number of babies per 1000 who die before their first birthdays.
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total fertility rate
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The number of babies an average woman delivers.
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Stage 3: Industrial Societies (DTM)
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Characterized by an industrial society, with factories in urban areas and a more stable economy. Birth rates start off high, but drop off as children become more of a liability and women enter the workforce. Death rates also fall because of medical improvements. Bolivia is an example of an early Stage 3 country; Argentina is late Stage 3. The United States is also considered to be in Stage 3 because of its high birth rate (as a result of immigrant communities).
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Industrial Revolution
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Took place in mid-18th century Europe; spurred innovations in farming technology and resulted in much higher quality of life.
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Stage 4: Tertiary Societies (DTM)
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Characterized by a service-based economy and low or zero growth rate. A common worry is that these societies have a declining population and as a result will have a disproportionate number of elderly people. The United Kingdom is currently in this stage.
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zero population growth
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Occurs when the crude birth rate equals the crude death rate.
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sex ratio
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Refers to the ratio of the number of males to the number of females.
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population pyramid
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A diagram that breaks down population by age and gender. A wider base indicates a high proportion of young people; an inverted pyramid indicates a high proportion of elderly people.
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population projection
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Uses demographic data to determine future population.
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dependency ratio
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This says that children ages 0-14 rely on those age 15+ (the workforce) for support.
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demographic momentum
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Refers to a continued population increase as a result of a high proportion of youth.
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demographic equation
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Refers to the number of global births minus the number of global deaths. Determines world population growth.
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natality rate
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Refers to the birth rate per 1000 people. This is the opposite of infant mortality rate.
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enfranchisement or suffrage
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The right to vote. Women often lack these rights in societies with high gender gaps.
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dowry
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Refers to the price a bride's family must pay the groom's family in some patriarchal societies. Sometimes this price may lead to female infanticide.
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dowry death
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Refers to the murder of a bride by a groom's family when her family is unable to pay a dowry.
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doubling time
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The number of years it takes for a country to double its population. To approximate, we use the equation doubling time=70÷growth rate.
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sustainability
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Refers to the practice of saving resources for the consumption of future generations.
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J-curve
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Refers to the theory developed by Ian Bremmer that places countries on a scale according to openness and stability. A country's movement on this scale depends on its economic progress. Countries may vary between scale elements; for example, the Soviet Union was very tightly controlled but also very stable.
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medical advances
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One of the four primary causes of population increase. This causes death rates to drop, so as long as birth rates stay constant, the population will increase.
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quantity and quality of food
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One of the four primary causes of population increase. Agricultural advancements have helped to feed billions of people; for example, advances in producing rice in Asia have allowed for triple cropping and higher production.
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disease diffusion
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Refers to the spread of disease. Has improved with medical advances.
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ethnic and religious issues
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One of the four primary causes of population increase. Many cultures forbid birth control, which results in a higher birth rate.
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economic issues
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One of the four primary causes of population increase. If a society has an agriculture-based economy, it probably has a high growth rate.
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natural hazards and disasters
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One of the three main causes of population decline. Natural disasters can kill thousands, but overall they cause only a tiny fraction of all worldwide deaths. Famine and plagues are considerably more serious and often caused by droughts, poverty, and lack of health care.
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war or political turmoil
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One of the three main causes of population decline. War produces refugee crises, affects family structures, and skews populations by killing lots of males. (Example: in 1970s Cambodia, the Khmer Rouge forced an exodus that still affects Cambodia today.)
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economic issues
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One of the three main causes of population decline. This is the #1 reason for moving (example: pursuit of job opportunities). But this does not affect population on a worldwide scale.
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migration
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Refers to the movement of people, across town or the world.
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immigrants
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Refers to people who move into a country or region.
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emigrants
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Refers to people who move out of a country or region.
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net migration
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Refers to the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants.
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pull factor
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Positive; induces people to move to a region.
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push factor
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Negative; induces people to move from a region.
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economic factors
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The #1 push/pull factor. Often people move to an area for new job opportunities (pull); also, economic downturns lead to layoffs, forcing people to move (push).
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political factors
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Sometimes people are forced to flee persecution or death as refugees or as forced migrants (push).
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refugees
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Refers to people who flee their homelands to seek some kind of asylum elsewhere. Not to be confused with forced migrants. (Example: Jews who fled Germany fro the United States during World War II.)
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forced migrants
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Refers to people who are literally forced from their homes. Not to be confused with refugees. (Example: Jews who were forced into ghettos like the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II.)
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voluntary
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Characterizes the movement of people in response to environmental factors. For example, people may choose to warmer climates.
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place utility
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Refers to the concept where a location makes itself more attractive to potential residents. For example, some places in the Sun Belt offer tax incentives and new recreational activities such as parks.
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E.G. Raventein
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Came up with 10 laws of migration in 1885. Some are now only partially valid.
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Wilber Zelinsky
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Suggested that migration transition occurs in conjunction with demographic transition. (Example: in Stage 2 of the DTM, high population growth encourages immigrants to move elsewhere for better economic opportunities. Stages 3 and 4 are characterized by more internal migration.)
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Larry Sjaastad
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Developed the Human Capital model of migration in 1962. This model attempts to explain why people migrate and basically states that people seek to improve their incomes over the course of their lives (so they weigh the benefits of a move before moving).
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William A.V. Clark
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Contributed to Larry Sjaastad's Human Capital migration model in 1986 with two observations: 1) migration rates drop as people age (less incentive to move), and 2) people consider psychological and economic costs/benefits before making a major move (something that Sjaastad had overlooked).
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intercontinental migration
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Refers to the movement of people across an ocean or a continent. Usually expensive.
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distance decay
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Occurs following intercontinental migration, when people begin to assimilate to the culture of their new homes and lose some of their native culture.
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acculturation
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Refers to the transfer of cultures that occurs with distance decay. It usually takes three generations for a culture to lose its native ways (specifically language).
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chain migration
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Refers to a type of usually voluntary migration that functions to reunite families and cultures by creating immigrant communities. Immigrants send money to relatives back home, who are then able to immigrate as well.
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interregional migration
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Refers to (usually) voluntary migration within a country's borders. (Example: retirees moving to Florida from the Northeast.)
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international migration
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Refers to migration between countries.
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intraregional migration
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Refers to the migration of people within the same region. The post typical type is rural to urban migration.
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rural to urban (migration)
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Typically, this takes place for economic reasons, usually in underdeveloped countries where people move to cities to find jobs.
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cyclic movement
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Refers to the seasonal migration of livestock to areas where food is more available. Obviously, this is used in societies that practice pastoral nomadism.
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transhumance
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Refers to the movement of livestock to higher elevations during the summer to escape the heat, and to lower elevations during the winter to escape the cold.
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intervening obstacles
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Refers to something that forces individuals to stop their migration for some reason. Four main types: physical, distance/cost, cultural, and governmental restrictions.
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physical environment
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One of the four types of intervening obstacles. Often, natural disasters (like the tornadoes of the Great Plains or the earthquakes on the West Coast) deter migrants.
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distance and cost of travel
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One of the four types of intervening obstacles. Usually, transoceanic migrations are the most cost-prohibitive and often prevent potential migrants from reaching the United States.
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cultural factors
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One of the four types of intervening obstacles. Sometimes, a large cultural disparity deters migrants, especially differences in language and religion. Not speaking the language is one of the greatest disadvantages of new migrants and makes them vulnerable to scams.
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governmental restrictions
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One of the four types of intervening obstacles. Often governments set quotas to limit the number of immigrants allowed in their countries.
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quotas
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Limits that governments put on the number of immigrants they allow into their countries. In the United States, the limit is about 2 million per year.
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coyote
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Refers to a person who is hired to help illegal immigrants get into the United States and may take advantage of their clients.
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amnesty
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Proponents of this idea suggest that illegal immigrants take jobs no one wants and send their wages back home. Opponents insist that illegal immigrants have broken the law and should be returned to their country of origin.
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intervening opportunity
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The opposite of an intervening obstacle. Occurs when a migrant stops and decides to stay somewhere along his journey for favorable climate, economic conditions, etc.
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transmigration
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Refers to the forced removal of people from one place and their relocation somewhere else within a country. (Example: in Indonesia, people were relocated from the overcrowded, resource-strapped island of Java to neighboring islands, though this drew criticism of anti-minority discrimination.)
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census
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A detailed counting of the population. The United States has one every ten years, since the first one in 1970. (Ours has shown that between 1790 and 2000, the population center shifted from Maryland to Missouri as a result of international and interregional migration.)
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First Era of U.S. Immigration
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1607-early 19th century. Primary motivations were religious and economic freedom, plus slavery.
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Second Era of U.S. Immigration
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1820s-1880s. Many immigrants from Europe came, and many more from Asia (especially China) to the West Coast, who often worked on the railroads.
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Third Era of U.S. Immigration
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Late 19th century-early 20th century. Peaked from 1900-1920 with an influx of southern European immigrants (Italy, Spain, Greece). Also, a huge migration of blacks from the South to the urban North during the 20th century (Chicago, Cleveland). Isolationism in the 1930s severely curtailed immigration.
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Fourth Era of U.S. Immigration
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1950s-present. Immigration has risen since the 1950s, mostly from Latin America and increasingly Asia. The greatest immigration peak happened from 1980-2000, and illegal immigration is a hot topic of debate. (Immigration is highest during periods of economic prosperity.)
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step migration
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Refers to a the movement of people with stops along the way. These stops may last last months or years, but they are temporary; the migrants eventually continue on to their intended destination.
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natural increase rate
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Found by doing simple math: crude birth rate minus crude death rate.
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First Agricultural Revolution
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Began in prehistoric times with the initial shift from hunting and gathering to agricultural societies.
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Second Agricultural Revolution
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Coincided with the Industrial Revolution. Involved the mechanization of farm equipment, causing increased production and resulting in falling death rates. Also coincided with the world's population explosion in the 20th century
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Third Agricultural Revolution
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Also called the Green Revolution, this involved the genetic engineering of agricultural products to sustain crops in inhospitable climates. Began in the 1950s; debate exists over whether it ended in the 1980s or still continues today.
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cohort
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Refers to a group of people who are in a similar circumstance.
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Gravity Model
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Suggests that areas are linked together based more on their populations than on their distance from each other. Tested by measuring travel, phone calls, and overall trade between the two or more cities. Mathematically, multiplies the populations of the two cities and then divides the product by the square of the distance between the cities.
