The Human World

Chapter 4

1. World Population

Population GrowthPopulation growth varies from country to

country and is influenced by cultural ideas, migration and level of development

The Demographic TransitionDemography – study of populationsBirthrate – number of births per year for every

1,000 peopleDeath rate – deaths per year for every 1,000 peopleNatural increase – growth rate, difference between

an area’s birthrate and its death rateMigration – movement of people from place to

place, must be considered when examining population growth

Demographic Transition model – uses birthrates and death rates to show changes in the population trends of a country or region

The Demographic TransitionFalling death rates due to improved health

care, more abundant food supplies , better living conditions

Most industrialized nations have reached zero population growth, where the birthrate and death rate are equal.

Families who live in agricultural areas tend towards having more children because of a need for their future labor on the farm

Doubling time – the number of years it takes a population to double in size

Challenges to GrowthGrowing populations demand more food Populations that grow quickly use

resources rapidly, and can face shortages of water, housing or clothing, etc.

Negative Population GrowthIn NPG, annual death rate exceeds the

annual birthrateIn countries that have NPG, it often difficult

to find enough workers to keep the economy going

Creates a need for immigrant labor, which can create tensions between host populations and immigrants

Population DistributionWorld population distribution is uneven and is

influenced by migration and the Earth’s physical geography

Population distribution – the pattern of human settlement

Population distribution, related to physical environment.

Only 30 percent of earths surface is land, and much of it is uninhabitable

Most people live where fertile soil, available water and a climate without harsh extremes makes human life possible

Europe and Asia, most densely populated continentsAsia contains 60 percent of world populationMost people today live in metropolitan areas, cities

and their surrounding areas.

Population DensityPopulation density – the number of people

living on a square mile or square kilometer of land

Canada has a PD of about 8 people per square mile

Bangladesh (east of India) has a PD of 2,594 people per square mile

People can be distributed unevenly within a country too, such as Egypt, where most live on the Nile River, away from the desert

Population MovementPeople are moving in great numbersUrbanization – migration of people from

rural areas to cities and suburbsPrimary cause of urbanization is the desire

to find high paying jobsAbout half of the world’s population lives in

citiesRefugees – people who flee their country to

escape persecution or disaster

2. Global CulturesThe world’s people organize communities,

develop their ways of life, and adjust to the differences and similarities they experience.

Many people struggle to maintain some elements of their traditional cultures while establishing ties with the global community.

Elements of CultureGeographers divide the Earth into culture

regions, which are defined by the presence of common elements such as language and religion.

LanguageCommunicates information and

experiencesPasses on cultural values and traditionsEven within a culture, language may vary,

example: Alabama vs. South DakotaLanguage families – large groups of

languages having similar rootsEnglish, Spanish and Russian all members

of the Indo-European language family

ReligionBeliefs vary around the worldCan be a source of conflictAlso can enable people to find an identityCan aid in creating community

Social GroupsSocial system that helps members work

together to meet basic needsFamily is one formSocial classes – groups of people ranked

according to ancestry, wealth, education or other criteria

Ethnic group – made up of people who share a common language, history, place of origin or combination of these elements

Government and EconomyGovernment: Maintains orderProvides protection from outside dangersSupplies additional services: i.e. police,

hospitals, fire stationsOrganized by levels: National, regional, and localOrganized by type of authority: single ruler,

small group of leaders, body of citizens and representatives

Economy:How a culture utilizes its natural resources to

meet human needs

Culture RegionsCulture Region – countries that have

certain traits in common, i.e. economic systems, form of government, social groups

Cultural ChangeInternal and external factors change

cultures over timeInternal factors – new ideas, lifestyles and

inventionsExternal factors – trade, migration and warCultural diffusion – process of spreading

new knowledge from one culture to another

Agricultural RevolutionEarliest humans were nomads, groups of

hunters and herders, no fixed home, moved from place to place in search of food, water and grazing land

About 10,000 years ago, many nomads settled and began farming. This shift from hunting and gathering food to farming is known as the Agricultural Revolution.

Eventually, civilizations were formed. Civilizations are highly organized, city based societies with advanced knowledge or farming , trade, government, art and science

Culture HearthsCulture Hearths – early center of civilization

whose ideas and practices spread to surrounding areas, i.e. Egypt, Iraq, Pakistan, China and Mexico

Possess mild climate and fertile landLocated near major source of waterEnabled people to grow surplus cropsLed to rise of cities and civilizationsProductive farming led to specialization, such as

metalworking ands shipbuilding, spurred long-distance trade

Increased wealth led to more complex cities, governments, social systems, writing systems for recording information

Cultural ContactsContact among different civilizations through

trade and travel promoted social change through exposure to different ideas and practices

Movement of people, or migration, fostered cultural diffusion

People migrate to avoid wars, persecution, famine

Some migrations are forced, i.e. Africans brought to America to be slaves

Some people migrate in search of better economic opportunities, higher quality of life

Industrial and Information RevolutionsCultural diffusion has increased rapidly

during the last 250 years, due to improvements in transportation

Industrial Revolution – 1700’s and 1800’s, development of power driven machines and factors to mass produce goods. Led to people leaving farms for cities, jobs.

Information Revolution – end of 1900’s, computers, store lots of info, send it instantly

3. Political and Economic SystemsGovernments and economies of countries

around the world are becoming increasingly interconnected.

Some countries or groups of countries, such as the European Union, have strong economies that allow them to help improve standards of living in other countries.

Features of GovernmentTerritory, population and sovereignty

influence levels and types of governments in countries around the world

World includes nearly 200 independent countries

Sovereignty – freedom from outside controlGovernments made and enforce policies

and laws that are binding on all people living with its territory

Levels of GovernmentNational, provincial, state, county, city, town, villageUnitary System – gives all powers to the national or

central government. State, provincial or local governments exist, but are created and controlled by central government.

Examples: UK and France during Middle AgesFederal System – divides the powers of government

between the national government and state or provincial governments. Each level has authority in some areas.

Examples: US.Confederation – loose union of independent territories.Examples: Colonial America before the revolution

created a strong central government. Today – Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, Brazil, and India.

Types of GovernmentsAutocracy – authority to rule belongs to single individual.Forms of Autocracy include dictatorship ( Hitler,

Germany), which come to power through election or take over, and monarchy (King/Queen, Saudi Arabia) which inherit their powers

Oligarchy – a small group holds power. Drives its power from wealth, religion, military power, social position or a combination. Example: China

Democracy – leaders rule with the consent of the citizens. Direct Democracy – citizens themselves decide on issues,

some local governmentsRepresentative Democracy – people elect representatives

with the responsibility and power to make laws and conduct government, national governments, US

Republic – votes elect all major officials, responsible to people, i.e. US, France

Economic SystemsThe three major economic systems are traditional

economy, market economy and command economyTraditional Economy – habit and custom determine

the rules of all economic activity, controlled by elders and ancestors. Example: Inuit of northern Canada

Market Economy: individuals and private groups make decisions about what to produce, based on free enterprise/capitalism, the idea that private individuals or groups have the right to won property or businesses and make profit with only limited government interference.

No pure market economy exists. US is a mixed economy, where the government supports and regulates free enterprise.

Economic SystemsCommand Economy – government own or directs

the means of production – land, labor, capital (machinery, factories), and business managers – and control the distribution of goods.

Try to distribute goods and services equally among all citizens

Communism – strict government control of entire society, including economy

Socialism – allows wider range of free enterprise, attempts to distribute wealth equally, control society through government, and have public ownership of services and factories that are essential.

4. Resources, Trade and the EnvironmentThe growth of the global economy

continues to make the world’s people increasingly interdependent or reliant on each other.

Natural resource, extracted, traded around the world

Resources are often misused, cause pollution and damage to the environment.

Resource ManagementNatural Resources – elements form the

earth not made by peopleRenewable resources – cannot be used up

or can be replaced naturally or grown again in a short period of time, i.e. Wind, sun, water, forests and animal life.

Non-renewable resources – cannot be replaced, i.e. minerals, fossil fuels (oil, coal)

Natural resources must be managed to ensure that they meet future needs

Economies and World TradeNatural resources are not evenly

distributed throughout the Earth. As a result, countries specialize in the

economic activities best suited to their resources

Economic DevelopmentGeographers and economists classify

the world’s economic activities into four types.

Primary economic activities – taking or using natural resources directly from the Earth. Examples: farming, fishing, forestry, mining

Secondary economic activities – use raw materials to produce something new and more valuable. Examples: manufacturing automobiles, assembling electronic goods, producing electric power

Economic DevelopmentTertiary economic activities – do not involve

directly acquiring and remaking natural resources. These are activities that provide services to people and businesses. Examples: doctors, teachers, lawyers, bankers provide these services.

Quaternary economic activities – concerned with the processing, management and distribution of information. Includes people working in education, government, business , information processing and research.

Economic DevelopmentEconomies develop in stagesIndustrialization – spread of industryDeveloped countries –have a great deal of

manufacturing and technology.Newly industrialized countries – have moved

from primarily agricultural to primarily manufacturing and industrial activities. Examples: Mexico and Malaysia.

Developing countries – those working toward greater manufacturing and technology. Agriculture remains dominant. Many people in these countries still subsistence form, or grow just enough to survive.

World TradeUnequal distribution of natural resources is

one factor that promotes a complex network of trade among countries.

Differences in labor costs and education levels affect world trade.

Multinationals, or firms that do business in many places throughout the world, often base their businesses in countries with low labor costs.

Barriers to TradeSome governments place a tariff, or a tax, on

imported goods, in order to make them more expensive and encourage people to buy domestic products.

Governments may also put a quota, or a number limit, on the quantity of a particular imported product.

Governments may impose an embargo, or ban trade with another country altogether, as a way to punish that country for political or economic differences. Example: US embargo on Cuba

Free TradeRecently, governments around the world

have moved towards free trade, or removal of trade barriers

GATT, NAFTA and WTO encourage free trade

People and the EnvironmentEconomic activities have led to environmental

pollutionPollution – the release of unclean or toxic elements

into the air, water and landWater pollution – oil takers, offshore drilling rigs can

cause oil spills. Industries may dump chemic waste that gets into water supply.

Land Pollution – occurs when chemical waste poisons fertile topsoil or solid waste is dumped in landfills.

Air Pollution – mainly burning of fossil fuels by industries and vehicles, gives off poisonous gases, can form acid rain, can eat away at buildings, kill fish, etc.

Global warming – some scientists believe that rising levels of carbon dioxide in atmosphere contributing to a general increase in Earth’s temperature.