Population Settlement glossary of terms

Read and understand the following terms related to demography

Dispersal - the action of distributing by spreading people over a wide area

Diversified Urban Centre - a settlement with a variety of successful basic urban functions.

Hamlet - a small settlement with a purely residential function. Usually fewer than 100 inhabitants and no services, except perhaps a post office.

Population density – the number of people per unit of area; usually people per square kilometre.

Population distribution - the arrangement or spread of people living in a given area;

Rural – an area away from cities and towns

Situation - The relationship between a city’s location and the surrounding area. The relationship is economic; related to trade, markets and transportation patterns.

Threshold population - Number of consumers needed to make a business profitableOR the population size needed before a service (e.g., school, post office) will be offered.

Town - a built-up area with a name, defined boundaries, and local government, that is larger than a village and generally smaller than a city.

Urban – built up areas such as towns, cities and megalopolises

Village - a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet, but smaller than a town or city.

Discovering & Analyzing Canada’s Population Settlement

Where do people live in Canada?Canada’s population is not distributed equally. For example, millions of people live in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Lowlands region, while the entire population of northern Canada (i.e. the area comprised of Nunavut, Northwest Territories and Yukon Territory) has a population of less than 100 000 people

A Settlement Pattern describes the way in which hamlets, villages, towns and cities are distributed, and be analyzed at the local, provincial, national or international level.

Population distribution describes the way people are spread out over an area. In more geographical terms, it is the patterns of settlement and dispersal of a population.

There are two main types of population distribution: (1) Dispersed and (2) Concentrated.

A dispersed population is a population that is spread out. A rural population (e.g., farms) would be spread out across a region. Likewise, the population in Canada’s north might be spread out across the entire area which makes up that region.

A concentrated population is a population that lives close together such as a town or city. The concentration often occurs due to concentrated economic opportunities or resources.

A linear concentration occurs as a line. For example, houses in a line along a highway or a coastline.

Population density is the average number of individuals per unit of area. To calculate Canada’s population you need to know its population and land area in km2.

The formula for calculating population density is

populationarea

Statistics Canada website records Canada’s population in July 2017 as 36,708,083 and its land area as 8 965 121.42 km2

Calculate Canada’s population density rounded to two decimal places

Does this number indicate that Canada is a crowded country?

Areas may have the same population density, but the population could be distributed differently (e.g., the distribution is evenly dispersed throughout one region, while in the next region of the same size; the population is concentrated only at the edges of the region).

Using the exact same number of dots in each box (to indicate a person) in each box below, show three very different population patterns

Look at the Population Distribution map and then describe where most of Canada’s population lives in relation to:

a) Cardinal direction (e.g. north, south, east, west)b) International boundariesc) Provinces

Population Settlement Patterns

In this activity you will: Describe patterns of population settlement in Canada Assess the importance of various factors which determine population settlement,

size and density

Introduction:A population settlement is a location where people live. Population settlement patterns refer to how a group of people arrange themselves in a specific location. Population settlement patterns can be separated into to three distinct patterns:

i) Linearii) Clustered (or nucleated)iii) Scattered

1. Each box below illustrates each of these three population settlement patterns. Decide which population settlement pattern you think each box is showing and then record your answers in the space provided under the box. Check with other students in the class to see if you have the same answers.

_______________________ ______________________ _________________

2. In the space below explain the difference between population density and population settlement.

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3. Turn to page 24 of your textbook and answer the following questions:i) This map does not have a title. Write a complete and appropriate title for this

map (a copy of this map is on the next page of this handout).ii) Describe in 2-3 sentences where most people in Canada live? iii) Answer all of question 1 on page 25 of your textbookiv) Answer question 2 e) on page 25 of your textbookv) Identify the settlement pattern which exists in each of the following regions in

Canada:Newfoundland, Northern Manitoba, C Southwest Saskatchewan

Population settlement in Canada can be categorized in two major groupings: Rural and Urban

Rural means population settlement outside cities and towns. Typically, population density is low and settlement pattern is dispersed. Three patterns of settlement can be readily observed in Canadian rural areas:

1. Long Lots settlement patterns of southern Quebec

Why this shape of lot? Occurred prior to roads and railways Main transportation was by water Since each farm needed water access, the lots were long and thin.

2. Concession lots in southern Ontario

Why this shape of lot? Settlement occurred after a survey was done by the government Roads, and later railway lines, were in-place

Groups of concessions were called Townships, and a group of Townships were a County. Government measured, divided and then sold this land to farmers

3. Sections in the Prairies.

Why this shape of lot? Settlement occurred before a survey

Same system was already being used in USA, so why invent a new one.

Land was divided into 94 km2 blocks, and then each block was divided into 36 equal sections. Each section was divided into four equal lots called Quarter-Sections.

Look at the six images on pages 7 to 9 in this document showing one of the three rural settlement patterns. With a partner decide which settlement pattern each image is showing, and then record your answer in the organizer below. Then list two pieces of evidence you saw in each image which gave you clues to your answer.

image

Type of rural settlement pattern

Clues in the image

A

B

C

D

E

F

A

B

C

D

E

F