Human Geography 4e Places and Regions in Global Context Authors Paul L Knox Sallie A Marston PowerPoint Author Keith M Bell Chapter 3 Geographies of Population Main Points What is demography The Baby Boom Generation What is overpopulation How many people are too many Why do humans migrate What are some of the push and pull factors related to immigration between the US and Mexico Demography The study of the characteristics of human populations Geographers ask why are certain populations located where they are Focus on the spatial patterns of human populations Demography Demography Censuses and Vital Records Demography Study of the characteristics of human populations Age sex race ethnicity family size Census http www census gov Count of people in a nation region or city Used to apportion legislative seats Used to redistribute taxes to fund schools hospitals and other public institutions In U S every 10 years Vital records Birth death marriage certificates Distribution and Structure Where people live depends on Environmental and physical factors Accessibility topography soil fertility climate Political and economic experiences and characteristics Culture Religion tradition history Types of Population Pyramids Population Pyramids Slow population growth 2000 Population Pyramids Zero population growth 2000 Baby Boom and Aging U S baby boom crude birth rate Elderly people in the United States The Baby Boom The Baby boom health care and deficits Health care and the budget defic Thomas Malthus The power of population is indefinitely greater than the power in the earth to produce subsistence for man Malthus today The Population Bomb Overpopulation and Famine Amartya Sen Bengal famine 1943 Famine did not occur only because of lack of food but because of basic inequalities in food distribution issues of hoarding lack of money to buy food price increases due to geopolitical issues Famine today in the Horn of Africa Somalia 13 persons per sq km Oklahoma 21 1 persons per sq km Despite the fact that Oklahoma s per capita impact on the landscape is more than 45 times that of Somalia when accounting for population density and consumption levels we don t talk about overpopulation in Oklahoma hy might people in the Horn of Africa have more children What has led to famin Not just about the numbers 1 What role do children play in the family 2 Can more people lead to more productivity 3 What are some external factors that shape food availability Land grabs Demographic Transition New research shows that the rate of population growth has slowed and will eventually start to decline Link to article http www slate com articles tech nology future tense 2013 01 worl d population may actually start declining not exploding html This is known as demographic transition the transition from high death rates and high birth rates to low death rates and low birth rates What works in managing population growth Controlling population vs reducing population growth through economic development What works Improving the rights and education of women and girls reduces fertility rates Kerala state India