Population Geography
Study Guide
1.) The study of human populations and how they change over time is called
____demography___________________.
2.) How are population and population density different?
Population is the total number of people in a given area.
Population density is the average number of people per square mile.
3.) Write the formula for calculating population density.
Total number of people (population) divided by the amount of land (area).
4.) Physiologic population density gives a more realistic measurement because it is
calculated by dividing the population by the amount of ___arable_____________
land, whereas arithmetic population density is just population divided by total
land area.
5.) What 3 factors determine the population of an area?
Birth Rate, Death Rate, Net Migration Rate
6.) Contrast immigrants/emigrants.
Immigrants are people who come into a new country.
Emigrants are people who leave a country.
7.) Give 3 examples of push factors.
War, natural disasters, bad economy
8.) Give 3 examples of pull factors.
Education, job opportunities, freedom
9.) Contrast rural/urban.
Rural – relating to the countryside; farmland
Urban – relating to cities; urbanization is the movement of people to cities
and the growth of cities
10.)
How is a country’s rate of natural increase calculated?
Birth Rate – Death Rate (doesn’t factor in migration)
11.)
Name the world’s top three most populous countries in order.
1. China
2. India
3. United States
12.)
Name the top 3 most populated US cities.
1. New York City.
2. Los Angeles
3. Chicago
13.)
List the most and least populated states in the U.S.
Most Populated: California (38 million)
Least: Wyoming (about 500,000)
14.)
What is the world’s most densely populated country?
Monaco
15.)
A country’s ___dependency___________ ratio compares the number of
people too young or old to work with the number of people in the working age
population. Developed countries (like Germany, Italy, and the US) may
experience economic challenges because this ratio is too _high_____.
16.)
The ___replacement rate___________ ___________ is 2.1 babies per
woman in developed
countries. This is how many babies (on average) each woman needs to have for
the population to replace itself.
17.)
What are some reasons why the total fertility rate (the average # of
children born per woman) has fallen in Europe and other developed regions of the
world? Women are completing more education and starting careers before
starting families, so families are overall smaller.
- Also, the cost of living is higher, and child care is very expensive.
18.)
____Life expectancy______________________ is the average age a
person in a given country can expect to live to.
19.)
a.
For each of the population pyramids below, list the following information:
Type of growth
b.) largest age group
c.) mdc or ldc
Ethiopia: Rapid Growth; largest cohort is 0-4 year olds; less developed
Japan: Negative Growth; largest cohort is 60-64 year olds; more developed
UK: Slow/Steady Growth; largest cohort is 45-49 year olds; more developed