CGU4U
POPULATION PYRAMIDS II
Human Geography in Action Ch.5; Human Geography (Knox et al.) pp.118-121
Exercises
Activity A.2:
Discuss with a partner your paragraphs of the population pyramids for the
Developed and the Less Developed Worlds. Be prepared to share with the class
the important points from your discussion.
Activity B:
Using the supplied regional demographic data, construct population pyramids for
one of the following regions for 2004. Use a fixed horizontal axis of 10% for ease
of comparison between pyramids.
Regions
1)
3)
5)
7)
9)
11)
Activity C:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Near East
Latin America and Caribbean
Eastern Europe
Commonwealth of Independent States
Oceania
2)
4)
6)
8)
10)
Northern Africa
Asia
Western Europe
Baltics
Northern America
The U.S. Census Bureau’s International Data Base (IDB) allows you to obtain
population pyramids for selected countries. Following the instructions below, find
and print population pyramids for two countries in your region that either match
or are different from the regional pyramid characteristics.
While you are looking for country pyramids in your region, try a ‘dynamic’
pyramid for Kenya and Ethiopia. Kenya was once the ‘pyramid-of-choice’ for
wide-based pyramids, but compare how its demographic structure is expected to
change with the predictions for Ethiopia. (Other interesting pyramids: Bahrain,
Kuwait, Monaco, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Barbados (1980, 90, 2000, 2010).)
Online IDB Population Pyramids
a) Go to URL http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/ .
b) Choose “Population Pyramids”.
c) Select one country, the type of output (Summary, Select Year, or Dynamic),
and the graph size (small size is sufficient); pick “Summary” for a set showing
current and future demographic structures.
d) Copy the images to MS-Word for later printing.
Activity D:
Accompany your regional and country population pyramids with a couple of short
paragraphs commenting on the shape of the respective pyramids. As with the
pyramids for the Developed and the Less Developed Worlds, include sex ratio and
dependency ratio if appropriate and comment on the future social and economic
concerns that your region can anticipate.
Activity E:
Prepare a one-page sheet for distribution to two others in the class (ie. make three
copies including one for yourself) that contains your regional pyramid, your two
national pyramids, and your summary paragraphs.
CGU4U
POPULATION DENSITY AND PROSPECTS
“People are unevenly distributed over the earth. The ecumene, or permanently inhabited portion
of the globe, is discontinuous and marked by pronounced differences in population concentrations
and numbers. East Asia, South Asia, Europe, and northeastern United States/southeastern Canada
represent the world’s greatest population clusters, though smaller areas of great density are found
in other regions and continents. Since growth rates are highest and population doubling times
generally shorter in world regions outside these four present main concentrations, new patterns of
population concentration and dominance are taking form.”
Human Geography, Fellman, Getis & Getis
1. Contrast crude population density and physiological density and explain for what differing
purposes might each be useful.
crude population density:
physiological density:
2. How is carrying capacity related to the concept of density?
3. Why is demographic momentum a matter of interest in population projections? In which
world areas are the implications of demographic momentum most serious in calculating
population growth, stability, or decline?
“Remember, though, that human populations are not merely collections of numerical units; nor
are they to be understood solely through statistical analysis. Societies are distinguished not just
by the abstract data of their numbers, rates, and trends, but by experiences, beliefs, understanding,
and aspirations, which collectively constitute culture.”