mongolia sparsely populated Flashcards
What is Mongolia’s population and population density?
Mongolia has a population of around 3.5 million people and a population density of 2.2 people per square kilometer, making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world.
What factors contribute to Mongolia’s low population density?
The key factors include harsh climate, geography and terrain, economic factors, and slow urbanization.
How does Mongolia’s climate affect its population density?
Mongolia experiences extreme continental climate with long, harsh winters (temperatures as low as -40°C), making farming difficult, particularly in the north, and leading to lower population concentrations in rural areas.
How does Mongolia’s geography contribute to its low population density?
The vast majority of Mongolia consists of desert (Gobi Desert) and mountainous terrain, both of which limit agricultural development and make large areas inhospitable for settlement, reducing the ability to support large populations.
How does Mongolia’s economy affect its population distribution?
Mongolia’s economy is still largely based on pastoralism, with many people living as nomadic herders. This requires extensive land and space, leading to a sparse population distribution, especially in remote rural areas.
How does urbanization affect Mongolia’s population distribution?
Despite rapid growth in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, the majority of the population remains spread across rural areas in nomadic communities or small towns, resulting in slower rural-urban migration and limiting overall population growth in urban areas.
How does Mongolia’s low population density affect infrastructure development?
Due to the low population density, infrastructure development in rural areas is limited, with roads, electricity, and other essential services often unavailable in remote areas, hindering economic development and reducing the quality of life.
What challenges does Mongolia face in service delivery?
The sparse population makes delivering services like healthcare, education, and social welfare difficult and costly, especially in rural regions, where there are fewer healthcare facilities and limited access to services.
What are the environmental concerns related to Mongolia’s low population density?
Overgrazing by livestock, especially in the Gobi Desert, has led to desertification and the depletion of pastureland, while nomadic practices can contribute to soil erosion and land degradation.
How does Mongolia’s low population density impact its economy?
Mongolia’s economy, which relies heavily on agriculture, mining, and animal husbandry, faces challenges due to low population density and reliance on pastoralism, limiting the potential for agricultural or industrial development and creating labor shortages outside urban areas.
What demographic challenges does Mongolia face due to its low population density?
Mongolia faces population aging, with fewer young people to support the elderly, which strains healthcare and pension systems. The smaller working-age population also poses potential future labor shortages.
