Population Concepts Flashcards
Specific Subject Terminology (14 cards)
What is overpopulation?
Too many people for the resources available (e.g., not enough food, water, jobs).
Overpopulation can lead to resource depletion and environmental degradation.
What defines underpopulation?
Too few people to fully use available resources (e.g., not enough workers or demand).
Underpopulation can result in economic stagnation and underutilization of resources.
What does densely populated mean?
A lot of people in a small area (e.g., cities).
Densely populated areas often face challenges like congestion and pollution.
What is meant by sparsely populated?
Few people in a large area (e.g., deserts, mountains).
Sparsely populated regions may struggle with service delivery and infrastructure.
Define population size.
Total number of people in an area.
Population size is a critical factor in resource management and planning.
What is population density?
And how do you calculate it ?
Number of people per square kilometer/mile
Total population / Total Land area = people / square kiometer
Population density helps assess the level of urbanization and land use.
Explain population distribution.
How people are spread across a region (evenly or unevenly).
Understanding population distribution is essential for urban planning and resource allocation.
What is the birth rate?
Births per 1,000 people per year.
The birth rate is a key indicator of population growth and demographic trends.
Define death rate.
Deaths per 1,000 people per year.
The death rate influences population growth and age structure.
What is natural increase?
Difference between birth rate and death rate.
A positive natural increase indicates population growth, while a negative indicates decline.
What is population growth rate?
How fast the population is increasing or decreasing.
Population growth rate is influenced by birth rates, death rates, and migration.
Define migration.
Movement of people from one place to another.
Migration can be voluntary or forced and affects demographic patterns.
What does age structure refer to?
Distribution of population by age (young, working-age, elderly).
Age structure is important for understanding workforce dynamics and social services needs.
What is the dependency ratio?
Ratio of non-working population (kids + elderly) to working-age people.
A high dependency ratio may indicate economic strain on the working population.
