Unit 2: Consequences of Population Distribution Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is population density?
the amount of people in an area
What is population distribution?
the spread of people in an area
What might happen of a population has uneven distribution?
-political power will be concentrated in urban areas
-rural areas will have less power and representation
-politicians may favor cities as they have larger voting bases
-may lead to some people getting disenfranchised
-could create conflict between rural and urban communities (centrifugal forces)
Do bigger states with more population density have more political power?
No, they have less political power.
Do smaller states with less population density have more political power?
Yes, they have more of an impact on politics.
If a population is dispersed, and has a low population density, what may be an issue for them?
government’s having to pay for more utilities for a longer range of geographic area
If a population is clustered, and has a high population density, what may an opportunity for them?
-does not need to provide services over a large geographic area
If a population is clustered, and has a high population density, what may a challenge for them?
investments into public transportation to reduce traffic and congestion
In the private sector, what do more densely populated populations have in the job market?
-a variety of jobs and economic opportunities
-will have to compete with the population for those jobs
-more goods and services for people to purchase
What is the cost of living in urban areas?
-higher cost of living
-taxes
-home
-services
-goods
What is the cost of living in rural areas?
-lower cost of living
-less goods and services for residents to use
What do the TFR’s look like in densely populated areas?
-low
-focused on jobs
-cost of raising a family
What do the TFR’s look like in rural, dispersed areas?
-higher
-especially if they focus on agriculture
-cost of raising a family is less
What does transportation look like in a dispersed population?
will need to travel more for private and public services
What does transportation look like in a densely populated area?
will need to travel less for private and public services
What does the environment look like in a densely populated area?
-concrete jungle
-loss of important green spaces
-loss of agricultural land
-merge into suburbs
What does the environment look like in a rural are?
-more green spaces
-more land available for land use
What is urban sprawl?
the spread of urban development from an urban area into undeveloped land near a city
What is carrying capacity
the amount of people that an environment can sustain without damaging it or running out of resources
What will happen to a population if they exceed the carrying capacity of their environment
-desertification
-depletion of the nutrients in the soil
-overpopulation
-starvation
-loss of life
