LEARNING UNIT 5

ORGANISATION OF WORLD POPULATION AND SETTLEMENTS

Author: Bigboy R Munyai

5.1 INTRODUCTION

In this learning unit, we will explore the organisation and settlement of the human population over the
world. The world’s human population has been projected to grow exponentially. The current world
population is in fact larger than ever before and constituted of more than 7 billion people (Dahlman et al,
2014). Developing countries such as India and Nigeria have a larger population growth compared to
developed countries. Birth and death rates are the driving force behind the organisation and the dynamic
nature of the population around the world. The spatial distribution of the world population and settlements
are significant for economic growth, cultural diversity, political stability, and most importantly, sustainable
use of natural resources. Therefore, demography and population geography (see Spotlight 6.1) has become
an important field of study, covering matters such as population size, birth and death rates, and migration
patterns over time. This learning unit will focus on the distribution of the population over the world, how
and why the world’s population is changing, the population structure and the process of demographic
transition, the mobility of the population, how people organise themselves in different types of settlements
and where these are found.
 Spotlight 5.1: The relevance of population geography

Population geography is a sub-discipline of geography

that is concerned with the characteristics, density, and
spatial distribution of humans on various scales
(Newbold, 2016). Population geographers seek to
understand spatial variations of population growth,
migration, birth rate, death rate, mortality, and fertility
rate. Population geography is essential in our society
today for the planning of economic development and
other aspects concerning a country’s population structure
and composition. The challenges associated with human population growth and migration are some of
the focus areas of population geographers.

Studying population growth in local, regional and global contexts is of great importance for population
geographers. Human population growth has increased tremendously due to technological advancement,
which decreases mortality worldwide. Exponential population growth results in overpopulation,
especially in developing countries (Toth & Szigeti, 2016). Overpopulation is a critical situation where
the current human population surpasses the earth’s carrying capacity. The reason this is a critical situation
is that overpopulation leads to the depletion of natural resources and many socio-economic deficiencies
such as lack of employment, starvation, war, and so forth (Singh et al, 2016; Singh et al, 2019).
Population geographers have been at the forefront in assisting governments and policy-makers around
the world to develop solutions for population-related problems.

5.2 AIM AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of this learning unit is to explore the spatial distribution of the population over the world, the
Global South and Africa, with reference to population density and population concentrations and how
different components of population change affect population structure. This learning unit will also reflect
on factors that influence global human migration patterns, trends as well as implications of migration, and
to conclude with, the patterns of human settlement.

At the end of this learning unit, you should be able to achieve the following learning outcomes:
• Develop an appreciation of different philosophical positions on population.
• Describe and explain the spatial distribution of populations over the world, with reference to population
density and population concentrations.
• Distinguish between the different components of population change and how this affects population
structure.
• Use population pyramids and the demographic transition model to explain population dynamics and to
speculate on population futures.
• Critically reflect on the modern sources, destination, causes and trends of migration in the world.
• Develop an understanding of how people organise themselves in rural and urban settlements, where
these are found and why, and how this affects economic development.

Once you have worked through this entire learning unit, you need to revisit these outcomes to determine
how your insight into the organisation of the world population and settlements has improved. However, if
you then feel that there are some areas that you are still unsure about, we recommend that you revisit those
sections before you continue with the next learning unit.

5.3 REQUIRED READING

The required reading for this learning unit consists of a selection of material from the following
recommended OERs for GGH1501:

1. Introduction to world geography (Dastrup, 2021a):

[Link]
2. Introduction to Human Geography (Dorrell et al, 2019):
[Link]

IMPORTANT: It is not necessary to read each of listed chapters from beginning to end, but only the
material on the specific topics as indicated in Section 5.5.

The broad topics to be covered by your reading for this learning unit are as follows:
• Population growth and philosophical positions on population
- Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2
• Population distribution, density and concentration
- Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2

• Components of population structure and change

- Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2

• Population pyramids, the demographic transition model and population futures

 - Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2

• Sources, destinations, causes and trends of migration

- Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 3
• Rural and urban settlements
- Relevant parts of Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 12; Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 12

At the end of each of Chapters 2, 3 and 12 in the book by Dorrell et al (2019), a list of key terms on different
aspects of population, migration and settlements are included, which you can acquaint yourself with. Make
sure that you understand these terms and that you are able to explain them in your own words. A proper
understanding of these terms will make it easier for you to grasp the message of this learning unit and to
interpret questions asked about it correctly. You are also welcome to consult other sources on this topic to
enhance your understanding. A selection of such possible additional sources for this learning unit is
supplied in Section 5.9, but is not compulsory to use.

5.4 REQUIRED WORLD MAPS AND DIAGRAMS

In order to fully understand this learning unit, it is crucial to have access to the following thematic world
maps, which you will be referred to at times and which will also be required to complete some of the
activities:
• World Population Distribution – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure 2.3 (Countries by population
2015)
• World arithmetic, physiological, and agricultural density – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure
2.17; Figure 2.18; and Figure 2.19 (showing respectively arithmetic density, physiological density, and
agricultural density)
• Population growth rate – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure 2.5 (Countries by Population Growth
Rate 2015)
• Overpopulation – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure 2.7 (Population Cartogram)
• CBR, CDR, Fertility, Infant mortality – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure 2.8 (Crude Birth Rate
2015); Figure 2.9 (Crude Death Rate 2015); Figure 2.10 (Countries by Average Fertility 2015); Figure
2.20 (Infant Mortality 2015)
• Population pyramids for different countries – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 2, Figure 2.11 (Population
Pyramids for select countries 2016)
• World international migrants – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 3, Figure 3.1 (Immigrant populations
around the world by region); Figure 3.2 (Top countries of immigration by number and percent). A useful
map of worldwide migration is available at the following link, and need to be considered as well:
[Link]
• World urban settlements – See Dorrell et al, 2019: Chapter 12, Figure 12.17 (Percentage Urban and
Agglomerations) and Table 12.1 (The World’s 30 Largest Metropolitan Areas)
• StatWorld software package – World maps of life expectancy (different categories), total population,
population growth (different categories), fertility rate and population by age categories

5.5 FINDING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE REQUIRED READING

The world is composed of billions of people and the rate of population growth is still rising. This is
especially evident in Asia and Africa. However, the spatial distribution of people is not the same
everywhere in the world. Some places are overpopulated, while others are sparsely populated. There are
different factors influencing the distribution of people and various reasons why people move from one area
to another. This in turn affects the organisation of space and settlements at large. This sub-section will guide
you through different topics on the organisation of the world population and settlements. Each of these
topics will help you to gain deeper insight into the material dealt with in this learning unit.

5.5.1 Population growth and philosophical positions on population

Early extensive work on populations was done by Malthus around the 1790s. His work centred on food
supply (economy) versus population growth. However, some identified foils in Malthus’s theory because
the interpretation was more economically focused and overlooked other important elements that play a key
role, including technological advancement (Griffith, 1967; Trewavas, 2002). In the twentieth century, Mayr
(1959) was the first scholar who invented the term population thinking. Mayr’s ideas of population were
based on individual variation that exists within populations. He noted that besides the idea of economy
versus population, it was also important to study the internal components of population that affect both its
growth and its decline. There are several contradictions in thinking about population growth. Moreover,
due to inaccurate predictions of the impacts of human population growth, there have been serious concerns
among scholars about exponential population growth with unforeseen future consequences (Mullan &
Haqq-Misra, 2019). This sub-section allows you to think about and develop your personal position on the
human population around the world.
The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2 (only relevant parts of Sections 2.1 and 2.2)
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7 (only relevant parts of the introduction to Chapter 7)

Also watch the following YouTube videos:

• “Nigerians react to government plans to control population”
[Link] (5:51)
• “Does Population Growth Lead to Food Shortages & Resource Depletion?”
[Link] (1:48)

It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• How do geographers define the human population?
• What are the main population theories and how do they differ in terms of thinking?
• How do old and modern population theories contradict each other?
• Referring to carrying capacity, what is the relationship between population and the natural environment?
• What is your view on the association between the environment and population growth? Explain your
answer with reference to the Global North versus the Global South.
• What are the positive and negative effects of the human population growth in the world? Refer to
specifically the Global South and Africa.
• What are the main elements that influence higher population growth in developing countries? (Use
Nigeria or any other African country as an example.)

It is important to develop an understanding of different philosophical positions on population before you

move on to consider other aspects of the human population, such as its distribution, structure and dynamics.
Different views on human population growth developed due to various foundations of thinking. Some
scholars approach population from a socio-economic point of view, while others view population from an
environmentalist perspective. The debate regarding population growth and overpopulation has been
important in modern geography, because most of the early predictions and assumptions on the negative
impacts of high population growth did not materialise (Boserup, 1985). Some of the factors that influence
errors in such predictions include timelines, politics and technological advancement.

5.5.2 Understanding population distribution, density and concentration

In this sub-section, we will explain and explore population concentrations and different types of
measurements of population density. It is important to know where humans live and why they live there.
This is because humans do not occupy a large space on the earth (Caselli, Vallin & Wunsch, 2005), since
most parts of the earth is covered by oceans, glaciers, forests and deserts (Dastrup, 2021a). This brings us
to the concept of the global spatial distribution of population, which you must acquaint yourself with. Make
sure that you understand all the relevant factors that are associated with the distribution pattern. Remember
that geographers are also interested in the population pressure on the inhabited land. Therefore, this sub-
section will also enlighten you on different methods that are used to measure the population density on
different scales.

The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7 (only relevant parts of Sections 7.1 and 7.2).
• Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2 (only relevant parts of Sections 2.1 and 2.6)

Also watch the following YouTube video and consult the following map on the Statworld platform:
• “Population Distribution & Density”
[Link] (1:04)
• StatWorld software package: Total population map from 1960 to 2010
It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• Why is population more concentrated in certain parts of the world than in other parts? Use examples
to support your answer.
• In which regions are most of the world’s population clustered and why specifically in these regions?
• Why are the United States of America (USA) and most European countries more densely populated
than most African countries, especially in the regions of the Sahara Desert and the subtropics?
• How do the landscape and climate of sub-Saharan Africa influence the spatial distribution of the
population?
• Why are urban areas in the Global South and in Africa generally overpopulated?
• What is the difference between arithmetic, agricultural and physiological population density and why
is it necessary to distinguish between these types?
• How do arithmetic, agricultural and physiological population density vary spatially over the world?
What reasons can be provided for this variation?

Human population around the world is unevenly distributed due to many reasons associated with the socio-
economic and environmental circumstances. The issue of where human the population lives is closely
related to location of, access to and/or availability of resources (Dastrup, 2021a). It is also essential while
engaging with this sub-section to gain an understanding of different population densities and distribution
patterns around the world. The evolution of the most densely populated places on the African continent has
been largely affected by environmental factors and socio-economy. These factors have reduced the
habitable land in Africa and the most densely populated areas are those bordering the lakes, rivers and
coastal belts.

5.5.3 Population structure and components of population change

Population structure and changes in population are important elements when discussing the population
distribution and density around the world. These two elements will help in providing insight into and
explaining various reasons for variations in population characteristics amongst regions. There are two main
indicators that influence the structure of the population, namely birth and death rates. Population growth
occurs when birth rate is greater than death rate, whereas the population declines when the death rate is
greater than the birth rate. Therefore, both birth and death rates are used to determine the natural increase
rate. Components of change and the structure of the population are employed to project the future
population. Most notably, gender and age group distribution are essential drivers of population dynamics.
The nature of these two characteristics is associated with either the phenomenon of overpopulation or a
declining population (Dorrell et al, 2019). Total fertility rate, life expectancy, dependency ratio and infant
mortality rate are other factors that are essential when considering population dynamics and demography.
In this sub-section, we will explore various components of population change and how this affects
population structure.

The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7 (only relevant parts of Section 7.3).
• Dorrell et al. (2019): Chapter 2 (only relevant parts of Section 2.4)

Also watch the following YouTube video and consult the following maps through the StatWorld software
package:
• “What is population change? What does population change mean? Population change meaning.”
[Link] (5:06)
• StatWorld software package: World maps of life expectancy (different categories), fertility rate and
population by age categories.

It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• What are the three major components of population change and how are these components quantified
(measured and calculated)?
• How and why do the major components of population change vary between the major regions of the
world?
• How do the three major components of population change affect population structure? Use examples
to support your answer.
• What are the four components that make up the structure of a population and how do they affect the
population in terms of growth and decline?
• How does a youthful population affect birth and death rates? Refer to Africa and the Global South in
your answer.
• What is the difference in the structural characteristics between African and European populations?
Explain the impacts of aged and young populations respectively.

Birth rate, death rate and natural increase rate as well as migration (which will be covered in sub-section
5.5.5) are among the indicators most often used in geography to measure population change (Dahlman et
al, 2014). A higher birth rate and a lower death rate result in a higher population growth and a youthful
population. An example is Nigeria. In contrast, a declining birth rate and a stabilised death rate result in an
aged population – for example, Japan. You should specifically note the distinctive characteristics of the
Global South and the Global North. The vast majority of higher birth rates is associated with the Global
South and Africa. On the other hand, most Global North countries have a stable or even a declining
population. Variation of ratios of old versus young populations are largely influenced by birth and death
patterns. The models or theories to study the structural components of population change are covered in the
next sub-section.

5.5.4 Population pyramids, the demographic transition model and population futures

The demographic transition model is based on processes of population change – especially birth and death
rates – in a succession of phases that countries pass through as they develop economically (Grover, 2014).
There are five identical phases and the interconnection between birth rate and death rate distinguishes each
phase. Every phase is influenced by the level of modernisation or industrialisation. Geographers have
employed this model, referred to as the demographic transition model, for years to describe the population
dynamics of regions. The phases of this model can be illustrated with population pyramids, which are
graphs that represent the distribution of age and gender in a population. Population pyramids can also be
used to analyse and project the future population of a country. Sizes and shapes of pyramids are interpreted
by demography to determine future population growth. When a country becomes more industrialised, the
death rate begins to shrink and the birth rate surges, which increases the total population. However, when
a country is fully industrialised, both the death rate and the birth rate begin to decrease, and the population
is stabilised.

The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7 (only relevant parts of Sections 7.4 and 7.5).
• Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 2 (only relevant parts of Sections 2.5 and 2.7)

Also watch the following YouTube videos and consult the following maps through the StatWorld software
package:
• “Demographic transition | Society and Culture | MCAT | Khan Academy”
[Link] (7:45)
• “Demographic Transition and Population Pyramids”
[Link] (5:05)
• “Overpopulation and Africa”
[Link] (7:04)
• StatWorld software package: Population growth map

It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• What are the four main stages of demographic transition and their characteristics?
• Give two examples of countries for each of the four main stages of the demographic transition model.
• What are the main components of a population pyramid and what information can be obtained from it?
• How would a typical population pyramid look for each of the four demographic transition stages?
• What are the factors that contribute to the declining birth rate according to the demographic transition
model for countries in the Global North?
• What are the factors that contribute to the declining death rate according to the demographic transition
model and how does this affect populations in the Global South and Africa?
• How will policies influence the future population in the Global South?

Your ability to interpret and describe the stages of the demographic transition model is directly related to
your understanding of the components of population change and population structures. Population pyramids
are important tools which are used to represent and interpret population growth/decline trends and which
can be analysed to predict future trends. They can be applied to any geographic scale for which appropriate
data are available. You should also realise that the population dynamics of countries/regions can be
represented by or inferred from population pyramids.

5.5.5 Global trends, causes and patterns of migration

Migration is part and parcel of human history. It can be described as the perpetual relocation of individuals
to brand-new locations (Dastrup, 2021a). Immigration (people entering a country) and emigration (people
leaving a country) are the main forms of migration and the difference between them is referred to as net
migration. There are various reasons for migration; most of them are voluntary while a few are involuntary
and forced by hunger, natural disasters, war and so forth. Migration can occur on any geographic scale and
is closely related to population distributions and resource availability. The majority of migrants come from
poor developing countries including Africa and the Global South, while the wealthier developed countries
(i.e. in the Global North) are mostly the destination. This trend is called North-South migration (Dorrell et
al, 2019). This sub-section will allow you to critically reflect on modern trends and patterns of migration,
why people leave their places of origin to settle in new locations and what the associated challenges are.

The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 7 (only relevant parts of Sections 7.6 and 7.7).
• Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 3 (only relevant parts of Sections 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5)

Also watch the following YouTube video:

• “Why Do People Migrate?! (Push & Pull Factors: AP Human Geo)”
[Link] (6:45)
It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• What are the prominent source and destination areas of international migration in the current era?
• What are the push and pull factors responsible for current international migration in the world?
• What is the relationship between migration and population structure? Use at least two examples to
illustrate your answer.
• What is the difference between global/regional migration and local/internal migration; which of these
two types of migration is the most common, and explain why?
• Why has migration to the European Union accelerated over the past two decades; where does the
majority of these immigrants come from and what is the effect of this on the EU?
• What are the prominent negative and positive impacts of migration? Refer specifically to the Global
South and Africa in your answer.
• What factors are responsible for forced migration and how does forced migration differ from voluntary
migration? Refer to examples of forced migration in the Global South and Africa.
• What do some countries benefit from migration, that other countries do not?

To conclude this sub-section, we shift the spotlight to migration in Africa, which is often related to violent
conflicts, poverty and environmental problems. Recent studies discovered that African migration remains
intra-continental, where most migrants move for a short period from one African country to another and
about 80 per cent of migrants do not leave the continent (Flahaux & De Haas, 2016; Adepoju et al, 2020).
The North African region is the destination of most African migrants and refugees. However, there has
been a rise in the number of African migrants to the Global North. International migration has a huge
influence on the uneven distribution of the world population, with many regions being restructured by
international migration (Dahlman et al, 2014). The enormous advancement of technology is playing a
critical role in international migration, where migrants are relocating over longer distances than before.
Poor developing countries in the Global South contribute the greatest share to international migration in the
world, mostly due to economically related push and pull factors.

5.5.6 Organisation of people in rural and urban settlements

Settlement is a concept that deals with how people organise themselves in their communities in terms of
their dwellings. The organisation of each settlement is affected by factors such as economic activities,
culture, and transportation type, while physical factors such as the form of the landscape, the type of soil
and water availability also play a role. The majority of the population in the world lives in urban areas,
especially in developed countries. Most urban areas today were once rural areas. In developed countries,
economic development and technological advancement have led to the transformation of most rural areas
to urban areas. This is referred to as urbanisation. There are various models or theories explaining urban
settlement – such as the central place theory and the ring model – but these are rather applicable to cities in
developed countries. The largest cities of the world are also located in developing countries, including India
(e.g. Delhi and Mumbai/Bombay), Pakistan (e.g. Karachi) and Bangladesh (e.g. Dhaka) from Asia; Nigeria
(e.g. Lagos), Democratic Republic of the Congo (e.g. Kinshasa) and Egypt (e.g. Cairo) from Africa; and
Brazil (e.g. Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo) from South America (Dastrup, 2021a; Dorrell et al, 2019). Since
rural and urban settlements do not have similar economic functions, it is important to be able to identify
their economic influence for respectively the Global North and the Global South, which will also be
considered in the rest of this sub-section.

The reading for this sub-section broadly covers the two recommended OERs as follows:
• Dastrup (2021a): Chapter 12 (only relevant parts of Sections 12.1, 12.2 and 12.3).
• Dorrell et al (2019): Chapter 12 (only relevant parts of Sections 12.1, 12.2, 12.3 and 12.4)

Also watch the following YouTube videos:

• “Difference between urban, rural”
[Link] (3:46)
• “African Urban futures”
[Link] (3:45)
It is not necessary to peruse all of this material. Your focus should be to extract sufficient information from
these sources to enable you to respond meaningfully to the following questions:
• How can urban and rural settlements be defined?
• What are the two prominent rural settlement patterns and their characteristics? Also provide examples
of each of these patterns.
• What are the common functions associated with respectively rural and urban settlements, and how do
these functions differ between the Global North and the Global South?
• What are the major differences between cities in the developing world (Africa, Global South)
compared to cities in the developed world (Global North), and why do these differences occur?
• Why can’t we apply classic models of the distribution and structure of cities in the Global North to
cities in the Global South and in Africa?
• What are the main problems related to urban settlements in Africa and in the Global South? Use
specific examples to illustrate your answer.

After going through this sub-section, you should be able to differentiate rural settlements from urban
settlements and identify economic activities related to each of them and how they affect economic
development. Settlement organisation, accessibility and interconnectedness are significant for economic
development and resource and service distribution. However, many African settlements originated during
colonial rule, but since experienced significant transformation. Rural areas are frequently associated with
subsistence agriculture, high levels of illiteracy, traditionalism as well as groupings of isolated dwellings
(Linard, 2012). There is a major gap between rural and urban areas in Africa, with urban areas known for
better service distribution and higher economic standards. Rural-urban migration and urbanisation have
shaped most Global South cities and urbanisation is taking place at higher rates than in the Global North
(Daniele et al, 2020). Global South cities are frequently experiencing the most unprecedented challenges,
including crime, informal settlements, air pollution, and so forth.

5.6 INTEGRATIVE ACTIVITY ON SPATIAL ASSOCIATION BETWEEN POPULATION

INDICATORS WITH STATWORLD

In this activity, we will investigate if countries with a higher population growth rate also have higher infant
mortality rates. This activity gives you an opportunity to practise or apply your knowledge of spatial
association, which is about the correlation between phenomena, and which you were introduced to in
Learning unit 1. In this case, the focus is on population growth and infant mortality rate. It is important to
note that in some instances you might find that there is no connectedness or relationship at all between
phenomena.

1. Ask a geographic question

 First, we need to identify the geographic question we want to answer:
Do countries with higher population growth have higher infant mortality rates?

2. Identify the information needed to solve the problem

This second step will identify the necessary information (or geospatial data) needed to answer the
question. We will need information about:
• A world map (Locational data)
• The population growth of the world (Attribute data)
• The infant mortality rates of the world (Attribute data)
• The most recent time period (Temporal data)

3. Process the information

We will now use StatWorld to process the information provided. First, open StatWorld as explained
in practical activity 2.2.

Then, follow these steps in StatWorld:

1. Click on the Population category at the top of the screen

2. Click on the down arrow next to the sub-category/indicator description.

3. Click on Population and then on Population growth.

A map indicating the population growth of the world should be displayed. If you look at the time
scale bar, you will notice that the statistics for the year 2009 is displayed on the map:

Your map should look the same as the image below:

Compare the map against the legend on the left-hand side. You will notice that the countries with
a dark blue colour have a higher population growth. Most of these countries are located on the
African continent, in the Middle East and in Australia.

We will now compare this map against the infant mortality rates of the world.

4. Click on the Health category at the top of the screen.

5. Click on the down arrow next to the sub-category/indicator description.

6. Click on Mortality rates and then on Mortality rate, infant (per 1,000 live births).

A map indicating the infant mortality rate of the world should be displayed. If you look at the
time slider at the bottom of the screen, you will notice that the infant mortality rate for 2005 is
displayed. We would like to see the latest infant mortality rate according to the latest available
information.

7. Click on the forward arrow once, and the infant mortality rate for 2009 (the same as year
as for the population growth) will be displayed on the screen:

Your maps should look the same as the image below:

Compare the map against the legend on the left-hand side. You will notice that the countries
with a dark red colour have higher infant mortality rates. Most of these countries are located on
the African continent, and in the Middle East and Far East. However, Australia and Saudi
Arabia have a high population growth but do not have a high infant mortality rate.
 Saudi
Arabi

Australia

8. Present and test the results

We have presented the results as two world maps:

Population growth: Infant mortality rates:

The results indicated that there is a positive correlation between population growth and infant
mortality rates in most cases.

The reason why Saudi Arabia and Australia have a negative correlation between population growth
and infant mortality rates requires further investigation. As explained in 2.5.2 above, the geographic
inquiry process is circular. We, therefore, start the process again and seek an answer to why Saudi
Arabia and Australia have a negative correlation between population growth and infant mortality
rates. This will be further investigated in practical activity 2.3.

9. Answer the geographic question

We are now ready to propose an answer to the geographic question:
Do countries with higher population growth have higher infant mortality rates?
 Yes, most countries have a positive correlation between population growth and infant mortality
rates. However, Saudi Arabia and Australia have a negative correlation between population growth
and infant mortality rates. The reason for this requires further investigation.

5.7 SUMMARY OF SOME MAJOR POINTS

In this section we provide a concise summary of a few of the major points flowing from this learning unit.
The list as provided is by no means comprehensive, and you are encouraged to add further points of
importance from your perspective:
• Population is a concept mostly employed to characterise the number of inhabitants of a specific
geographic area and it was established to study human occupation on earth.
• Population is not evenly distributed in the world; some areas or regions are more densely populated
than other areas. There are various economic, social, environmental and cultural factors that influence
the spatial distribution of a human population in the world.
• Different philosophies are employed to develop an understanding for the dynamics of population; one
of the notable population philosophers was Malthus who influenced population thinking in the 1700s.
• Most arguments and ideas of population philosophy are centred around population growth and
overpopulation.
• The study of population is significant for matters related to resource distribution, the economy, social
and political stability, and sustainable development.
• Different measurements of population distribution include arithmetic, physiological and agricultural
density.
• Human population is dynamic in nature; both the total population and demography change over time.
• Birth rate, death rate and migration are among the key indicators that influence a population structure
of a particular region.
• Age group distribution and gender are structural characteristics that drive population dynamics, and
are influenced by both death and birth rates.
• Human population can be measured and projected on various scales as town, city, region, country or
the world.
• The demographic transition model is used to explain the process of population change as a progression
of stages. Countries go through each stage as they develop economically. The five stages stipulated in
the model can be used to project the future population of regions.
• Population pyramids are a tool used with the demographic transition model to analyse and predict a
population over time for a specific region.
• A population pyramid is a graph that shows the distribution of a population according to gender and
age. Pyramids are comprised of different shapes and sizes and are used to interpret the future of a
population in terms of change and growth.
• People do not always live where they were born; they move from one region to another for various
reasons (push and pull factors), and this process is referred to as migration. Most international migrants
come from Africa and the Global South.
• Settlements are complex and vary from a minor number of inhabitants to large cities enclosed by major
urbanised areas. It is important to note that each settlement has a history and size which in turn affect
its function, location, organisation, and composition.

5.8 CONCLUSION

This learning unit articulates that the human population is dynamic in nature and varies over time and space,
around the world. People do not always stay where they are originally from. Because of various push and
pull factors there is a continuous movement of people locally, regionally and internationally. Population
structure and its changing components affect aspects related to economic activities, sustainable
development, social coherence and cultural composition (Dastrup, 2021a). This learning unit also provided
you with an opportunity to analyse and diagnose processes responsible for rural and urban settlement
patterns and their impacts on the economy. By having insight into aspects such as population concentration,
population structure and its changing components, the demographic transition mode, population pyramids,
migration patterns and trends, and settlement organisation; you should be inspired as a geography student
to analyse and interpret the population in your region and the world at large. You should also be aware by
now that the human population has huge impacts on our societies and the natural environment; therefore, it
is imperative to understand current population issues and to be able to predict future trends.
5.9 ADDITIONAL MATERIAL OF INTEREST (NOT COMPULSORY)

The following internet resources will provide you with some interesting views and readings on the topics
we discussed in this learning unit. These links are not compulsory to successfully complete this module,
but if you have time and you are interested in enriching your knowledge in this area, we highly
recommend that you consider accessing some of these resources.

YouTube videos

“Global population growth”

[Link] (5:12)
“Population Distribution & Density”
[Link] (1:04)

“Population Pyramids Geography”

[Link] (3:36)

“What is internal migration? | Migrants on the margins”

[Link] (4:20)

Readings

Population Distribution, Settlement Patterns and Accessibility across Africa in 2010

[Link]

Africa demographic patterns and settlements

[Link]

Human population growth and the demographic transition

[Link]

International Migration and City Growth in the Global South: An Analysis of IPUMS Data for Seven
Countries, 1992–2013
[Link]

5.10 REFERENCES

Adepoju, A., Fumagali, C. and Nyabola, N., 2020. Africa migration report: challenging the narrative.

Bonar, J., 1885. Malthus and his work. Macmillan and Company.

Boserup, E., 1985. Economic and demographic interrelationships in sub-Saharan Africa. Population and
Development Review, pp. 383–397.

Caselli, G., Vallin, J. and Wunsch, G., 2005. Demography: Analysis and Synthesis, Four Volume Set: A
Treatise in Population. Elsevier.
Dahlman, C.T., Renwick, W.H. and Bergman, E., 2014. Introduction to Geography: People, places and
environment. Pearson.

Daniele, E., Deborah, B. and Sliuzas, R., 2020. Measuring and understanding global human settlements
patterns and processes: innovation, progress and application.

Dastrup, R.A., 2021a. Introduction to World Geography. Pressbooks.

Dorrell, D., Henderson, J.P., Connor, G. and Lindley, T., 2019. Introduction to Human Geography.
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Flahaux, M.L. and De Haas, H., 2016. African migration: trends, patterns, drivers. Comparative Migration
Studies, 4(1), pp. 1–25.

Griffith, G.T., 1967. Population problems of the age of Malthus. Psychology Press.

Grover, D., 2014. What is the demographic transition model? PopEd Blog, 13.

James, P., 2013. Population Malthus: His life and times. Routledge.

Linard, C., Gilbert, M., Snow, R.W., Noor, A.M. and Tatem, A.J., 2012. Population distribution, settlement
patterns and accessibility across Africa in 2010. PloS one, 7(2), p. e31743.

Mayr, E. 1959. Darwin and the evolutionary theory in biology. In Evolution and Anthropology: A
Centennial Appraisal: 409412. Anthropological Society of Washington, Washington, D.C.

Mullan, B. and Haqq-Misra, J., 2019. Population growth, energy use, and the implications for the search
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Newbold, K.B., 2016. Population growth. International Encyclopedia of Geography: People, the Earth,
Environment and Technology: People, the Earth, Environment and Technology, pp. 1–6.

O'Hara, R.J., 1997. Population thinking and tree thinking in systematics. Zoologica Scripta, 26(4), pp.323–
329.
Singh, R., Srivastava, P., Singh, P., Upadhyay, S. and Raghubanshi, A.S., 2019. Human overpopulation
and food security: challenges for the agriculture sustainability. In Urban agriculture and food systems:
breakthroughs in research and practice (pp. 439–467). IGI Global.

Singh, R.P., Singh, A. and Srivastava, V. eds., 2016. Environmental issues surrounding human
overpopulation. IGI Global.

Tacoli, C., 2003. The links between urban and rural development. Environment & Urbanization, 15(1), pp.
3–12.

Toth, G. and Szigeti, C., 2016. The historical ecological footprint: From over-population to over-
consumption. Ecological Indicators, 60, pp. 283–291.

Trewavas, A., 2002. Malthus foiled again and again. Nature, 418(6898), pp. 668–670.