1. Population Geography
Distribution of World Population
Population Statistics
Population Pyramids
Demographic Transition Theory
Overpopulation (Malthus and Neo-
Malthusians
Population Control

4. World and Country Population
Totals
Distribution and Structure: 3/4 of people live on 5% of
earth's surface!
Total: 6 billion on planet as of Oct. 12, 1999
Five most populous regions and countries
REGION POPULATION COUNTRY POPULATION
East Asia 1.5 billion China 1.254 billion
S.Asia 1.2 billion India 986 million
Europe 750 million U.S. 300 million
SE Asia 500 million Indonesia 206 million
East N. A. 120 million Brazil 168 million

9. Rates of Natural Increase

11. Doubling Times
The doubling time is the
Grow th Doubling
number of years before a Rate Tim e
population will be twice as (% per
in Years
large as it is today. Year)
0.1 700
World = 50 0.5 140
U.S. = 34 1 70
MDC = 543 2 35
LDC = 40 3 23
4 18
Honduras = 22
5 14
Belize = 19
6 12
Denmark = 700 7 10
Russia = never? 10 7

12. Fertility Rates
2.1 is generally regarded as a replacement rate
(the rate at which a population neither grows nor
shrinks) in the developed world. In less developed
countries this rate should be higher (2.8?).
Iran 4.7
USA 2.0
Italy 1.2
High infant mortality tends to result in higher
fertility rates as families seek “insurance” for the
loss of children.

13. Infant Mortality

20. Demographic Transition Model

25. Problems with the
Demographic Transition
Model
• based on European experience, assumes all
countries will progress to complete
industrialization
• many countries “stuck” in stage 2 or stage 3
• reflects logic of continuous growth, an
impossibility

26. Population J-Curve

27. Population and Resource
Consumption

28. Population and the
Environment
I = P x A x T
Impact = Population x Affluence x Technology
Population influenced environmental
problems:
• Global Warming
• Habitat Loss / Endangered Species
• Resource Depletion
• Food Shortages? Not globally, but