World Population II SS2 Geography Lesson Note

PATTERN OF WORLD POPULATION DISTRIBUTION

World population is not evenly distributed, some areas are densely or moderately populated while others are sparsely populated.  

1. The very densely populated parts of the World:  These include:

• Industrial North: Countries here include: Great Britain, France, Germany, Denmark, Belgium etc.  These areas are highly industrialized due to the presence of coal and iron.
• Industrial North-Eastern USA: This is the great industrial belt of the United States and Canada stretching from the share of the Great Lakes through Pittsburgh to New York which is very rich in coal and Iron ore.
• Agricultural Monsoon Asia: This includes populous countries like China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Indonesia (Particularly, Java) etc.  This area has fertile soil, a warm climate and abundant rainfall which promote agriculture.

2. The moderately populated parts of the world: These areas include the cool temperate forest of Europe, Canada and Asia, the agricultural USA, Mediterranean Europe, Africa, most parts of Southeast Asia etc.

3. The very sparsely populated parts of the world. These include:

• The cold polar lands of the Arctic and Antarctica (very cold areas).
• The Canadian and Eurasian tundra and Greenland (also very cold).
• The high mountains of the Himalayas, Rockies and parts of the Andes due to rugged topography and cold weather.
• The hot deserts of the world like the Kalahari, Atacama and Sahara deserts (due to hot weather and lack of rainfall).
• The dense tropical rain forests like the Amazon basin (South America), and Congo basin (Zaire).

PROBLEMS (DISADVANTAGES) OF HIGH POPULATION DENSITIES: 

The following problems are associated with high population growth in the USA, Java, India, Japan etc.

1. Pressure on natural resources such as Land, water and forest.
2. Increase in crime rate.
3.  Insufficient food.
4. Unemployment and underemployment.
5. Inadequate housing.
6. Traffic Congestion.
7.  Environmental pollution.
8. Pressure on social amenities like pipe-borne water, electricity etc.
9. Inadequate health services.
10. Development of slums and ghettos.

SOLUTIONS TO WORLD POPULATION PROBLEMS

The following are some of the ways world population problems can be solved:

1. Family Planning measures to control the high birth rate, especially in developing countries.
2. Discouraging early marriages.
3. Monogamy and other measures that cut down the high birth rate should be encouraged.
4. Provision of gainful employment for women: This is to occupy them with gainful ventures rather than the continuous breeding of children.
5. Sex education should be taught consistently in schools and mass media to enlighten the people.
6. Encouragement of emigration.
7. Stiffening immigration laws.