POPULATION DISTRIBUTION AND DENSITY

Population density is defined as the number of people per km2, the relationship between people
and the space they occupy, whereas population distribution describes the location of
individuals in an area.
Choropleth Maps
A choropleth map can be used to represent population data. A choropleth map uses colours or
shading to represent population data. Choropleth maps are divided into administrative units; such
as districts or parishes. The population density for each administrative unit is calculated. Then
each administrative unit is coloured or shaded according to its population density. Choropleth
maps are useful for showing differences in population densities of different administrative units.
However, they do not show the variations in population density that exist within these
administrative units.

1
Dot Maps
Dot maps can also be used to represent population data. On a dot map, each dot represents a
certain number of people. Dots are placed according to the number of people who live in an area.
There are more dots in densely populated areas and fewer dots in places which are sparsely
populated. A dot map gives a good idea of how the population is distributed in an area. Dot maps
are also easy to read.

2
Factors influencing Population Distribution:
 Historical: Most Caribbean capital cities were established on sites that were suitable for trade
with sailing ships during the colonial period. These cities have attracted a high population in
the past and have remained densely populated.
 Cultural: Cultural preferences may vary: Amerindians in Guyana and Suriname continue to
live in small, isolated villages, while people who live in cities live in densely packed
apartments.
 Physical: e.g., mountainous areas and swamps usually have low population densities.
 Socio-economic factors: e.g., prosperous areas with many jobs attract migrants and often
have high population densities.

Factors affecting population distribution and density

There are several factors that affect where individuals live and therefore influence patterns of
population distribution and density.
1. Physical geography - Some environments experience hostile living conditions, such as
deserts, high mountains and dense forests. These areas tend to have fewer people than areas with
natural advantages such as fertile flat la nd and well-watered river valleys. In China, for example,
few people live in the Himalayan mountains where the climate is extremely cold, the soils are
thin and infertile, and the slopes are too steep for farming. In contrast, the flat fertile valley of the
Yangtze River, with its good irrigation opportunities and alluvial soils, is heavily populated.
2. Climate - Some places experience climatic extremes, such as polar regions (e.g. northern
Canada and Siberia) and deserts (e.g. Sahara Desert in Africa). Few individuals choose to live in
these areas where it is hard to make a living. Elsewhere, climatic conditions m temperate and
tropical regions are less hostile to human settlement and these regions tend to have higher
population concentrations.
3. Proximity to the coast - An estimated two-thirds of the world's population live within 500 km
of the coast and many live on the coast itself. The main reasons for this are trade with other
countries, the development of fishing and, more recently, the development of tourism.
4. Resources - The presence of resources, particularly energy resources such as coal, has had an
important influence, particularly in Europe and in parts of the USA. In Europe, the Industrial
Revolution was based on the extensive coal resources in the UK, France and Germany. This
explains the high concentration of people in this region.
5. Rivers - Some major rivers are responsible for high concentrations of people. The River Nile
in Egypt acts as an important transport route and provides much-needed water for irrigation in an
otherwise extremely arid country.
6. Socio-economic factors are important - economic factors are to do with money and jobs;
social factors involve health, education and other public services. For example, many Caribbean

3
settlements have grown recently because of the pull factors of available jobs, especially in
tourism. Jobs may be seasonal (which 1s a disadvantage), but people take what is offered. The
larger the settlement the more services, for example retailing and banking, are required for the
population.
Birth rates and Death rates.
 Birth rate (SR) - number of babies born alive per 1,000 persons per year.
 Death rate (DR) - number of individuals dying per 1,000 persons per year.
 Natural change (NC)- the difference between the birth rate and the death rate but
expressed as a percentage (per 1 00 persons) rather than per 1,000 persons.
 Natural increase (NI)- this is where there 1s a positive natural change, that is, the birth
rate is higher than the death rate.
 Natural decrease (ND) - this is where there is a negative change, that is, the birth rate is
lower than the death rate.
 Infant mortality - this is the number of deaths in the age group 1-12 months per 1,000 live
births per year.
 Child mortality - this takes account of all deaths of children up to the age of 5, per 1,000
children in that age group.
 Life expectancy - this is the number of years that individuals are expected to live from
birth in a particular country.
 The fertility rate - This is the number of children that the average woman will bear in her
lifetime. If the fertility rate is about 2.0, then the population tends to be stable. The
population will tend to increase in countries which have a fertility rate which is greater
than 2.0. In countries which have a fertility rate which is less than 2.0, the population will
tend to decrease. The fertility rate has decreased in many countries because the women in
those countries are delaying childbearing to pursue higher education and careers.
 Migration - this is the movement of individuals from place to place - changing residence
with the intention of remaining in the new place for at least one year.
 Immigration - this is movement into another country to settle there - with the intention of
remaining for at least one year.
 Emigration - this is movement out of one's country to settle in another country with the
intention of remaining there for at least one year.
 The population change in a country is the result of natural increase and migration.

4
The Demographic Transition Model (DTM)

5
Population Pyramids
The total population of an area, such as a country, a region or a city can be subdivided into
different age groups. It can also be divided into male and female. This information can be plotted
as a series of horizontal bars to create a diagram called a population pyramid.
Population pyramids can be used to identify trends in birth rates, death rates and life expectancy.
They are extremely useful to governments for planning purposes, for example, in providing
enough school places for a growing population or health care and support services for an ageing
population.

6
 Factors influencing population growth in the Caribbean and Nigeria

Caribbean Nigeria
Birth Rates Birth rates are higher than the Caribbean at
Birth rate is approximately 26 births per 1000 approximately 36 births per 1000 people,
people. This has decreased for the same reasons
which impacted fertility rates.
Death Rate Almost half of the population of Nigeria is aged
Death rates have remained roughly stable despite under 15. Only 3% are aged over 65. The infant
improvements in medical care due to the mortality rate has been reduced with improved
increasing proportion of elderly people in the health care for mothers and their babies, but it is
Caribbean. still much higher than in the Caribbean.
Natural Increase The population is increasing by more than 2.7%
Natural increase was 1.8% annually for the every year. There are an additional 4.8 million
region. Nearly half of the regional population was people to feed and house.
under 15 or over 65 years old. Birth rates are
high due to improvements in healthcare have led
to significant reductions in infant mortality rates
throughout the region.
Migration Many Nigerians migrate to Europe and North
There is a significant flow of emigrants from the America, and few come to the Caribbean.
region. Many people choose to migrate to People from less prosperous neighbouring
countries such as the USA, Canada and the UK. countries migrate to Nigeria.
The flow of immigrants into the region is The number of migrants remain low when
significantly smaller. The Caribbean can be compared to the total population. Th net outward
described as a region of net emigration. migration rate of 4 per 1000 people is low.
Fertility Rates The fertility rate is higher than the Caribbean.
Generally, fertility rates have dropped
significantly in the region. Various forms of
contraceptives are easily available. Also, a greater
proportion of women have entered the workforce
and more women pursue higher education. Thus,
many women are choosing to have children later
in life and also have fewer children.
Life Expectancy Life expectancy has improved but it remains
Improvements in healthcare have caused life lower than the Caribbean
expectancy throughout the region to increase.
However, the increase in life expectancy has been
relatively slow compared to many other parts of
the world.

7
Types of migration
 In-migration: In-migration is defined as the movement of people into one region of a country
to live in another region of the same country. It differs from immigration because during
that process, people are coming into a country from different country or region of the
world.
 Out migration: Out-migration is defined as the movement of people out of one region of a
country to live in another region of the same country. It differs from emigration because
during that process, people are relocating to a different country or region of the world.
 Regional migration: This is the movement within a country from one
county/state/administrative region/parish to another.
 International migration: This is the movement from one country to another. Some people can
voluntarily migrate based on individual choice. At other times, an individual must leave
against his or her will. This is forced migration.

Origin of migrants and main destinations of migrants

- Origin: Caribbean
- Destination: USA, UK, Canada

Reasons for in and out-migration:

Push and pull factors:
Push factors: elements of the origin that are perceived negatively leading to a desire to
leave.
Pull factors: elements of the destination that are perceived positively leading to place-
attraction.

- Social:
Collective Behaviour: Moving as part of an identified group to maintain group cohesion
(Traveller communities, nomadic groups, ethnic groups)
Personal Well-Being: Migration for health reasons (retirees to Florida), or perceived quality
of life (relocating to rural areas for a less frenetic pace of life)
Forced (Environment): Fleeing a region of drought / flood / desertification / eruption.

- Economic:
Personal Aspiration: Desiring an improved standard of living for yourself or your family
through gaining economic and social benefits; Economic migrants.

- Political:
Forced (Political): Threats to freedom, safety and liberty due to religious, ethnic, racial or
political persecution, conflict or war. (Leads to Refugees and Asylum-Seekers)

8
Consequences of In and Out migration
- Economic impacts
• Many migrants send money back home to their children, siblings or other relatives. These
sums of money are known as remittances. Remittances often bring in as much money into the
country as tourism.
 Many people who live overseas return home from time to time as tourists to visit friends
and family. They rent vehicles, patronize restaurants and other business places and stay at
hotels or guest houses. The country benefits from these people just as it would from other
tourists.
 Some emigrants eventually return home. Some return after retiring. Some have acquired
some qualifications or skills overseas and return to work. Some may have substantial
savings which they may use to start a business or build a home. Such ventures create jobs
for the locals.
- Social impacts
 Because the outflow of migrants is much greater than the inflow of migrants to that
country, migration helps to slow down the rate of population growth. Also, most
emigrants are young people who would probably have children if they remained there.
Therefore, migration also helps to reduce the birth rate.
 Many emigrants are young, talented, ambitious, skilled or educated. These people may
have made a great contribution to their home country if they had remained there. Many
countries lose many of their skilled, trained and educated people through migration.
 Emigration often leads to further emigration. Children, parents or other relatives often
migrate to join migrants who have established themselves overseas.
 Some migrants are forced to return. Some are deported for being in these countries
illegally or because they have been convicted of criminal acts. Others are required to
return because their work or student visas have expired.

Ways of controlling migration

- Decentralization of services
- Increase of economic activities

9
 URBANIZATION
Definition of terms
Urbanization: Urbanisation is an increase in the number of people living in towns and cities. The
two causes of urbanisation are natural population increase and rural to urban migration.
Urban growth: It refers to an increasing proportion of a population residing in urban areas in
comparison to rural areas.
Urban sprawl: The spreading of urban developments onto undeveloped land outside the city.
Primacy: This refers to a great concentration of people in a single urban area. A primate city has
a population of at least twice that of the next largest city. In most Caribbean countries, over 30
per cent of the population live in a single primate city, which is usually the capital. Primate cities
can cause an imbalance of investment, resulting in the formation of a thriving economic core
area based on the primate city and a relatively poor, more rural, periphery. In an ideal world, it is
good to balance out development over the whole of a country.

Causes of urbanization in the Caribbean:

 Rural-urban migration, as individuals seek to improve their lives by moving from the
coun1ryside towns and cities.
 Rapid natural increase in urban areas, usually owing to the influx of young couples
from rural areas. These are people in their child-bearing years. Towns and cities usually
have a younger population than rural areas.

Benefits of urbanization:
 Economic Advantages: Urbanization leads to increased economic development and
industrialization. The growth of cities also creates job opportunities. Large urban areas
have more industries, businesses, and institutions where people can seek and find
employment.
 There are more employment opportunities in the city because there are more businesses
there. In the city, it will be simpler for them to land a job regardless of experience.
Greater numbers of businesses in the city are open to hiring fresh graduates.
Opportunities in the nation are restricted to those with skills, making it more difficult for
those without experience to find employment.
 Social Advantages: Cities promote socialization by creating spaces where people can
gather for social activities. Urban areas often have theaters, concert halls, and museums
that offer enriching experiences. Moreover, there are larger hospitals and better
educational facilities.
 Technological Advantages: Urban areas are typically hubs for technology and
innovation. With the concentration of resources and talent in cities, they often become
places for technological advancement and innovation. This leads to better services and
infrastructure.
Problems of urbanization:

10
  Urban sprawl - this is the physical growth of the city at the edges, mostly caused by more
and more people needing housing. Urban sprawl can destroy valuable farmland and
natural vegetation dose to the city.
 Lack of appropriate housing - housing shortages have led to the development of poor-
quality housing areas, sometimes called squatter settlements. Here the houses are poor
quality and residents of1en have inadequate services, such as education and health
services, access to water. waste disposal and sanitation.
 Urban poverty - the reality of city life may not live up to expectations and some
individuals are unable to get a job. The level of poverty in urban areas is high.
 Transport and congestion - transport systems may fail to cope with the sheer number of
people so 'all-day rush hours' may result as vehicles clog the narrow streets.
 Crime - levels of crime can be high in some cities, particularly where there are high
levels of poverty, alcoholism and drug abuse.

Attempts to control urbanization:

 Decentralisation - Encouraging development and investment in rural areas can help
alleviate the pressure on urban centers and provide alternative places for people to live
and work. Encouraging new developments to take place away from capital cities will
reduce primacy.
 Urban planning and zoning: Implementing strict urban planning and zoning regulations
can help control the expansion of cities and prevent unplanned development. The use of
planning measures to create a 'green belt' around cities where development is restricted.
Not only does this prevent urban sprawl bu1 it helps to protect farmland and conserve
wildlife. Also, protecting and preserving natural areas within and around cities can help
limit the spread of urbanization and provide essential environmental benefits.
 Investing money in rural areas - improving services, transport and living conditions so
that people will choose to stay and work in the countryside rather than moving to towns
and cities.
 Addressing economic disparities: Tackling economic inequality and providing
opportunities for employment and affordable housing in both urban and rural areas can
help reduce the push for uncontrolled urbanization.
 Upgrade of rural areas Diversification of agriculture

11