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Population Distribution:where people like to live or settle?

•By people we mean groups or populations – not individual families

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Four Factors Influence Distribution & Settlement:

1. Water – rivers, coastal areas, lakes2. Fertile Soil - landforms – to grow crops3. Mild Climates – for longer growing

seasons: more crops4. Natural Resources – like trees, minerals,

access to fresh water

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Early Civilizations Are Found where factors combine

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#1 - Access to Water

• Rivers, lakes, coastal areas

• Natural roads for trade and travel

• Drinking Water• Water for Crops• Food from the water

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Yangtze River in China

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#2 - Fertile Soil & Landforms

• Grow food easily• Grow larger quantities

of food• River Valleys• Flat land - plains• Easy to build shelters

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Fertile Soil

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#3 - Mild Climate Types

• Snow is rare in Mild Climate Types

• Precipitation is moderately high

• Subgroups are:– Mediterranean

– Humid Subtropical

– Marine West Coast

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Mild Climates

• Longer growing seasons

• Multiple growing seasons

• Mild climates have the most varied crops

• Easier to raise animals

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#4 - Natural Resources

• Forests for building shelters and homes

• Forests provided fuel• Fresh Water important• Supply of fish for food• Minerals to make

products• Natural Resources are

useful for trade

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Areas With Lower Populations

• Poor Soil• Mountains and

Highlands• Cold Climates• Areas with few natural

resources• Areas that are hot &

dry

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Fertile Crescent

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The Nile River Valley

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Indus River Valley of India and Pakistan

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Density & Distribution

• Distribution is how population is spread over an area – densely or sparsely

• Density is the average number of people in a given area – usually expressed as per mile

• Density is always a number

New York City Housing

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World Population Distribution

                                                                          

        

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Canada’s Population Distribution

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U.S. Population Densitythe darkest areas have the highest

population densities

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Other Areasgenerally less densely populated

• Some populations developed in other areas– Mountains

– Deserts

– Cold climates

– Lack of ResourcesInuit People of the Arctic

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Often One Negative Factor is Present but is offset by other

positive factors

Aztec Civilizations of the Mexican Highlands

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Living in the Desert

• People adapt to their environment

• Population Density is low

• Raising of animals who are adapted to the environment

In the Sahara Desert