Chapter 4 Section 1

In 1950 New York was the only metropolitan area in the world with a population over 10 million. By 1994, 14 world cities had populations greater than 10 million. Four of these cities were in economically developed countries; the rest were in countries still developing modern economies. By 2015 experts predict that the population of the following cities will exceed 20 million: Tokyo, Mumbai, Lagos, Shanghai, Jakarta, São Paulo, and Karachi. Of these cities only Tokyo is in an economically developed country.

Population Growth

• The population of Earth is now about 6 billion and is expected to reach 7 billion by 2010. People inhabit about 30 percent of the planet’s land.

• Growth Rates World population is growing rapidly because birthrates have not declined as fast as death rates.

• Improved diet and health care have lowered the death rate in many places.

• In economically developing countries, the birthrate is often very high.

• Wealthy industrialized countries, however, tend to have a low birthrate

• Challenges of Population Growth World food production has risen to meet demands on every continent except Africa.

• However, rapidly growing populations still face shortages of freshwater, housing, and clothing.

• Negative Population Growth In some countries the death rate is higher than the birthrate.

• Countries with negative growth rates often recruit workers from other countries to supplement their workforce.

Population Distribution• Population Density The earth’s

people are not evenly distributed over the available land.

• Most people live near sources of freshwater and in areas where the climate is temperate.

• Population density measures the average number of people living on a square mile or square kilometer of land.

• Population Movement More and more people throughout the world are moving to urban areas in search of better jobs, education, and health care.

• About half the world’s people now live in urban areas.

• People also migrate from one country to another, seeking greater economic opportunities and political freedom.

3.3 analyze factors that influence human movement and settlement patterns