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xiv Get the most out of this text%u2019s%u2026 %u2026organization Module 0 An Introduction to Human Geography 1 An Introduction to Human Geography 0 MODULE LEARNING GOALS 0-1 Identify the central themes of human geography. 0-2 Describe the Units covered in AP %u00ae Human Geography. Geography is the study of Earth%u2019s surface and the processes that shape it. We are all born geographers. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans have needed to learn their way in the world to find food and shelter, to avoid danger, and to visit family and friends. Geography defines us through the places we inhabit and the journeys we make over the course of a day or a lifetime. Geography is everything, and everything is geography! Geography is divided into two major subfields: physical geography and human geography. Physical geography studies natural phenomena such as climates, river systems, and the distribution of wild plants and animals. Human geography studies how human activity affects or is influenced by Earth%u2019s surface. It explores the relationships between people and the spaces in which they live. The scope of human geography is enormous. For example, human geographers study the characteristics of human populations in different world regions, migration patterns, cultural similarities and differences, economic activities, human relationships with the natural environment, political patterns and processes, the formation of cities, and the distribution of languages around the globe. They attempt to explain the different landscapes that we see across Earth, from the enormous skyscrapers in large cities to the single-family homes in the suburbs of the desert ( Figure 0.1 ). 1(a)(b)Figure 0.1 Different landscapes. (a) The giant skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and (b) the desert suburbs adjoining Las Vegas, Nevada, point to the rapid growth of cities across the globe. (a) Martin Puddy/Getty Images (b) trekandshoot/Alamy Stock Photo TERMS TO KNOW human geography: The branch of geography that studies how human activity affects or is influenced by Earth%u2019s surface (a) The giant skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and (b) the desert suburbs adjoining Las Vegas, Nevada, point to the rapid growth of cities across (a) Martin Puddy/Getty Images (b) trekandshoot/Alamy Stock Photo MODULES 7 Population Distribution and Its Consequences 8 Population Composition 9 Population Dynamics 10 The Demographic Transition Model 11 Malthusian Theory 12 Population Policies 13 Women and Demographic Change 14 Aging Populations 15 Causes of Migration 16 Forced and Voluntary Migration 17 Effects of Migration Population and Migration%u00a0Patterns 2 and%u00a0Processes UNIT Population refers to the number of people living in a given area. As Glenn Trewartha, a renowned American geographer, argued more than half a century ago, the study of population is %u201cthe pivotal element in geography, and the one around which all the others are oriented.%u201d Population size and its growth and migration patterns and processes are relevant to many other topics we study, including cultural patterns, changes in the political landscape, rural land use, food production, the growth of cities, and economic development. How our human species, Homo sapiens, emerged in the rugged terrains of eastern Africa more than 200,000 years ago and subsequently settled and thrived in different parts of the world is a fascinating story. Humans have reached virtually every part of the world, adapting to a wide range of natural environments. There are now permanent human settlements on every continent except Antarctica, where only a small number of scientists live temporarily at 70 research stations. In November 2022, the human population reached another milestone: 8 billion people on Earth. It will continue to grow for another half century or so, though at a slower pace. Humans have extracted natural resources such as minerals, oil, natural gas, and groundwater to ensure their survival, and they have modified the environment to suit their needs. No other species has had a greater impact on the planet. Indeed, some scholars have proposed naming the current geological epoch, from the time of the Industrial Revolution in the late 1700s onward, the Anthropocene %u2014 that is, the period in which human activities have had the dominant influence on the environment, to follow the Holocene period. %u201cAnthropo%u201d means %u201chuman%u201d in Greek. Geographers are interested in answering a number of questions about the human population. Where do humans live? How and why does population vary between countries, within countries, and at even smaller geographic scales? What are the implications of a population%u2019s age, sex, and ethnic composition for society? Is Earth overpopulated? Why do people move from place to place, and how does migration affect the regions and countries that send or receive migrants? To answer these questions, geographers work with scholars in other disciplines, such as demography, which is the statistical study of population and its change. Both geographers and demographers use many different data sources and scientific methods to uncover demographic patterns. Often, these data come from a census, or an official count of a country%u2019s population, and official registries in countries where residents are required to register with the government, but sometimes scholars collect their own data through field observations and questionnaires. Satellite imagery and social media (e.g., X, formerly Twitter) also provide valuable additional data. This Unit addresses all key population geography questions. TERMS TO KNOW Anthropocene: The period in which human activities have had the dominant influence on the environment demography: The statistical study of population and its change What is Human Geography all about?Module 0 offers context for what to expect in this diverse and interconnected course. This introductory Module explains the themes that connect the content and outlines the seven Units of the text. Easy-to-Use Modular Organization Short Modules will help pace your learning so you can tackle difficult topics in manageable chunks. The Big Picture Each Unit begins with a general overview of the Unit%u2019s core concepts. This section will alert you to what%u2019s to come and will hopefully spark your interest by identifying themes that are relevant to your everyday life. 99Zhang Peng/Getty ImagesWhat do you see? (a) The giant skyscrapers of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and (b) the desert suburbs adjoining Las Vegas, Nevada, point to the rapid growth of cities across (a) Martin Puddy/Getty Images (b) trekandshoot/Alamy Stock Photo MODULES 7 Population Distribution and Its Consequences 8 Population Composition 9 Population Dynamics 10 The Demographic Transition Model 11 Malthusian Theory 12 Population Policies 13 Women and Demographic Change 14 Aging Populations 15 Causes of Migration 16 Forced and Voluntary Migration 17 Effects of Migration Population and Migration%u00a0Patterns 2 and%u00a0Processes UNIT 99Zhang Peng/Getty ImagesWhat do you see?%u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.