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Module 7 Population Distribution and Its%u00a0Consequences 1012 Population Distribution and Its%u00a0Consequences 7 MODULE LEARNING GOALS 7-1 Describe how population is distributed around the world. 7-2 Identify the factors that influence population distribution. 7-3 Explain the three methods for calculating population density. 7-4 Explain the consequences of population distribution and density. When geographers study the human population, they are first and foremost interested in learning how humans are spread out on Earth%u2019s surface %u2014 that is, the pattern of population distribution . In this Module, we discuss the striking unevenness of this pattern at different geographic scales, the factors that have shaped it, and the three ways of measuring population density. We also examine the impact of population distribution on society, the economy, and the environment. Earth is home to more than 8 billion people. Where do all these people live? In major metropolitan areas around the world such as New York, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Dhaka, millions or even tens of millions of people are crowded into relatively small areas. Yet much of Earth%u2019s surface is sparsely populated. This very uneven distribution of human population is one of Earth%u2019s most striking geographic features, and we see it at the global, regional, national, and local scales. Geographers seek to understand the unevenness in human population distribution, the reasons behind it, and its consequences Global Population Patterns 7-1 How is population distributed around the%u00a0world? The global distribution of human population is highly uneven. Roughly 7 billion of the world%u2019s population lives in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere, which has vast expanses of oceans but a limited amount of land surface, is home to just over 1 billion people (less than the population of India or China). Furthermore, about two-thirds of the world%u2019s population is found in the areas with middle latitudes, between 30%u00b0 and 60%u00b0 north and south, roughly corresponding to the subtropical and temperate areas on Earth, especially in the northern hemisphere. Overall, a whopping three-quarters of humanity lives on only 5 percent of Earth%u2019s surface. Humans seem to universally prefer living in relatively flat, low-lying areas. About 80 percent of humans live in places that are less than 1640 feet (500 meters) above sea level. People worldwide also appear to enjoy ocean views or relatively easy access to a large body of water. More than half of the world%u2019s population is within 124 miles (200 km) of an ocean and two out of TERMS TO KNOW population distribution: The pattern in which humans are spread out on Earth%u2019s surface %u00a9 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. For review purposes only. Do not distribute.